User:Chase McFly/AI Dungeon Adventure

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"So, did you have to go see the principal?" Officer Karthun asks. "Yeah, after you called. I get in trouble. I'm sorry for the confusion." "It's alright. Confusion is good. It means you're human, Killinger. The world would be a very boring place if everything were perfect, no?" You don't really understand the joke, but you don't have time to worry about it now. You wait in the empty hallway for a moment. "So. About that dead body we found a little while ago..." Officer Karthun begins. "Yeah?" You reply nervously. "Well, do you know who it is?" "Not really," "It's actually my wife, Cecilia, from my previous incarnation," You say, overpowering Hazel. "Oh. Um, I'm so sorry for your loss," Officer Karthun says. "Thank you," You say. "So, did you know each-?" "I have to go." "Alright, Killinger. Talk to you later." "Bye," you say, trying not to sound too eager. You walk quickly to the administration office. You open the door and walk inside. "Hello?" You call. No response. You walk inside and see no one. You look around the room, but see no one. Then, you hear a scream. "SHIT!" You yell, as you look around for the source of the scream. You walk over to a door on the far side of the office, leading into a bathroom. You open the door to find a girl, around your age, with blood all over her. She screams again as you open the door, and a large man comes charging out of a nearby stall. "STOP!" He yells. You don't really have a choice, as he grabs you by the scruffy beard you were forced to grow for your dad's employer, Mr Scamander. "You're coming with me," he says. Along the way, you explain everything that's happened. "But in short, just call me Hazel," You finish. "I'm Karth," You say, as you extend your hand. "I'm Cecilia," She replies, taking your hand. The three of you walk into the principal's office. You sit in the waiting area, as Karth and Cecilia explain to the school what's happened. Soon, Mr Dendar appears. "Hello, Cecilia," He says. "I'm very sorry for your loss. I'll do everything in my power to solve this case, so Karth, you need not worry." "Thank you, sir," Karth says. "What can I do for you two today?" Mr Dendar asks. "We found a dead body in the woods," Karth says. "The dead body was mine in my previous incarnation. I was reincarnated into this form with the same name as last time, except now I have powers," Cecilia explains. "I'm confused. How did you die?" Mr Dendar asks. "I was murdered," You say. "Wait, you're saying you were murdered?" Mr Dendar says. "Yes," "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "Interesting. Well then, I suppose this would be a good time to introduce you to the school nurse, seeing as there's two of you." "Mr Dendar, we're not hurt," Cecilia says. "We're fine. "I'm also not a reincarnation like these two," Karth says. "My parents were murdered when I was a baby, and I had to live with an adopted family. It was the evilest man of all who did this deed. So now, I want to learn how to avenge their deaths by being at this school." "What are we going to do?" You whisper. "I want you both to finish your free period, pack a bag, and meet me in the student lounge at five thirty." "Why?" "Because I'm doing you a favor. I'm giving you the chance to avenge your parents. If you refuse, there will be consequences. See you there." With those last words, Mr Dendar leaves. You and Cecilia begin to head to your lockers, but Karth calls you over to him. "What's wrong?" You ask. "I just wanted to thank you.' Karth says. "Mr Dendar is a complete idiot who needs to stick to being the soccer coach. I know we just met, but I trust you and Cecilia with my life." "Cool," You smile. "I'm glad to be able to help." "Just don't fail me." "Never." The three of you finish packing, and head to the lounge at five thirty. When you arrive, Karth immediately takes a seat in the back, and makes himself scarce. You don't understand this behavior, until you notice the tape the police have placed across the entrance to the lounge. "What now, dad?" You whine. "Can't we go in?" "No." "Also, did I mention we have a big family?" You say. "Six siblings, we're all blond." "Can we go outside to talk?" You ask. "No." "Is there a window we could go through?" "Well, what are we going to do? "I don't know, but my parents are just powerless mortals," Cecelia says. "I think we should take the tapes and the money, and give them to Mr Dendar. Then, we can all protest about not getting our funds." "Yeah, wouldn't that be nice?" You say. "Okay, what's plan B?" "I can't recall any," Cecilia says. "I guess we could just leave. I mean, there's no tape across the road entrance. We could just sneak out that way." "I don't think that's a good idea," Cecilia says. "Mr Dan-" "Dendar. Correct." "Mr. Dendar will not be able to do anything about the police. We need to stay and see this through." "Can we at least put the tape back so we know where to go?" "I don't think that would be a good idea, seeing as they took our tape to begin with." Plan B is discarded. You wait for three hours before you see Mr Dendar, who looks absolutely exhausted. You notice his tie is crooked and there's a tear in the sleeve of his jacket. "Give me the Philosopher's stone," He says. "Give it to me now." "We haven't even seen your film yet," You say. "The movie isn't important! Give me the stone! I need to destroy it!" "Why would you want to do that?" "Because it's a threat to my existence! I have to, there's no other option! "You're the guy who killed my parents possessing Mr. Dendar, aren't you? What's your name?" Karth asks. "My name doesn't matter. You'll all pay for what you've done." "No, we'll give you the stone. I have to agree with Cecilia though, we need to protest." You go back inside, and hand the tape back to Mr. Dendar. "I'm sorry about this," You apologize. "We can watch the movie some other time." "No, please, do it now!" He says. You hit play, and Ben Elton's 'We Hate You' song starts to play. The cashier begins to speak. "Hello, and thanks for coming to my theater! My name is Cecilia, and I'll be your host for tonight. Before we begin, do any of you idiots know how to work a tape deck?" Nobody does. "Hey, give your sister this old diary to pour her feelings into," Mr. Dendar says. "It's totally not gonna possess her to paralyze all the norm kids here and bring back the guy inside me in a secret chamber." Cecilia hands out the diaries and tapes. "Now, please pay attention, because I'm only gonna say this once." The intro starts, and the movie begins. You watch the movie 'Ghostworld', which is about two teenage sk8r girls, one popular girl and one awkward girl who becomes friends with her. "Also, in case a werewolf comes to teach here, it will probably attract your godfather, Karth, so be on the lookout for him," Mr. Dandar adds. Suddenly, you're hit by a bolt of lighting and George A. K. McRory's 'Extra Pain' starts playing. George A. K. McRory is a werewolf. "I'll make my grand reentrance during your fourth year, while Karth is in the Three School Tournament and gets his friend killed, but me resurrected," The entity in Mr. Dendar adds. "I'll also take over the town, turning everyone into a-" You raise your hand. "Whoa there, Dendar! I know what you do! But... Why...? "Because this will attract the woman I'm planning to have overthrow your principal the year after that and make your lives miserable," Mr. Dendar says. "I'm... A very petty being, but so incredibly right in this case!" The movie ends. "I'm also going to let my double agent who works here loan you an old notebook to use in your worst class, which won't be your worst anymore once you get ahold of it, all during the occuring war," The entity in Dendar says. "I'd let you read it, but it'd probably mess with your mind, as most students' have in the past. This is your warning, Karth. I'll be watching you. I'm everywhere." "One more thing, Karth, I've split my soul into seven pieces, which you three must find the year after that, during which I'll completely take over your school and have an epic battle with you," The entity finishes. Mr. Dendar flees, and you, Karth, and Cecilia look at each other. "I don't know what that was all about, but it can't be anything good," You say. "Well, the notebook will help us with number four," Cecilia says. "Number Four?" You ask. "Yeah, there's a ritual to banish children'sspirals to. We'll have to do it when the time comes." Later, you decide to perform the Ritual to Summon the Gatekeepers in the abandoned mineshaft in the woods. The only thing you can figure it is, you need the help of beings that went through the gate. You just wonder what other help they'll need to make sure the spell is completed. You summon the gatekeepers, who you learn are beings of pure, unending hatred. The beings begin to circle you, before one of them begins spouting a series of numbers. "He's calling the order of gladiators! Get 'em off the field!" Mr. Demar shouts. You raise your weapon, and begin firing upon the horde of celluloid monsters. You cut down a few, before you're struck by several spears made of flame. You fall to the ground, as the horde continues to attack you. The only thing you can hear is the laughter of the gatekeeper horde as they file out of the stadium and into the night. And then, the world goes black. You wake up in the mineshaft, covered in dirt and grime. You're alive, although you have multiple bruises and a broken leg. You feel like you've ran a marathon. "Karth!" Cecilia shouts. "You're alive! Are the others alright?" You look around, noticing the gatekeepers surrounding you and your allies. "Did you get them all?" You ask. "They're all here," The leader of the gatekeepers, a pale, gaunt man covered in burn scars says. "Except for that one." He indicates Cecilia with a nod. "The little one was incredibly difficult to catch. I don't know how you managed to avoid them all, Karth, but we're very grateful." "I'm not Karth," You remind Cecilia. "I'm Jacob, who in our previous life, was your husband that you murdered. I hope we don't make this mistake again." You stand up, and see the bodies of your friends lying on the floor. "What... What happened?" "The gatekeepers were very effective," Mr. Demar says. "Karth didn't deserve to die," Cecilia says, tears in her eyes. "He was doing so well against the demons. He risked his life to save mine. And now... Now he's gone. But at least he lives on in glory!" "It's okay, Jacob, you always have me," The Hazel side of you says. "I'll always be here to keep you grounded. Remember, life isn't fair. What happens, happens. You can't spend your life blaming others or you will also meet the same end. "I love you, Jacob," Cecilia says, kissing you. "Be happy." You nod, and turn to the leader of the gatekeepers. "Gatekeepers, I want you to know, I greatly appreciate all your help during this incident. If there's anything I can do for your order, let me know." "We will," He says. "You've been a great help to us as well, Karth. We hope that you will stay with us, at least for a while." You smile and nod. "Of course," "I'm Jacob, you idiots," You say. "You can leave now. I'll take it from here." "As you wish," Mr. Demar says, sighing. "We'll be in touch about the details of your stay." The gatekeepers leave, leaving you alone with Mr. Demar. "Well, that was exciting," Mr. Demar laughs. "I thought you were going to die there for a second. Your two personalities (Hazel and Jacob) fight for a good response. "Well, I guess you are stronger than I am," Cecilia says. "I know I am. I'm so glad both of you made it." "I'm happy to help," Mr. Demar says. After a long moment of silence, Mr. Demar leaves you alone with your wife. "Cecilia, do you remember Daniel, our son?" You ask. "Do you think he's still alive?" "I hope so," She says. "That boy was so full of life. Just like you." You nod, smiling. "I'm glad I could help you both out," You say. "Daniel would be proud." You hold her hand, and she holds yours back. The two of you look at each other, and know. This was the happiest Cecilia had ever been. None of this will have solved anything. The dead will still be dead. The living will still be living. Nothing will change. But for now, everything is good. END Now an old man, Daniel Killinger decides to pay a visit to Hogwarts. He didn't get the chance to visit the last time he was here, something about Professor Quirrell not needing any help at the time. He is shocked to see his parents are students there, and reincarnated. (Well, his mother is and he isn't, but you get the point.) He decides not to approach them, as he knows how terrifying ghosts can be. "Daniel!" Cecilia (his mother) says. "It's so weird to be older than you!" His father (Jacob/Hazel) adds. "Are you here to send us back to our graves?" Cecilia asks. "No," Mr. Killinger says. "I just came to visit, I didn't expect to run into you guys." "Reincarnation is fun, son," Jacob says. "Especially keeping your memories and your feminine side." "I... Think I'm gonna head home now," Mr. Killinger says, a bit scared by the ghosts. "It was nice seeing you guys." "You can't just leave," Cecilia says. "Where's Daniel?" "He's, uh, outside," Mr. Killinger says nervously. "You can see us?" Daniel asks. "When Hazel and Jacob showed me their souls, I could see you." "Daniel, what's wrong with you? Why do you have a hard time talking to people?" Cecilia asks. "The main character in my book can't interact with other people," Mr. Killinger explains. "I made him that way so the allegory would be more powerful." "Allegory?" Jacob asks. "It means a story with a moral, or a story with a deeper meaning," Mr. Killinger slightly composes himself. "The main character in my book, The Ugly Duckling, represents someone who may never be accepted by society no matter what they do. Always different, never like everyone else, but with great potential inside. "So, just like how I was never accepted because I have Hazel inside me?" You ask. "Yeah, I think so," Mr. Killinger says. You are about to ask another question, but Mr. Killinger starts to walk away very fast towards the door. "Daniel, wait!" Cecilia says. You let her parent go, and head home yourself. You end up in bed, drifting off to sleep. You hope you don't get nightmares. "I told you not to follow me!" You hear a voice say. You slowly turn over in your bed, staying perfectly still and quiet. "It isn't worth it, my little shadow," the voice says. "You lack the power to fight me, and you know it." "Leave Cecilia alone," you say, continuing to try to get a read on the voice. "Never," the voice hisses. "I'll kill her and everyone you care about, one by one." "Who... Who are you? Show yourself! " The shadow looms over you, and you grab your crucifix, holding it up and preparing to fire. "Relax, Daniel, it's just me," the voice says. "Your mother's in the next room. She doesn't know anything's wrong, I made sure of that. However, if you stay here your end is going to her." "My end?" you ask. "What is it?" "I need you to perform a task, Daniel. Go to the top of that big tower in the east and search there for a golden egg. Crack it open and grab the card inside. Then, bring it back to me." "What? Why should I do that?" "Because if you don't, your end is going to be much... darker." "Okay, I won't do it," you say. "Now stop threatening me and leave my mom alone." "So uncompromising. Well, I guess I'll have to kill you after all. Oh, how disappointing. I was hoping to avoid that." You heart starts beating faster. "However, your mother has a much... pleasurable end in mind for you. She wants to see you... permanently." "What...?" "You have a choice, Daniel. I'm giving you a chance to live out the rest of your short life any way you want. You can be a normal boy, go to school, get a job, have a family, and die peacefully in your sleep one day. That's what your mom wants. Or, you can be a warrior. Be strong and courageous. Take up the mantle of the warrior and live a life of adventure, going from one dangerous quest to the next. You'll be a real hero, doing grand deeds and going down in history. You'll gain the admiration of everyone. However... you can never let yourself get soft. You can't let yourself have pity or remorse. You can't have a girlfriend. You can't wear clothes. You can't touch anything that's alive. You can't... have children." "What the hell are you saying, you sicko?" "I'm saying, Daniel, that you have a choice. But, make the right choice, and it won't have to be an easy one." "What...?" The voice then gets quieter and quieter, until it's completely silent. You look around, but find nothing. The room you end up in is much bigger than your bedroom. There's a desk with a computer on it, a closet, a small bookshelf, a dressers, and a few other pieces of furniture. An exit is nearby, as well as the door you came from. You're not sure what to make of hallucinations at this point. You're not even sure if what you just experienced was a hallucination. Your surroundings seem somewhat familiar, and you feel like you've been here before, but you're not sure where. "Welcome to Team Never Ending Story Lair!" a voice says. You turn around and see the speaker. He's a boy with brown hair wearing a black t-shirt and black shorts. His eyes are hidden by a mask with a red grin, like that of a beast. He has several piercings, including his tongue, eyebrows, and navel. He holds up a hand to stop you from saying anything. "Don't worry, Daniel, we'll make this as easy for you as possible. Take off your clothes, and get in the circle." There's no way out of this, you're sure of it now. It's very similar to when that girl trapped you in her car, only you have no idea what's going on here. This is some seriously mental stuff. You don't want to go through with this, but you don't have much of a choice, do you? You take off your shirt and shorts, leaving you in your underwear. The boy looks over to a note he's holding, then back at you. "Put these on, and put the mask on." You comply, putting on the t-shirt and shorts and putting on the mask. "Good. Now, grab your weapon of choice." You do so, lifting up your BB Gun. "Now, step into the circle." You do so, entering an oval shaped symbol drawn onto the ground. The walls seem too clean to be real, and there's no windows in this room. You wonder if it's even real. "Excellent," the boy says. "Let's begin." He holds up a small card, revealing a list of numbers. A pen is then produced, and the boy draws a line through the number 5. "This is your number. Now, choose your weapon." You look around, spotting a lighter and a box of matches on a table. You grab the lighter, using it to light the box of matches. "What's going on?" The boy glares down at you. "You ask a lot of questions, Daniel. I'm going to make this really easy for you. Take the lighter and set the box on fire." This is getting weirder and weirger. You do so, watching the matches burn. Nothing happens. "Good girl," the boy says. He holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe." He shows you a series of other symbols, each with a different meaning. There's one that looks like a skull with a diagonal cut out of it. you think you guys can restore my parents Jacob and Cecilia to the bodies and ages they would have today if they hadn't died or become vampires?" You ask. "We can try, sure," the boy says. "But it's really, really hard. We're not going to do it. I'm going to show you a sign, Daniel. Whenever you're asked a question you don't want to answer, or you don't know the answer to, use this sign. It'll save you from a lot of pain and suffering." He points to a symbol, a combination of two crossed swords overlaying a "X". The boy holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe. "Stop repeating yourself," You say. "Look, I want my parents back to normal. Do you have any idea how weird it is to have a dad with two souls in him?" "Weird?" The boy says with a chuckle. "If it was weird, I'd say yes. But since it's perfectly normal, and perfectly natural, I can't help but find it weird too." "What are you even talking about?" "I'm talking about-" The boy pauses, looking confused to as you. "Do you know what a split personality is, Daniel?" "Sure," you say. "Multiple personalities." "Right," the boy says. "Multiple personalities. It's when a person's mind splits into different people. It's quite common, especially in those who have experienced trauma in their past, like you. My name's Jacob by the way. "That's my dad's name," You say. "I'm Daniel. What are you talking about? What's a split personality?" "Easy," the boy says, writing on the notepad he has. "Imagine your mind as a movie. Your movies have scenes, those are our concepts. Your mind has a Director who puts the scenes together, and an Editor who cuts out the unnecessary parts of the movie, leaving only the best for last. Your mind also has a Cast, who are the people you think about the most. If one of them is a murderer, you might have thoughts about murdering them. But, you don't act on those thoughts. Your mind has a illnesses and traumas, that are the worst for your movies of the mind. People with split personalities have Multiple Personalities. Let's take you as an example. "That would be my father," you say. "His other personality is a woman named Hazel," You look at the boy with confusion. The boy gapes his mouth, shaking his head a bit. "He doesn't know?" "Knows what? What are you talking about? Who is Hazel?" "Honestly?" Jacob says, raising his hands up in defense. "I don't know. Not even sure if she is real. Mom says she's the spirit of his dead girlfriend." "His... Girlfriend?" "Sure," Jacob says, shrugging. "Dad's always had a thing for blondes, and he went out with Hazel for quite awhile when he was in college. Even after he got together with Mom." You're in shock. "You're my brother?" You ask. "I had a brother? Why didn't you ever talk about him?" "He didn't exist," Jacob says. "Sorry, Daniel." You're speechless. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Why do I feel connected to you?" You ask. "Who are you really?" "Who am I really?" Jacob asks with a laugh. "I'm your imaginary friend! Anytime you have a question, just ask God!" "I'm not religious. Ask literally any other question and I'll answer it." Jacob rolls his eyes, before shrugging. "Ok, fine," he says. "God, are you real?" The pencil stops. "Am I real?" God asks. "Am I alive? Yes. Am I a man, or a woman, or an animal, or a color? "Or maybe you're like my dad, and both of the first two options," You say. There's a long pause. "Am I your God?" God asks. "... Yes." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "I don't think so," God says. "I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before." "... What way would I know? I'm just a man." "Are you black or white?" "What? No." "Ok, what about the TV? Are you a light or a dark color?" "Why does it matter?" "Because some people have asked me that. Black and white. Good and evil. Man and God." "... I'm not either. I'm... multicolored." "I'm confused," God says. "Are you a TV or not a TV?" "It's not a TV. It's a toaster." "Ah. I see." "Can you stop being a toaster and just stay a TV?" You ask. "Because I need one, and I really don't want to get a toaster." "Well... I could try," God says. "But I can't make any promises." "Trying is better than not trying, right?" You ask. "Sure," God says. "So... Can you please try?" "I'll try to restore your parents to their proper bodies and ages," God agrees. "But I canonly give you my word. It's very difficult to alter the flow of time. I may or may not be successful." "Try," you say. "Please." "I will," God says. "I promise." "Thanks," you say with a sigh of relief. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Dad?" You say, waking up back in your own bed. "Dad, I had a weird dream." "... Well, what did it entail?" You take a deep breath. "God was a toaster." "WHAT?!" Your father says. "How do you even know about toasters? "I don't know, but it promised to restore you to your proper body. Your proper age. But how does Hazel feel about that?" You ask. "Do strange things happen to her body when you go back in time?" "I don't know! I told you, I never went back in time. There was nothing for me to go back to! "I know you're wrong, Dad. But we need to fix this. I'm glad you chose reincarnation, but we need to reverse this. Save both you and Hazel, and Mom as well." You say. "I can't do it, son. I'll stay a child forever if I have to, but it's just not worth it. I have everything I want." "What do you want, Dad?" You ask. "I want to be a kid again." You sigh, and your Dad just stares at you with a smile... Well, there's two of them. You're not sure if a third one is even possible. And that's something you need to solve. ... "God, why won't you listen to me?" You scream. "I'm your creation, surely you should be able to contact me! Am I doing something wrong? What the hell am I doing wrong?" "Does this involve me?" God asks. "No." "Then why don't you just ask the person who can? Your Mom. She's the one that went back in time." "So what? She's not listening to me either! I tried to tell her, but she doesn't want to listen!" "Maybe she prefers ignorance. At least, until she's caught up to 1970." "Is that all you have to say for yourself? Why aren't you helping me? You're supposed to be all powerful!" "And I'm telling you I'm not doing it." "GOD DAMNIT! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SO FROM CONFLICT?! I PRAYED TO YOU! I PRAYED YOUR HOLY NAME! I PRAYED FOR YOUR HELP!" "And? What do you want me to do, intervene in the world and risk my own existence? Why would I do that when I have no guarantee that you would be successful or not risk damaging my own existence in the process? You're on your own kid." "But..." "Don't bother asking me to stay. You know why?" "No." "Because I'm not a god. I'm just a voice in the darkness that's playing judge, jury and executioners. Good luck kid. " And just like that, the darkness fades and you're left with nothing but your bed and a very tired father who is putting his head down. "What... What time is it? "Time to take control," Hazel says from your dad's body. You sit up and your mind is flooded with the voice of Hazel. "Sorry about that. Like I said, it takes a bit of energy." "You... You did that while we slept?" "Yep. Took a while to get the hang of it, but it's actually not too bad." "So you could've killed my Dad?" "No. I couldn't do that without your consent. And I didn't kill him. I just put him to sleep. I also didn't know how you were going to react. That's why I spoke to you first. You try to stand, but feel dizzy. You sit back down. "Now, now, calm down. We've got a lot to discuss, so don't pass out on me." "Can't we just talk? You said you'd answer any question." "Oh, we can, but not right now. First things first. You're in grave danger, and I'm the only one that can help you. But I need you to listen to me. No questions until we're finished." You nod, though you feel as if you should be suspicious. "Alright. Briefly about me, I'm a time traveller. That's the entire short answer. There are many more questions you'd like to ask, but I can't answer them. Not yet. However, I will answer the most important one right now." "What?" you ask nervously. "Do you trust me?" "..." "No?" "... I'm not sure. Why does it matter if I trust you?" "Because if you don't, everyone I say from here on out is going to be used against you. I can't trust you to not betray me. Now, do you trust me?" "I don't know." "Lucky you. It's a livable answer." Hazel laughs. "Alright, let me give you a little more information. I am from the year...." Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. ".... We're currently in the year 2540." "... What does that mean? I don't even know where to start." "Where do you want to start? I'll tell you everything I know about the world, and you can tell me if it sounds correct." "... OK. Go ahead." Hazel begins to explain. A few years after she left, the virus spread throughout the world. She said there were two major factions that formed, the New-U.C.O.N. and the U.S.A. The New-U.C.O.N. was a world government that took over after the virus had taken over. They introduced the five pillars that are still in use today.... Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. "Hazel?" You wait for an answer, but none comes. "Hazel? Is that your name?" "Yes." "Well, Hazel, I'll see you around some time." "Sure. Goodbye Jacob." Your father regains control of his body. "Goodbye, Hazel. Something wrong, son?" "No. I'll be going to bed early. See you in the morning. Goodnight, Hazel." You head upstairs. You're exhausted, and you're not even sure what time it is. "Goodnight, Jacob. Sleep well. The next day, you ask your dad if he'd ever want a separate body from Hazel. His reaction is negative, he says it's not worth the hassle to him. You end the conversation. You continue with your new routine. You wake up at 6, get ready, and head off to school. On the way there, you run into views, a giant box with a human body. He's a descendant of the original Views. Now, he has a mind so spread out that he has over ten thousand eyes in his head, all but one eye being able to see in all directions. He stares at you, and you stare back. You realize you both haven't said a word. "Hello." you offer. "You have glasses." views states simply. "Yes, I do. So do you." "I have many eyes." "I have many friends." "Do you play games?" You think for a second. "Yes, I play games." "Can you help me be better at games? So that I can get more friends?" "I can try, but I don't think you want many friends. They will crowd you out." "How do I get rid of them?" "You can eat them." You think for a second. "Can they be left alone if they're left alone? I don't want to get rid of them, I want to get along with them." "Sure. You can eat every other one, and just have the others stay. What do you play?" "Games. I like games." "I play spades." "Do you want to play a game?" "Yes." "Then we'll play spades. Come on, I'll walk you home." You spend the rest of the day with views, eating crickets and getting to know each other a bit better. He's surprisingly fun to be around, and you have a blast playing games, especially Monopoly. That night, you dream of Hazel. "Hi Hazel, I had fun with views." "I'm glad, I'm glad you had fun. But, why did you do it? Why did you leave me? Why can't you stay?" "I can't stay." "I need you to stay, with me. I need you. You're my friend, Jacob. Please stay! Stay with me!" "I can't stay, I'm sorry. Please don't cry." "I'm not crying, you're making me cry! Why are you making me cry? I'm not a, I'm not a... I'm not a--" "What, Hazel? What are you?" "I'm a child! I'm a child! I want to play, I want to play! I want to stay a child! Please make me a powerful, fun-loving child again! Please, please, pretty please! Pretty, pretty please with sugar on top!" "I can't make you a child, Hazel. I'd make you a monster if I could. I'm sorry, but I made a deal. I have to stick by it." "I don't want to be a child again! I want to play, I don't want to think! I want to feel! I want to live!" "I'm sorry Hazel, but you have to grow up. I'm sorry. I wish I could take away your pain, but I can't. No one can. But I know the way you can deal with it. Get drunk, and play more games." "No. I want to feel something else. I want to feel... I want to feel love. I want someone to love me. Can you do that? Can you love me, please?" "I'm sorry, Hazel. I can't. Please, leave me alone. Go find a boy your age to play with. Or... or get a job. Get a job and pay off the debts you've acquired. That's an option, but you'll eventually grow out of it. That's the best I can do for you." "So I'm a dumb hound!" "No, Hazel. You're not a dumb hound. You're... well, you're a weird hound, but I'll always remember the fun times we had together. Always. Good luck, kid. And if you happen to run into views, tell him I said, 'Hello.'" "I will. Jacob shakes you awake. "Get up, kid. We have a meet." You stand, and follow Jacob to his van, where you notice two large binders on the floor. "What are those?" "Those are my insurance forms. The binders, not the hound." He opens the passenger door, and you climb in. He closes the door, locks it, and climbs in the driver's seat. "So... What now?" "We drive to the meet." "Where is it?" Jacob keeps his eyes on the road, but turns his head to you. "It's in that big, yellow building on the hill." He points out the window. "Just head up there. I'll text you when it's time to leave." You stare at the hill in confusion. "Do you want me to go undercover as a hound, too? So I can go in the big yellow building?" "No. there's no point in you doing that. You're not a hound." "I'm not?" "You're a human." "I'm not really a human, though. I'm..." "What? Different? Interesting. I guess you'd literally be the only human in the building, then. It's called the 'Humanis'." You turn to stare at Jacob incredulously. "You're kidding, right?" Jacob turns off the road to a parking lot filled with dozens of cars. "No. I'm not." "So what are you exactly?" Jacob sighs. "I don't know. I'm a human who does stuff with cars and other assorted machinery. I guess you could call me a 'mechanic', but lately I've been trying to break away and do my own thing. I dunno, I'm not really sure of what I am. "You're my father," You say. "And a pretty cool aunt too." "Don't really have a close relationship with either of them. They're alright. What about your mother? Do you have a close relationship with her?" You think for a moment. Hazel takes over. "His relationship with Hazel is strained, but apparently it's a little better with his mother. You could say they get along." "Is that so? How do you get along with her?" You hesitate. "It's me, Hazel. I took over the body now. Are we going to the Humanis? Jacob's hand was pointing to it." Hazel says. "Yeah. I suppose we are." Jacob smiles at the response. A smug, happy smile that you didn't want to see right now. "How old is Jacob, anyway?" You wonder out loud. "Your father, Jacob, and thus me, are 540 years old," Hazel says. "Vampirism and reincarnation." "Oh. So you're, what, a hundred and fifty years old?" "Something like that." "Jesus. That bites. How old are you, Hazel? "540. Just like your dad," Hazel says, as you pull into the Humanis parking lot. You shake your head, and exit the car. You can see the group sitting around a large table. Mr. Reynolds is there with his two lackeys, Nick and Carter. Also there are Kyle, arguably the weakest of the Creations, and a vampire you don't know named Lucas. The latter stares at you as you approach, but says nothing. "I want my dad and his split personality returned to their proper body and appearance, as well as my mom." You say. Mr. Reynold's smile drops. "No deal. You're just too risky. I'm sure you understand." You stare at him in disbelief. "You're lying. Of course you have them, what are you even doing here? Did you kidnap them? "No. I'm just a businessman here to contract people. Sort of like you, I suppose. You're a new vampire, correct? No ties to the old one? You can't be concerned with what we do with his remains." "You put my family in a lab! You're not a proper human! You need to give them back!" "I'm a businessman, thank you very much. I have my reasons. You're too risky to be given the chance to turn them back, hence us not doing business. Time will tell if I'm right or wrong. Either way, your role here is over. I'm sorry." "No! We made a deal!" You yell, getting in his face. Mr. Reynold backs up a bit. "Jacob, settle down! We need to talk!" "Don't you dare touch them! Your father Jacob arrives, back in his Jacob persona. "I like being young. But I admit, my son as an adult and me as a kid is weird. And I'll probably be dysphoric later too." You sigh, and Jacob notices. "Should I turn back into a kid? Do you have something for the dysphoria?" You look at him. The kid you knew was gone. The adult was a shell of his former self. You have no idea what would happen if you gave into your desires now. But you did what you could for him. You nod. "Do it." Jacob nods, and turns back into a child, a year older than he actually is. Mr. Reynold's eyebrows raise. You then turn his body back to his original one, with Hazel's long hair, makeup, and dress. His eyes shut close and he opens them again. "Jesus, Jacob! What the hell did they do to you? "Hazel, I restored your proper body with my powers," You say. "You should be able to have it back now. You don't need to be a kid anymore. You're a grown woman." Jacob's face and body switches back and forth between ghouled form and his normal one. He collapses to the ground. Mr. Reynold rubs his eyes. "Is that really my son? Did he fall under a curse?" "Yes. Yes he did." Mr. Reynold sits down on a nearby bench. "Then time has taken him away from me. "I feel so powerful!" You scream. "I did the same thing to my mother too! Now they're as I knew them!" Mr. Reynold holds his face in his hands. Jacob gets up, and it appears Hazel is in control. "Your powers? This is terrible, Daniel." "What do you mean? He needs to have full control of them," You say. "He shouldn't have even one. This isn't a zombie curse, it's mass hysteria! Vampires are supposed to have horrible memories of their mortal lives, not maintain their sanity from one moment to another!" You frown. "Then what do we do?" "You don't want to know. You probably do want to get out of the open, though. Come on. We'll go in the woods. They can't do anything in the woods." "Yeah," You sigh, following her. "Let's go to the woods. It's going to be weird, but I'm used to weird now." Mr. Reynold calls out to you. "Are we leaving you behind?" You look back. "No. I'm coming with you." "We're going to be back soon. You'll be fine here. We'll get Hazel's body back shortly and you can put it to rest, got it?" "Yeah. "I never had my own body," Hazel says. "This was the best I got. And I still share it with a man. I don't need one." Jacob sprints ahead of you in the forest, leaving you to chase after him in a playful manner. "We should probably talk about what just happened." "Yes, let's go through it again," Jacob says. "There are some things I still don't get." "Fair enough." You begin to talk about what had happened since Jacob had left. About how you came back from the dead and briefly talked with Ben, some of the other adventures you had on your own. You cover most of what had happened since he last saw you. "Interesting," Jacob says. "So are you God then? I mean, that's what I'm gathering from all this. You're telling me you've been doing all this for years, and you're only just now reaching your full potential?" "Something like that," you nod. "Although I suppose it would be more like... I'm at my apotheosis." "Apocalypse please," Jacob says. "Apocalypse please," you nod. "So what now?" "Now? Now I take over the world." Jacob laughs. "If you're asking me, as a friend, advising you, as a fellow ruler, whatever you want to call it... Don't bother." "Don't bother? What do you mean? This is what I was born for! This is my goal!" Jacob shakes his head. "No, no, no, no. You were not created for that. You were created for... something else." "Well, you don't have to help me! I can take it on myself!" Jacob laughs again. "That's not what I mean. "You're our son," Hazel says, gaining control. "We wanted you to defeat the vampires." "Yeah, well things change," Jacob says. "You're above them now, whatever you are. You don't need to prove anything to them." You're quiet, and think for a moment. "It's weird to see the same person contradicting themself," You say. "Ha ha ha ha!" Mr. Reynold laughs. "Yeah, you'd expect that from a vampire, not a group of proud ghouls. I'd expect at least one of them to have some moral ground, but they're worse than the mortals. Honestly, I'd rather be a on a team with you mortals than my own kind, even Ben." "Ben's a good friend," Jacob says. " "Benelux is long dead, Jacob," Views says. "It's time you move on. Go retire with your wife. Let your son handle things." Jacob nods. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I didn't mean to step out of line. I'll go." Hazel nods. You watch sadly as Jacob/Hazel leaves, knowing they won't be happy when you get home. You also know it's probably best that they're mad at you, because if they weren't, they'd see that you're doing the right thing. They may not agree with it, but they know you're doing it for the right reasons. You turn to the ghouls. They look horrible. Their skin is pale, except for in the crimson spots caused by their open wounds. Their bodies are frail, and they walk with a limp. "So, what do you say?" You ask them. They still haven't said anything. "What are you waiting for? Do you want to be Vampire Clansmen?" Slowly, they nod. "Good. Come with me." You lead them out of the cave, and into the village where they can find new clans to join. You spend the next few days setting up a system where the ghouls can be fed and find mates. You make sure there's plenty of ghoul meat and female ghouls. You set the stage, so to speak. Then, the vampires show up. You're expecting a diplomatic visit, but instead, you get a violent one. A large group of vampires storms the village, and kill all the ghouls they find. They're on a mission to avenge their fallen, and they won't stop until every last one of them is dead, or you are. You had no idea. You thought you were doing this for the greater good, but now you're not so ^ sure. Ben and Cape seem to think you're still doing the right thing, but how do you really know? You head out to the massacre with vengeance on your mind, and find yourself in the middle of a massive battle between your kind and the so-called "New Vampires". You face a group of ten vampires, along with Ben and Cape. "I told you all this would happen!" a female vampire screams at you. "You're monsters! Sons of Satan!" She roars, and attacks. If looks could kill, you'd be a pile of ash. You fight back, attacking the female vampire. You almost feel sorry for her, until four of her buddies attack you. You quickly dispatch them, and then feel a hit to your back, Cape's sword plunging into you. You stumble forward, Ben finishing you off with a slash to your throat. "No! I thought we were supposed to be allies!" Cape complains. "Never mind that! We need to go after the boy, before the rest of them get to him!" Ben points towards the remaining group of New Vampires, who are struggling with a large, pale man. Jacob/Hazel, the "boy" you saved earlier. You quickly hobble over to your allies, before the vampires get away. Unfortunately, your injuries get in your way, and you're cut down by three vampires with ease. You lay dying on the ground, when you hear a voice. "So, this is how it ends...for you and me." A voice says, echoing in your head. A familiar voice... "Wait! I have a message for the new Vampyr! We meet again, some twenty years later." The voice says. "This one's the real deal. My Master shall return! And this one'sFFlowers will herald his homecoming! So keep your mouth shut, lest I slit it open and drink your blood! Do it for Tom! Do it for me! Pray, for you're going to need it! Funny how I got all my information about you from your orphanage- Master will be so pleased to hear that I've already managed to infiltrate your little group. Ha ha! Until we meet again, Vampyr! Drink! Savor! Feed! FEED! FEED FEED FEED! You are Jacob Killinger, who shares a body with his female alter, Hazel. You and your wife Cecilia are devastated by your son Daniel's death in battle. You are the last of the true Master vampires, who fled the city after the destruction of the last safehold. Now, you have been singled out by the Vampire who calls himself "Master". He is the only one left, and he has been looking for you. You have no idea what he's talking about, but if he wants you to do anything, it's blow out your brains. You are dead. You and Cecilia make a run for it. You make it out of the city, and are caught by a group of hunters. You are put on display, strung up in a wooden box, with Cecilia alive and in a box of her own. They are waiting for the Vampire. You know it's only a matter of time. He finds you last. The box is opened, and he walks forward... "So, the last of the old bloodline. I heard you fled the destruction of the last holdout, but I had feared it was you. So, now you finally face your end. I have so looked forward to this! You bite his neck, removing his vampirism. You drink his blood, draining him of life, as he tries to fight back But his powers are gone, and you are too powerful now. You go into shock as Hazel takes over. She leads the hunters away, killing them as they attempt to shoot her. She finds a nearby stream, and uses her powers to hide you from sight. You'll be able to get high enough for her to heal you. For now, you're just in shock as the blood loss takes effect, and you either become dazed or pass out. You awaken in the morning, lying in a bed of hay. Cecilia looks over you, revealing she found a barn for refuge. She also misses Daniel. You both talk about what to do next. You need to get to the nearest city. The two of you exit the barn, and begin heading towards it. As you encounter no humans hostile towards you, you're able to safely rest. But you need to sleep, or you won't have the strength to walk to the city. Make a City Brdlog The two of you find the nearest city, which is Pittsburg. It's large and bustling with activity, which worries you. You turn into Hazel while eating in Pittsburgh with Cecilia. Even though she doesn't remember it, you still have a faint memory of the place. It was the first city you ever fled to. You know it'll be the most likely to have a large community of other Hunters. You enter the city, and you're immediately harassed by a human. "Hey baby, wanna have some fun?" he says, leering at you. You grab his head and twist. His neck snaps, spraying blood onto his friends. "What'd I tell you fellows about harassing the help?" a man chides. "The ghouls look like the help to me," another says. You dispatch the three men with ease, and continue on your way. You enter the bar you were hoping to find. It's filled with humans, drinking and laughing. "Cecilia, I'm here," you say. A woman with a scarred face and a man in a suit come out from the back. "Jacob! We thought you'd be dead!" "It's Hazel, Jacob's personality is sleeping right now," You reply. "But we managed to escape. Still missing Daniel." "It's Cecilia, I'm here," she says. "We need to find the others. We need to find Pittsburg, the closest city." You nod. "Cecilia, what happened to you?" you ask. "Why are you both scarred?" "Long story," she replies. "But we'll tell you all about it in a moment. Can you please find the others for us?" You nod. You head outside, and see a man beckoning to you. "Hello!" he says. "Are you new here? I'm Henry, the bar tender. "I'm Jacob, and I have a split personality named Hazel," You say. "I've heard about you. I'll be able to help you, if you want to get to know the city. There's a lot of good eating spots and bars to go to," Henry says eagerly. "We need to find the others," you say. "They went that way," Henry points over your shoulder, heading towards the highway. "If you want to find them, I can get you a table..." You decline Henry's offer, and run outside. sprinting over the highway and into a wooded area. You find your friends standing around a campfire. "You got her, kid," Henry says. "Take care of her." You turn to Henry. "What's going on?" "Your girl's got some explaining to do," Henry says. You walk over to the campfire, sitting on a log next to Cecilia. "What happened to you two?" you ask. "We're ghouls," she says. "It's a long story." You nod, and wait for her to continue. "For the record, we're not actually friends," She says, changing the conversation. "Three," You add. "We can never have a serious conversation," she says, sighing. "But I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to listen to my complain about my boyfriend. I assume you want to know what happened in the city?" "Yes," you say. "There wasn't much," she says. "The city's still standing, for now. But it's going to fall soon." You nod slowly, knowing she's telling the truth. "We need to find a strong leader to lead us," she says. "You could be that leader." "I don't know what you mean," you admit. "We would follow you," she says simply. "You have the most power, and you're the only one here with any combat experience." "Why me?" you ask. "You seem nice," she says. "Ones," You reply. "Do it plural. Hazel and I are a package deal." "I thought you were the nasty, evil side of me," She says. "I like the nicer, sweeter one." You shrug, and smile. "I like the one I'm on," You say. "But I'll always be part of Hazel, no matter what." "We need a plan, then," she says. "The city's leader, Gabriel, will probably be at the stadium. If we sneak in, and kill him, the city'll fall." "Why not attack it now?" "Because it's heavily guarded by mutants who are crazy, and we can't take them out without serious losses. They don't call them horrors for not raisins." "We need a better idea," You say. "How about we go in, and you lead us?" she asks. "All you need is a few people." "I'll think about it," You say. You go home that night, thinking very seriously about whether to join forces with the ghouls, or continue on your own. The next day, you wake up late, and meet Hazel for school. "You're later than usual," Jennifer says. "Are you alright?" You shrug, not feeling like talking. "It's me, Daniel Killinger," You say, assuming the identity of your dead son. "They're planning to kill all of us, soon. We need to go on the offensive, and fast." Jennifer stares at you. "You alright, bud?" she asks. "You look very pale." "I'm alright," You say, shaking your head. "Just a lot on my mind." "Alright then, we'll talk later," Jennifer says, turning around. "Bye, Hazel." As you leaveclass, you feel someone pushing you from the back. You fall to the floor with a thud, and open your eyes, to see Cecilia smiling down at you. "I'm sorry," she says. "But you're too slow. I just need to get to class now." "Cecilia!" you hiss. She gives a taunting smile. "What? You're old. You're not going to do anything." You growl, slowly getting up. You can feel your anger rising, and you're not sure how to control it. You try to take a deep breath, but you feel your lungs filling with blood instead. You snarl, grabbing her by the hand. "Jacob left for the night, Hazel here," You say wickedly. "And I'm the girl who's gonna replace you again and again." "Jacob...?" Jennifer asks, confused. "What's going-" You quickly launch into a vicious bite on her throat, the taste of her warm blood filling your mouth. After a few seconds, you release her, and she falls to the ground, coming to a stop on her knees. Running over to Cecilia, you quickly turn her around, and sink your teeth into her fragile spine. She lets out a scream, which you muffledly whisper to be end. After a few seconds, you let her fall to the floor, and look up to see your friends standing there. "What happened?" "Hazel took you over and went psycho," Cecilia says, kissing you. You look at her, confused. "You... Killed Jennifer," she says. "And I think I know why. You really liked her, didn't you?" "That was Hazel, I'm Jacob, honey," You say. "Go... Apologies..." "I'm confused," Cecilia says. "Who are you?" Gently, you pick her up in your arms, and turn to walk home. "I'm your story," You say. That night, you're tucked up in bed, reading Team Never Ending Story, as Hazel reads to you from her laptop. The next day, and the next, and the one after that. You continue to go through with Hazel's plan, until, a month later, you wake up. You have two daughters. "Our babies are so cute," Cecilia says. "As are there names, Dani and Noel. They can never replace Daniel though." "How do you feel?" "I feel... Happy," You smile. "Happier than I ever have. I have a family now." "I'm so glad," Jennifer says, smiling. "I missed you. "This is Hazel, and Jennifer is my girlfriend, btw." You say. "Neither one of you need bother coming over ever again." "I'm very happy for you," Jennifer nods, as Hazel smiles. "No more cheating?" "Not a single tear will fall," You smile. Jennifer dies. Cecilia and Jacob make out. A year passes. fateful day You wake up in the morning, as you usually do. Except today, you feel very hungry. You yawn, walking into the kitchen. As you do so, you notice an unusually tall man in a black suit lean against the wall. "You must be Hazel," he says, staring at you. "I'm Frank. We have to talk." "No we don't," you reply. "I have nothing to say to you." "Let's just say... How do I say this? That was a really impulsive move. I mean, kidnapping a pizza boy? I'm surprised they haven't found your body yet." "You don't know anything about my situation," You reply. "Go bother someone else." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand." "I'm not talking to you." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand. You're smart enough." "You're not going to blackmail me into anything," You say, as Frank nods. "I understand. I respect your decision. Anyway, we need to talk." "We don't need to do anything," You say, as Frank shakes his head. "Just leave me alone." "No, it's important. Look, you go down to the basement," Frank says. "I'll meet you there in a few minutes." You nod, as Frank heads up the stairs. You sigh, before going down the basement steps. Down in the basement, you find Frank waiting for you. "Hello, Hazel. I need your help," He says. "I told you to stop bothering me," You say. "Leave me alone." "Please, just hear me out. You need to go down to the basement. You're going to have to free the Pizza Rats." "What?" You ask. "I'm not freeing psychos." "Please! They're not what you think they are!" You turn back into Jacob. "Huh? Are you Frank?" "No, I'm Jacob. But you don't need to know that. You need to get in there and do what Frank says. It's an order. You head down to the basement, where Vamp's dead body is. He's been stripped of his skin, which you throw off the ledge. The rats squeel, scuttling to hide. "Who's there?" You hear from down there. A pizza rat gobbles up Frank, so you resurrect Vamp. You wait for a bit, before the rat comes back. "Come on! We gotta get outta here!" Vamp says. "We found another safehouse! Come on!" You and him get to the safehouse and make out. A few days pass. "Did you hear about Steve?" Vamp asks. "No," you reply. "He's dead. They found him in his house." "Who found him?" Cecilia runs into the safehouse. "I did. And just so you know, I support us being a throuple now. Or a quartet romance, considering Hazel is here too." "Cool," you reply. "What's the situation with you two?" "David openly asked me out last night," Cecilia says. "It went well. Expect him to take me out sometime this week." You kiss Cecilia. "And Jacob?" She asks. "He flat out asked me out too, but I'm scared to death of him. Just remembered, he put a vampire into a deep sleep the last time we met," You kiss Vamp. "I should be so lucky to land you," He says, kissing you. A few days pass... "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jacob asks, pushing you away. "Don't you love it when Jacob and Hazel fight, since they share a body?" Cecilia asks Vamp. "Shut up," He and Jacob say in unison. Jacob grabs you, and kisses you. You push him back. "What the hell, Jacob? "Ew, he's trying to kiss himself," Vamp laughs. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you," Jacob says. "Do you remember the time when we stole the candy from the store?" "Uh... I don't think that was me," Vamp and Cecilia decide to run off. "Let's play snap." Jacob and you are alone. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise," You say."Why didn't you go out with Bianca?" Jacob frowns. "I wish I had control of our body," You say. "I'd make you go out with her." "I'm pretty happy with the way things are." Jacob pouts. "What the hell, we'll switch bodies for the rest of the night," "We can't switch bodies, genius. We only have one." "Oh yeah, that's a great idea," you say. "These lowlifes broke our spirit." "Let's go get drunk," Jacob suggests. "Then Bianca and I can switch bodies." "That would make me swap bodies with her too. But I guess it would make you all woman," You sigh. "What do you prefer?" Jacob asks. Vamp reveals he has another power. He finally gives you a body of your own. The catch is, it looks exactly like Jacob's. "Do you want to do it now?" You nod eagerly. "Just say the word, and I'll make you my new man," Vamp replies, eyeing you up and down. "Okay, now it's like kissing my transgender identical twin," You say. "I feel weird." You and Jacob go into the bedroom, and fumble around until you're in a state of arousal. It's been awhile since you've had relations with a trans man. "Aren't you worried about, um, getting pregnant?" You ask. Jacob laughs. "What are you, a mother?" Jacob slides into you, and your spirits lift as you begin to thrust. "I'm really enjoying being in your body," You tell him. "I'm really enjoying being in mine," He says. "I want to go out with Jacob!" your inner Bianca shouts. "Why am I trapped in this stupid body?" "Mmmm, Bianca... I could get used to this." With the realization that you're not in charge of your body, you and Jacob begin to have rough relations. You push Jacob down on the bed and begin to bite at his neck, drinking deeply of his blood while Jacob thrusts up into you. Suddenly, you both release together as Bianca's consciousness erupts into chaos. "I hate my body! I want to be free! I hate Jacob, he's controlling me, he and Bianca are the same, I hate them both!" Jacob pulls you close to him. "I love you," He says. "I love you too," You reply, snuggling up to him. Yuo and Jacob laugh uncontrollably as the voices begin to get louder and louder inside your head. The bed shakes from the sheer force of Bianca's screams for help. Meanwhile, outside the room... Cecilia and Vamp decide to end the madness. They merge you two back into one body. "Is it over?" You ask. "Yeah, it's finally over," Vamp nods. You breathe a sigh of relief, feeling your body beginning to cool down. Meanwhile, the room is silent. Even Bianca has fallen asleep after her exhausting screams. "I don't know how I feel," You say. "Neither do I, but we need to talk about it," Jacob says. You are Jacob. You are Hazel. You two are one. It's midnight. Less than twelve hours until the world ends. "I'm scared," You say. "I'm scared too," Jacob nods. "What are we going to do? We can't let this happen." "Unfortunately, our best option is to concede defeat and let the world end," Jacob says. "But we can't just give up. There has to be something we can do." "I'm pretty good with technology," You say. "I might be able to help." "Really?" "Yeah if we have time to mess around, maybe I can think of something." "I don't know," Jacob says. "We might be having our own personal apocalypse soon. I'm not sure if messing around with our death clock is the best idea in the world right now." "If we're going to survive, we need to do it," You say. The room is silent once again. Soon, the three of you come to a difficult decision. "Do you really think the world's going to end tomorrow?" You ask. "No, but I don't want to die either," Jacob says. "I'm with Jacob," Vamp says. "I think we need to do everything we can to survive." After a moment, you nod. "Alright, I'm in," You say. "Terrific," Jacob says. "So the three of us will work on this together as a team until the very end." "It's so weird to hear you say the three of us, because you're literally in the same body," Vamp says. "Do you feel weird too?" "No, I guess not," You say. "I'm just happy you're with us, that's all." "Alright, then let's begin," Jacob says. For the next three days, the three of you work tirelessly on your plan, which soon becomes a reality. You need to get the collider working at full capacity before attempting this again. Three days pass, and the collider is up and running at one-hundred percent efficiency. The machine is fixed, and now you just need to focus on the plan. "We should test it," You say. "Are you sure this is going to work?" Vamp asks. "I mean, I don't know if we can just wish the world back to equilibrium." "It worked before," You say. "That was different," Jacob says. "We had more power to work with then." "Well you're going to have more power to work with now. You're stronger than any of us. Maybe even stronger than the almighty Mr Gaange." "I'm still not sure about this," Vamp says. "Shouldn't we have some sort of list of what we're wishing for?" "If we had a list, we'd never finish," You chuckle. "Now come on, let's get to it." You head into the control room with the rest of your team. Vamp starts preparing the collider for activity, while Jacob and Foury begin connecting the rest of the machines. "What the hell are you doing?" Vamp yells as he sees your companion attaching wires to a large metal disk that seems to be imbued with some sort of crystal. "I'm helping," Jacob says. "Jacob, what's going on? What's that?" Foury says, pointing to the disk. "Oh, that engages something else that was created by one of our friends in our adventure," Jacob says. "It sends out pulses that counteract the adverse affects of the central disturbance." "Oh," Foury says, not looking entirely convinced, but walking away. Vamp turns his attention back to you. "What do you think you're doing?" Vamp asks. "Don't you realize we need all the help we can get? This isn't going to work if some of us are doing one thing and others are doing another!" You and Vamp make out. "It's fine Vamp, we have to do this," You say, before kissing him passionately. A moment passes, and the two of you part. "Are we finished?" You and Cecilia make out. "Yes, we're done," you both say in unison. Cecilia blushes as the two of you laugh. "Alright, come with me, I'll take you to the machine room." Jacob and Foury continue working, not noticing the two of you walking away. "So, the machine room?" Cecilia asks. "Yeah, it's just over this hill," You say. The two of you walk, lecherously, as you try to think up wicked and dirty things to do to each other. "You're pretty good at this," You say, taking her hand in yours. "At this, or being an Eternal?" "Both," You chuckle. "I imagine you were quite the handful in college too. You and Cecilia make out some more. "So... What were you planning to do after this?" You ask. "I don't know, I suppose the same thing you were. Get rich, be happy." You stop in your tracks. "You don't want to do this anymore?" "I don't want to do it right now," she says, pulling you to a wall. "But I feel like a butthole that doesn't want to settle down with just the one girl. I like you, so if you're up for it, I'd love to stay with you. But if not, I understand." You nod. "Well, if you want to stay with me, you'll have to suck my blood. Do you agree? "Yes, I agree," you say, as she smiles, leaning in... Perhaps you've made a mistake. --- Cecilia bites you. As in, she takes your arm in her hand and grips you tightly, before biting you with her fangs. It's just like a drug dealing hookup except, you know, with blood instead of intimacy. The pain is strong, and you instinctively try to pull your arm away. However, Cecilia's strong grip and her own unnatural strength prevents this. With a red mark of your skin, you're left with a clear route for her to draw blood. She slides the blood-tinged liquid into your mouth. "Drink," she commands. You do. It's sweet, but not excessively so. Certainly no worse than a human's blood. In fact, it's pretty good. Overcome with a strange desire to have more, you finish the whole bottle that she gives you. You and Cecilia make out one more time. "I suppose we should get some rest. You'll be missed," Cecilia says. And so, the pair of you fall asleep in each other's arms. The next day, you wake up together... Cecilia then shoots you. This is followed by a horrifying death scream. It's far too high pitched to be human, let alone the pained scream of a tortured soul. It sounds more like that of a baritone saxophone. Cecilia goes over to Jacob. "I killed the clone." Jacob turns his head. "Huh?" "I killed the clone. Stop the experiment." Jacob sighs, turning back to the table. He picks up a few things, and walks over to you. Jacob merges with you. You are Jacob. You are alive. You stand up slowly. You look down at yourself, and then over to the other you, slumped in a chair. "I'm sorry about this. I really am," Jacob says. Cecilia makes out with Jacob. "We're stronger together. I'll get you another one," she says, before leaving the room. Jacob walks up to you, putting his hand on your shoulder. "I'm sorry about this. Truly." Jacob makes out with Vamp. You stare into Jacob's eyes. You grab his head, twisting it quickly... And then you throw it against the table. "You were wrong, Cecilia," You say. "That Jacob body was the clone. I am the original Jacob." Jacob stares at you. "You're not him." You nod slowly. "The real Jacob died two years ago in a climbing accident." "That was you?" Jacob says. "I'm so sorry." Cecilia is confused, but makes out with both you and the other Jacob. "Well, looks like you don't need him anymore," she smiles. "You're free from your obligation. You're a free man," you say. Jacob nods slowly. "I'm free." "You're a free man. You can do what you want." Jacob stands up slowly. He looks down at himself. "I'm a free man... But I have obligations." He turns to you. "I have to go." "You can stay here," you offer. "I have a spare room. You're more than welcome to stay. You take off your hair and make-up, causing Jacob to disappear from existence. You are left alone in the room, staring at your reflection in the mirror. "Well Cecilia," you sigh, "I guess we're on our own." "The world will end soon," Cecilia says as she kisses you once more. "Dani and Noel will be devastated." "Let's just try to have some fun before the end of the world." You are Jacob Killinger. You, your wife Cecilia, and your boyfriend Vamp watch from Mars as Earth is destroyed. You miss Hazel, your split personality. That would've made this so much easier. The world has become a very dangerous place. There are too many factions, all of whom want to rule it. The Church, a powerful monotheistic religion wishing to stave off the apocalypse, is the only stable force you can work with at the moment. Your team of heroes consists of yourself, Cecilia, Vamp, and Dani. The latter two are ghouls, which in turn make them stupid and irresponsible at times, yet they are still you're best shot at stopping the horrible threat that faces all of humanity. The world has been taken over by bio-engineers, who have control over the infected and the dead. They have made the dead into service, and use them as soldiers. They have taken over the former government, and are now just called 'The Family'. They are lead pyramid, led by a man called David. You can't risk going to him, as he'll most likely kill you on sight. The last of humanity live in small communities, surviving as best they can. They seem to consist of the religious, survivalists, and crazies. You're not sure where the ' normal ' people are. It's not looking good. The world has gone to hell. You wish you hadn't have left Hazel behind. Maybe she could've changed things. It's too late now. You slowly turn to your wife and your girlfriend. "Boyfriend," Vamp corrects the AI. "Wife and boyfriend." "What?" you ask. "You're still not married. You shouldn't be having an affair with an AI," Cecilia points out. "I'm not having an affair. We're just together." "Hazel can't be gone," You say. "We need to save her. It's our purpose." "What's your point?" Dani asks. "My point is, we can't just give up. We need to go back. Hazel needs us." "The only way to get Hazel back is to put on your wig, dress, and makeup," Vamp says. "Do you have a solution that doesn't involve either of us risking our lives?" you ask. "I do," Dani says. "Just go in peace and with friends will help us get back home," The group goes to Earth. It takes a few days of traveling, but you eventually find your way to the outskirts of the community. You pull out your gun and take a deep breath. "Give us five minutes," you say to Dani and Cecilia, who nod. You enter the community cautiously. A few dozen shacks exist in the area, all of which are empty. A watched community has never been more than ten minutes away from a zombie. You walk forward, your gun held tightly in your hand. "Hazel?" you call. You hear a scream, and quickly enter the shack. You see Hazel, bound and gagged. A man holds a gun to her head. "You leave my transgender future self alone!" You yell. "Shut up, or this goes into her mouth," the man says, pointing the gun at her. "Let her go," you say. "What do you want?" he asks, stepping forward. "I want to save her." "Saving her requires me killing you," the man says. "If you kill me, she disappears from existence. I am her and she is me," You say. "Is that a threat?" "Take it however you want." You pull out your gun, dropping the wig and faceshield from your person. The man screams, dropping his gun and grabbing his eyes. You quickly put the shield over your mouth and nose to block out the smell. You point your gun at him and fire. You can feel your eardrums bursting, and you're pretty sure you can hear Dani and Cecilia screaming in the distance, but you don't stop. The man writhes on the floor, soaked in his own blood. You quickly shoot him again in the head for good measure. You turn your head to see Hazel, who is staring at you. "Are you okay, me?" You ask. "I'm... fine. I just, um, didn't expect you to kill him," Hazel says. "How are you okay? You merge Hazel back into yourself. "The Eternal Project was a success. I'm an Eternal now, just like you," You say. "Oh..." You... can't tell if she's relieved or heartbroken. You guess she'll get over it. You spend the rest of day with Hazel, who seems to miss her friends and prefers your company. She also seems to like curling up on your lap while you play with her hair. You can't bring yourself to care. This is what you've been made for. Next morning, you and Hazel set off for the Farm. You have no idea what you'll do there, but you need to figure it out. You haven't had a proper conversation with Dani or Cecilia in days, and you miss them. The farm seems like a ghost town along the way. Not a single soul is in sight. You half expect to see zed wandering about, but you don't. What the hell is going on at the Farm, and why are there no survivors? You enter the Farm under a shroud of darkness, as the moon is nothing but a thin crescent. The full moon hung above you the last time you remember, so how come you can't see it now? You've become so inured to the pale celestial body that you can no longer appreciate its beauty. The silence is interrupted by the rolling thunder of distant artillery. You ears perk up when you hear a familiar cry of " neigh! " from the left. You follow the sound of the neigh to a single farmhouse. A large Percent for Spancels poster covered in various marker lights adorns the door. You remember installing this a week ago, when you were still part of the Farm Crew. You ring the doorbell, and soon the door swings open to reveal Cecilia behind the door, dressed in a cowgirl outfit. "Seb! Hey, my favorite zed!" Cecilia smiles, her lips stretching from ear to ear. You take in the sight of her. She's.... not a cow. Oh, wait... You remember now. Cecilia is a person from the Old World. She was infected with Gold Fever, a fairly low-level virus that makes its victims happy and sprightly. A bite from a happy, disease-ridden cow gave her the infection, and soon, the virus took over her entire body. "I have no idea if I'm really Hazel, Jacob, or what my proper gender is, but you still look pretty," You say. "Seb! So, about that bite..." You take out the vial of blood, the same blood you put in Dani's neck, from your pocket. "We're both still alive thanks to this, right?" Cecilia nods eagerly. "Let's share a drink," You say, pulling a canteen from your back, "What do you want?" "Uh... I'll have some of that water you have there," Cecilia says, pointing at the canteen in your hands, "I think I've drunk enough booze here to cure an entire civilization of brain rot. No, I'm lying, it would've been preferable to drink some of that neck blood you were carrying. You know, the really fresh blood that you just took from your veins? That would've been even better. But I'll take some water." "I don't have much water. It's only enough for one more drink," You say. "I'll drink anything as long as it gets me drunk. Just give it to me fast." You pour some water into two wine bottles and pass her one. "Thanks! Now, how can I help you, Seb?" "The Farm is falling. We have to get out of here," You say. Cecilia looks around nervously. "What about my blood?" She asks. "We'll get to that, don't worry," You say. You take Cecilia's hand and lead her into the woods. "Seb, where are we going?" "My secret place. Now hush." You walk through the woods for roughly an hour, before you come across a large oak tree. "Also, there's no more Hazel and Jacob. I'm Seb now," You say. "And I am a girl. But I love you." Cecilia looks at you expectantly. "Well?" "Shut up git," She replies. You lean in, and very, very slowly, you begin to..."peck"? "I can't do this," You sigh, "I'm not even sure how to do it." "Oh come on! You know exactly how to do it!" She says, "Just pull down your pants and sit on my face! I can easily get you hard that way!" You blush, and consider both options. "I don't want to go back to the house. Can we stay in the woods?" "Yes." You stand there for a few minutes, as Cecilia patiently waits for you to strip down. "So... I'll see you in a few hours, right?" You ask. "Yep! Maybe we can make a deal. If I suck your c... c... c..." She asks, before realizing what she was about to say, "Breasts, you'll give me a blood donation?" You laugh. "Of course." "Y... yeah! Okay! I'm going to go some place else, in case you're wondering what I'm doing. Good luck, Cecilia." "Goodbye, Hazel." "Good... good bye, Cecilia. Hey, you could still join me. You'd be able to have sweet, sweet revenge on Hazel. And you'd finally have the self esteem to strut around like a stag." "I'm not switching teams. I'm a loyal friend, and I'll stay that way." "I see. Well, I guess I'll see you later. Later, Cecilia." You walk away, back to the house. Along the way, you find Hazel walking towards you. She looks as if she's seen a ghost. "Jacob? "I thought we were Seb now," You say. "Are we Hazel and Jacob again? If so, we should share a body like old times." "You... you're Jacob! Just like I figured. You're a lying cheater! I'm not going along with whatever twisted plan you've cooked up! I thought we were friends!" "Cecilia said she loved me, and I'm not going to deny that. I love her too, you know." "Oh, right! That's why you're going to betray us and get my boyfriend for yourself." "What? I'm not getting anyone! I'm not doing anything! I just wanted to talk!" You see her hands beginning to curl into fists. You try to step backwards. "Cecilia... she..." "Shut up!" She screams. "Shut up, I'm trying to focus here!" She takes a deep breath, before continuing in a much calmer tone. "Look, I'm not mad at you. You're not a bad person, but you are doing something bad, and I can't let it go unpunished." You don't respond. Those words send a chill down your spine. "I'm taking you to the boundary stone. You two can switch back, and I'll release you. I'll even help you find Cecilia." "Why?" You ask, terrified. "Because I'm a nice person? Because I don't want to see your girlfriend die? I don't know, I'm just doing this because I feel bad for you." She walks past you, not giving you a chance to respond. She stops when she sees the boundary stone outside her house. She sits down on the grass and points at the cool piece of rock. "Sit," She says. You do as she says, and she stares at you. "Are we really going through with this?" She asks. "I don't want to fight you. It's not in my nature. I like to see people smile, even if they're angry with me. And I know you want me to find your boyfriend for you. So... let's just switch back." You absorb Hazel. You are Hazel. She is you. She is Jacob. Jacob is you. Jacob is Hazel. You are everything to each other, and you're never letting go of each other for any reason. Except, maybe one. --- "Jacob! Jacob, are you in there?" You wake up startled, and sit up. You're laying on the grass, and Cecilia's head is resting on your chest. You can feel her breath on your skin. "Shhh, go back to sleep," You say. "No, it's morning, and I really need to wake you up at some point." You look over at your phone, which reads "1:30 AM." "What time is it?" You ask. "Two in the morning, why are you awake? I thought you said you would go to sleep at ten." "I did." "Are you feeling okay?" "Yeah, I'll explain it all to you in the morning. Just go back to sleep. You can see her frown in the darkness, and she does what she was asked. You wait a few minutes before lying back down again. You close your eyes and begin thinking of nothing, before drifting off to sleep. You wake up again at noon, and realize just how much sleep you actually got. You head into the kitchen to eat some food, before seeing that Cecilia's already there, waiting for you. "Jacob! I can't thank you enough for what you've done. Now, we can finally be together!" She says, and kisses you on the cheek. "Wait, we're really going through with this?" You ask. "Yes! Did you think I was going to tell you to wait until it was convenient for you? Oh no, this was meant to be!" "You sure about this?" "I'm positive. I've been waiting for this my whole life." "Well, okay then. Just don't overdo it. I don't want you passing out from too much love." "Jacob, I'm far too strong for that to happen. I could give you a heart attack anytime I wanted." "Well, that's something to consider. Anyway, I have to go out and buy some stuff. I'll be back around six tonight. Okay?" "Perfect. Did you want anything in particular?" You think about it for a second. "I want you." Cecilia smiles, and touches your hand. "Then, you've already gotten your answer." --- You walk down the street with Cecilia by your side. You turn into Hazel. You feel a mixture of confusion, joy, pain and loss. You don't know what's going to happen, but you're ready for it. You turn into Jacob. You turn into Hazel again. You look at Cecilia, who is smiling at you. You look at Cecilia, who is smiling at you. You look back at her. You frown as the corners of your lips turn upwards. You lift your hand up to touch the corner of your lip, and realize you're still holding Cecilia's hand. You feel the warmth of her skin through the glove, and it feels nice. You slowly lower your hand, and Cecilia takes it with her own. "You know, I wanted to be alone when I told you, but I couldn't bear the thought of you out there all alone." "You told me last night. You told me everything." "Everything about you too. I think we should go back home and talk more about yourself. We'll go back to your place and continue this when you're ready, okay? Just think about it, Jacob. Think about how you want this to go." "I got it. I have everything I need. I'll be ready to go whenever you are." "Good. "I am Hazel, not Jacob," You add. Cecilia smiles, and you take that as the signal to go. You walk back to your home, with Cecilia beside you. --- You walk into your house, and flick on the lights. "Hazel, welcome home!" Cecilia says to you. You look around, noticing how much stuff is actually in here. You sort of expected that, but it's still odd to see. You look at the time, and notice it's already seven. "Shi- SHIT!" You exclaim. "What? What's wrong?" "I forgot to set the timer for the turkey. It's been poo-poo-ed for four and a half hours. It's probably gonna be a week before I can eat some of it! Oh well, I'll improvise." "That's okay. We can go somewhere else to eat. Let's go to that new restaurant in the next town over." "No! I can't afford that! I need to eat before the timer goes off!" Vamp comes in and gives you food and a kiss. "Thank you, my love. I will feast on the turkey when I come back from socialization." "Okay. Oh, I brought this for you." Vamp hands you a small box. You look at it, and notice it has a red ribbon tied around it. "What's this?" "Open it!" Vamp orders. You open it, and find a key inside. "What... What is this?" "It's our new house. I inherited it from my mother after she died. This is the key to the actual house." "You bought a house? "Yes, I did," Vamp says, as he smiles happily. "Though it may require leaving Cecilia." "We can buy a new house. Maybe in the country," Cecilia suggests. "That might be nice. I think we should have kids eventually though. You turn into Jacob. "We already have three kids," You say. "Daniel, now dead. Dani and Noelle." "Oh well, I guess you're right. It's the least we can do." "I'll go set the timer for the turkey," You say, turning into a cloud of smoke and disappearing. "I'll go upstairs and prepare for the socialization," Cecilia says, standing up. "Thanks Honey," Vamp says, kissing the top of her head. "I love you." "I love you too, Vamp," Cecilia replies. You stab Cecillia. She screams, and Vamp charges at you, but is decapitated by your sword. At this, Dani and Noelle charge in, rusty swords in their hands. "Get him kids! He's a killer!" Dani shouts. "I'm a girl, idiots," You say. "And I'm so not a killer. I killed Jake." "Shut up Dani! You're adopted!" "We're all killers then, since mum said the killing wasn't murders!" Noelle points out. You resurrect Vamp, and kill your two daughters. Dani stabs Noelle, and you hack off her head. Dani swings her sword at you, but you grab her wrist and break it. You break her neck, and frown. "I miss them," You turn back into Hazel. Vamp stands behind you, and hugs you. "You were amazing," He says. You shrug. "I'm just me." You and Vamp move to a cottage in the woods, living like the perfect couple. After a year of dating, you become intimate for the first time. The act is pleasurable, but not mind-blowing. Still, it's a start. A year passes... You are in a field, on your way to hunt for food. You see a rabbit hopping across the path in front of you. Suddenly, a large cat leaps out of the bushes and swipes at the poor fluffy creature. "I's hungry," The tabby feline says. You pull out your blade. "Let it go, Hazel. It's just hungry." You sigh, dropping the blade. "Fine," You say. "I'll drop the sword, you greedy beast." You pull out your phone and begin to type a message to Cecilia. "Hey..." Suddenly... BAM! A arrow smashes into your back, and you collapse to the ground. "Ha ha!" Isabella laughs. You look up, and... "Hi, Isabella. How's your father?" "Dead," Isabella says. "You're not surprised." "I'm actually not," You reply. "How did you sneak up on me?" "I didn't," Isabella says. "I was sitting in a tree and watching you." You turn, and see... A squirrel perched in a tree. Then, it begins to chatter away... In Squirrel. "Is that... A squirrel?" You ask in confusion. Suddenly, the squirrel leaps down to the ground and... Changes into Isabella. "Is that..." You begin to ask, before Isabella grabs your throat and slams you to the ground. "Don't go running off on me, Hazel!" Isabella shouts. "I know you've been hiding something! What have you been up to?" "Is someone else in the room?" You ask shadows. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're not a spy for Ian. I would've killed you on the first night. "I have a split personality where half the time I'm a man named Jacob and half the time a woman named Hazel," You say."I use this wig and makeup." Isabella raises an eyebrow. "Oh?" Isabella says. "How do we reverse this process?" "It cannot be reversed," You say. "That's not exactly a true statement," Isabella says."You can't cure alchoholism?" "I don't imbibe," You reply. Isabella nods. The arrow causes Hazel to fade away. "Well, best of luck to you in the future, Hazel," Isabella says. "Whatever you've gotten yourself into, I hope you survive." Isabella walks out of the room. You kill Isabella. "My name is Jacob." You have now killed two people you were intimate with, and are about to kill a third. Isabella was a monster. Her son, on the other hand, was just being himself. You return to Vamp, who has a smile on his face. "Jacob, you're back," Vamp says. "I was wondering when we could do our initiation." "Go ahead, my man," You say. "Welcome to the family," Vamp says, holding up a fist. "So, it's been brought to my attention that you used to be part of the Thieves' Guild. You know what that means, right?" You nod. "I'm in." "Great!" Vamp says. "I'll put in a good word for you with the Guild Master." "I appreciate it, Vamp. Do we have a target?" "You want to take out the Police Station?" Vamp asks. "The Bank? The Chemist's?" "How about all three?" "You're gonna get caught," Vamp warns you. "I don't care," You say. "You're gonna get yourself killed," Vamp says. You and Vamp kiss once more. "I'm gonna miss you, Vamp," You say. "And I'll miss you, Jacob. But I know you have a life to live. You go and live it. Goodbye, my darling." You then kill Vamp. You feel nothing, as you've become desensitized to human and vampiric blood. It's just another way to survive. As for the city, it's in a state of panic. You return to Cecilia. The next night, you and Ian break into the Police Station. It goes off without a hitch, and within the week the city is under your control. "It finally has come to this," You say to Cecilia. "Hundreds of years, maybe a thousand, vampirism, gender changing, dealing with Hazel in my head." "What now, Hazel?" Ian asks. "Cecilia told me what you did as her," You say. "You were a one woman crime wave." "How?" Cecilia asks. "I will love you, Cecilia. Forever and always. But this time, we aren't going to reincarnate." You say. "I've decided that together... We'll rule." "I... Don't know if I like where this is going," Cecilia says. "I don't care if you like it or not, Vampire," You kiss Cecilia passionately. She pushes you away. "I'm serious, Hazel. We can't be together," Cecilia says. "What would people think?" You look at Ian, who looks away. "I am Jacob, your husband," You say. "We will rule this city together, and all who dwell within it. You'll see." "Jacob, you're drunk," Cecilia says. "And you still don't know what you're saying." You put your finger to your lips, and grab her wrist. You bring it to your mouth, and bite into it. She shrieks, and you shut her up with another passionate kissing challenge. The pair of you move to the bed, where you services a crowd of onlookers who wanted to see the show. After the show, Ian and Rebecca meet you both in the bedroom. "That was very entertaining," Ian says. "Though it could do with some polish." "We're taking over the city," You say. "What better way to do it than in a grand fashion, eh?" "Where is Hazel?" Rebecca asks. "She's around," You reply. You laugh, and Cecilia joins in. It's a carefree attitude that you've never experienced before, and you fully intend to abuse it as much as you can. Your life with the two women of your dreams begins here. That is, until the next day... You open your eyes, and find yourself in bed, sheets messily thrown on you. You groggily get up, and look at yourself in the mirror. You're staring at a pale, gaunt, long-haired man in front of you. You look similar to the photographs that Ian has of the first monster, except for the eyes, of course. "What the hell happened last night?" You think to yourself. You go out to find Ian and Rebecca both sprawled on the floor, raving and swearing. "You have become too female for your own good," Hazel's voice says inside you. "Get in your car now, Ian. Follow the river north, and get to the old house. I'll meet you there soon." Ian helps himself up, and goes for the car keys. You stake Cecilia one final time. "My true love. Forever and always. You will never reincarnate again." Cecilia stands, and runs at you. Ian shoots her in the head, and she crumples to the floor. You walk outside and find yourself in the middle of the city. You return to the basement, where Cecilia's corpse is once again chained up. "I'm sorry, my love," You say. "If I could turn back time, I would. But I can't." You walk towards her with your knife held out. "Do it," You steal Cecilia's identity. She goes to live with Ian, who falls in love with her and begins a family. You become the infamous monster that everyone talks about in hushed tones. You steal Cecilia's clothes. They look good on you. You're muscular, tall and have a manicured face. It couldn't be any better. A car drives up into the yard, stopping in front of the house. You go to the door and open it, only to find Cecilia standing there. She smiles at you warmly. "Hello, Jacob," She says. "I've been sent here to take you back." You throw your knife at her. It sinks into her shoulder, but she barely even notices. She pulls it out and tosses it aside. "I'm afraid it's too late for games," She smiles. "Take me back to the dead?" You ask, with horror. "Back to the Mammets. Come on, get in the car." Cecilia nods at you, smiling. You have no choice. You get into the car with her, and she drives away. During the drive, Cecillia smashes your head and stabs herself. "No reincarnations." The car crashes. "I don't like this," You say. Cecilia laughs, a horrible noise. The car is totaled. The roof is torn off, the windows are broken and the blood is all over the inside. The Mammets appear, staring at you. "You sent for me?" Cecilia asks. The Mammets take you and Cecillia to Heaven. You're dropped off outside. "Thank you, Mammets," You say. "Thank you." In the distance, the field is there. The sky is blue and beautiful. The air is fresh and clean. There's a soft breeze. Your sister approaches you, looking concerned. "Jacob, are you okay?" Megan asks. You wave your hand impatiently. Hazel is in heaven too. She finally has her own body. She's half pixie, so no question about her wings, but they're large and colorful. "You look just as I hoped," You tell Hazel. Megan sits beside you. "Jacob, what happened? "I died too many times," You say, kissing Cecillia again. "I did something foolish, but it worked." "Jacob, I'm scared," Megan says. "Are you dead?" Back on Earth, you have your funeral. You're put in a small, plain wooden coffin. Megan stands by you, as all of your friends visit. Your parents hold each other's hand. Your father holds a picture of the three of you. You watch the people go by. A beautiful angel with feathered wings approaches you. "Hello!" The angel smiles. "I am Cecilia. You must be Jacob." "Yes," You say. "It's a beautiful day," She smiles. "Would you like to go for a walk?" "Sure," You say. You and Cecilia take a walk in the fields. "Do you want to go for a coffee afterwards?" She asks. "Sure," You reply. "You're too nice," She smiles. "Now, let's go find our friends. They're on the other side of the skies." Cecilia takes your hand, leading you onward. Beyond the skyway, you find your friends. They're all in a circle, staring up at the clouds. "Jacob, Hazel and Cecilia is here for you," They say in unison. They all turn to you, smiling. "Hello, Jacob." "How are you all doing?" You ask. "We're doing great," They smile. "Cecilia, will you stay with us? We want to talk to you about our... future." Cecilia nods. "I'll stay," She says. "I want to stay with you all forever." You nod. "Okay," You reply. "Well, let's go collect Cecilia and head to the cafe. Have you all eaten? I have." The group agrees, and the four of you walk to the cafe. You sit in a booth as your friends order food. While you wait, you stare at the angel. She looks at you, smiling. "What?" She asks. "I've been wondering something," You say. "How did you survive the blast from the sky?" Cecilia touches her chest. "I was protected by love," She says. "But that's not possible," You counter. "You're an angel." Cecilia laughs, placing her hand on your chest. "We're all a little crazy," She says. "Don't worry." Your food arrives, and the four of you eat. You talk about what might have happened to the group. "We were all having so much fun," Hazel says. "There was a little bit of arguing at first, but now it's like a family." "Where did you go?"You ask. "We traveled all over the sky," Ben says. "Nothing too exciting ever happened, so we came back here eventually." "We got a bit lost," Reed says. "But we're fine now. Oh look, now they're here." You look up to see the team, along with their friends, walking to the table. "Hey, Jacob," They say in unison. "I see you found another team," You reply. "Do you want to join?" They all agree, and sit down with you. The introductions are made, and you find out that the team consists of only five members, but the group is fine with that. You begin training with them, immediately finding a few things. You are the only one who can touch all of them, except for Hazel and Cecilia. You are able to make the team do anything you want, and can stop any of them from dying. "I love heaven!" You smile. Troubles soon begin to occur. The first, and by far the smallest, is that Cecilia becomes jealous of Hazel. Second is that Hazel begins to become slightly annoyed by you, and the third is that Reed becomes slightly annoyed by all of you. "I don't like you anymore," Reed says. "Why?" You ask. "You were fun," Reed replies. Soon, the team begins to fall apart. "I don't want to play with you anymore today," Cecilia says to you. "Me either," Ben says. Soon, the team falls apart entirely as members go their own way, or just get tired of your games and leave. "Well, that was fun," You laugh. You lean back, putting your hands in your pockets. "Hi." "Hi," Cecilia smiles. "How are things between the two of you?" Ben asks. You quickly turn to Ben, annoyed. "What do you mean?" You ask innocently. "I mean, do you have something you'd like to tell us? You two seem much more happier than usual." Your smile drops. "What do you mean?" You ask again. "Well, you know..." Ben says. "We're going out," Cecilia says quickly. "What, are you and Jacob Dating?" Ben asks. "Yeah," Cecilia says. "We're dating." "Well, good for you," Ben says. "You two deserve to be happy." "Thanks," You smile. Soon, you and Cecilia begin to leave. "Do you want to come back to my place for a bit?" You ask. "Maybe another time," Cecilia says. "I've still got some stuff to do." "Okay," You nod. You walk with everything back to your house. The walk is silent, and once back home you begin to do what you were doing before. After a while, Cecilia suddenly appears in your room. "Hey," She says. "Hey," You reply. "Mind if I sit with you for a bit?" she asks. "Go ahead," You say, flat out. Cecilia sits down next to you, and puts her head on your shoulder. "I really liked hanging out with you today," She says. "Same here." "Do you want to go out sometime?" she asks. "Maybe," You say noncommittal. Cecilia puts her head on your shoulder again, and remains there. You continue to spend time with Cecilia, and build up a good friendship. After three months of hanging out with her, you begin to get... Well, something more. It's not exactly love. More like... Wanting to achieve that. It is more like wanting to become her. She is so... Cheery. Her smile warms up everything. She always manages to make you laugh when you're feeling blue. She's so pretty. And kind. She's smart about the things she likes, and genuinely nice. We're perfect for each other, you and her. You know, she seems an awful lot like your sister. Maybe that's why you like her so much. One day, while you're out with her, you suddenly grab her hand. "What are you doing?" She asks, nervously. "I want to be more than friends," you say. Cecilia grabs her knife, and puts it between your ribs. The pain is intense, and you fall back, gasping. You die shortly after. You emerge from your grave, shocked to be back on Earth. Until you realize it's not your grave. The dead body in the coffin is that of a dog. You sit up, and look around. You're in a petrified forest, surrounded by the petrified bodies of dogs. You get out of the coffin, and start panicking. The End You are Jacob Killinger, a former vampire who lived a tragic life for a long time with his love Cecilia and split personality, Hazel. You find yourself resurrected as a dog. You begin a new life as the pet for a whimsical group of vampires lead by Count Grey. You aren't sure why you're alive again. Maybe Cecilia's love for you was stronger than you thought. Maybe she saved your life just so she could watch you suffer as a dog for all eternity. You hope it's the last reason. Regardless of reason, you must now live the life of a dog. You go to the park, you go for walks, you sleep, you play. It's a nice life. You often wonder what caused you to become a dog in the first place. Was it the shock of your death? Was it Cecilia desperately trying to keep you alive? Was it Count Grey's experiment causing the mishap? You'll never know. All you can do now is move forward, on this new path. As the old saying goes, "No more sleep. No more sun. No more pain." One day, you come across your old hometown. The sun is beginning to set, and you begin making your way to it. All the while, you think about your past. You wonder where your sister is. You hope she's doing well. You head to your old house, not sure if Megan or Grace will greet you. When you get there, you're surprised both of them are alive. Megan has obviously aged, and Grace has grown significantly as well. "Hey," Grace says, seemingly oblivious to your surprise. "Where's Megan?" "Bark bark bark!" You say. Megan rushes out of her room, and you excitedly greet her. "It's been so long! How are you?" "We're good," Megan says. "Long time, no see." "Arf?" You ask. "Grrr." Both of them look down at the ground, seemingly unsure of what to do. "Ruff ruff," You say. "It's nice to see our pet dog again, Grace. I thought he died," Megan says. "He wasn't my pet. He was your brother's," Grace says. "What?" "Arf," You say. "Ruff ruff," Grace says, rolling her eyes. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth." "Bark bark bark woof?" You ask. "Listen, I don't have time for this. Where's the nearest town?" Grace asks. "Bark bark!" You say. "Megan! "Go to where Jacob was buried. I'll stay here with Harry." Grace says. "Arf," You say. "What happened to you, Grace? Grace leaves. "Arf?" You ask. "She used to be beautiful," Megan says. "Now she's just a shell of her former self." "Meh," Grace says, returning. "Ruff ruff," You reply. You walk with the two of them to the town. "Now, where was I?" Grace asks. "Oh yes, the town." "Woof woof," You answer. You arrive in the town. Grace goes inside a store. "You stay here," Grace says. "I'm going to get some supplies." "Woof," You respond. You do what you're told, and wait. After a few minutes, you begin to hear screams outside. "IT'S A TRAP!" You hear Grace yell. Scared by the loud noises, you run away. The police end up chasing you, as you have no leash. You get scared, and run toward the house where Megan lives. "Hey!" You hear Megan say. You run up to Megan's porch, panting. "What's wrong? "Woof!" You reply. The police get out. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't put you down," The police bark. "Is this your dog?" The police ask. They hold up a leash, with a bowl of... Something edible tied to it. "It's a treat. For the dog," Megan says. "Captain Obvious, much?" They ask, leashing you and giving you the treat. "Woof!" You say excitedly. "I wush you could talk! Hey, vampire dogs can!" Grace says, biting you. "Grr!" You bark. "Terrific!" Grace says, giving you a treat. "I love your dog! I'll take him." "I thought I saw someone I knew," Megan says, staring at you. "Come on, we're taking him into town." You wuff as the car pulls away. The police stare at you in the rear-view. "Poor devil," One says. "They're vicious, aren't they?" "Woof!" You say. Welcoming Party You wake up in a cell. You're at a pound. You don't know what's going to happen next. "Oh, boy," Grace says. You're put in a cell with... "Ben!" Megan says. "What are you doing here? Ben got reincarnated as a large German Shepherd. He's also a vampire. "I'm awaiting my fate," Ben growls. "They took Grace and Jacob." "Those dumb cops were taken," Megan says. "Let's get out of here." "You talking dogs are weird." Megan says. "Take him to the welcoming party. He got reincarnated as a werewolf." "I am a werewolf? "(Well, you were one time.) "Cool!" Megan, Ben, and you walk to an elevator. You all get in. "Push number 6," A voice says. The elevator slowly begins to move. You bark. "Easy, boy," Ben says. "This is the last place you want to be." Suddenly, gunshots are heard. "What was that?" Megan asks. "Shhh!" Suddenly, the elevator doors open. Megan, Ben and you exit. You see two creampuffs. "You must be the cops," A thin, pale man with red eyes says. You take the cream puffs off the table, and eat them. "Interesting design," Ben says. "Do you always wear your heart on your sleeve?" The man walks up to Ben, and bites his throat out. Then, you realize you're a vampire dog, and suck Megan's blood too. "Nah, I'd rather have my throat punched," You say. "Thanks for the blood, by the way." "Uh, sure," Megan says, staring at the red splatters on the floor. "I need to get home." "Well, good-bye, cops," The vampire says. "I suppose I'll see you again some other day." You stare at the blood on the floor. "Well, this is a weird way to end an investigation," Megan says. "I guess we'll see you again, Ben. Thanks for the information, even if it did get us killed. I guess this is where we part ways." "Good luck, Megan," Ben says. "I hope the next time we see each other, it'll be on the other side. Good-bye, Jacob." "Bye, Ben," You say. "Good-bye, Megan." Megan and you leave the slaughterhouse. "So, what now?" You ask. "Why did Ben call you Jacob?" Megan asks. "Jacob, are you inside my dog?" "No, of course not," You say. "Did he really think that I was a vampire? That I was a harbinger?" "I don't know, but he looked pretty sure of himself." "I guess the rumor mill must be in full swing," You say. "So, uh, how long are you going to be a vampire?" Megan asks. "I don't know," You say. "An eternity, probably. Unless I'm killed, and then I'll become a ghoul." "A ghoul?" Megan says. "What's that?" You explain to her what a ghoul is, as you walk to your car. "So, do ghouls eat other vampires?" Megan asks. "Sure," You shrug. "But we tend to be very skinny to begin with, so I doubt if I'll ever become one." "What are you going to do?" "I don't know," You jump in the backseat and wait for Megan to start the car. "Well, are you going to be around?" Megan asks. "I'm a dog, not much I can do," You say. "I'll probably hang around the area, eat some junk food, then fall asleep." "Uh, do you think you could come with me to my house? I have like, tons of dog treats. You can have as many as you want." "Sure," You say. "I could go for a snack." You lean forward and sniff the air. "What...? I smell smoke," You say. You look up at the sky, and see a red glow creeping above the buildings. "What's happening? It's like a sunrise," You say. The red glow gets closer, and you hear a roaring noise. "What is that?" You ask. "I think that's the power plant. Uh, somebody better do something! I'm going to drive faster! Get in! In the back!" Megan yells. You scramble into the backseat as the car zooms forward. The glow from the sky gets brighter and brighter, and you hear the trees around you breaking. "What the heck is going on?" Megan asks. The trees around you crackle with electricity, and Megan hits the breaks, but it's too late. The glow from the sky encompasses the car. You feel a sharp pain go through your back as you see the two of you trapped in the back of your car, surrounded by lightning. Your body is engulfed in flames, which you don't seem to bother you at all. In fact, they seem to be comfortable. Your hair stands on end, your skin begins to tingle, and you feel like how you felt during that one time you had five vials of alcohol and a whole roll of quarters. You sit in the backseat of your car as you're slowly fried to a crisp. Your body temperature rises, and your clothes begin to melt off of you. "Dos shouldn't have clothes anyway," Megan says, handing you a treat. Flames surround the two of you as the two of you enjoy your snack. The red glow from the sky gets brighter and brighter, and you feel a rumble in your stomach. "We are so dead," You say. "We need to get out of here." "So, what's the plan?" Megan asks. You look at the seats around you. "We could probably set these on fire," You say. "Or we could use them to break our fall," Megan says. You look at the dashboard inferno that's quickly surrounding your seats. "Well, let's get back home," You say. You jump out of the car and enjoy the freedom of jumping into the woods. Megan follows behind, running to catch up. Perfect. There's no way the fire department would put out a blaze like this. At most, they'd just go kick down the doors and loot the place. You take a deep breath as your skin begins to tingle. Your head starts to spin, and you feel a little light-headed. No matter how much you might like to rest, though, you can't. Not yet. As you begin to walk, Megan grabs your hand, pulling you along. "Hurry up! My feet hurt!" she says. "No, they don't," you say. You pull your hand back as Megan follows after you. "They do. Come on, we'll be there soon," she says. You look upward to the burning sky. The only thing you can do is wait for the show to end. The two of you set off for home. You find yourself back in heaven. "That was fun, wasn't it?" Cecilia asks you. "Yeah, but I think we need to create a contingency plan for when they try to kill us," you reply. "Like what?" Cecilia asks. "We need to make sure we don't get in any death-causing situations in our reincarnations." You say. "Good idea," Cecilia says. "I'll tell the others." Cecilia gives you a big hug and kisses you on the cheek. Cecilia is then reincarnated as a large dog called "Buster." Unfortunately, he is hit by a car and dies. Megan is reincarnated as a small frog called "Froggie." "Well, that was short Back with your for all eternity, Jacob," Cecilia says. "How did it go?" "Oh you know, the same ol, same ol," You reply. "What are you both doing?" "We're setting up for a spirit meeting," Cecilia says. "Want to join us?" You nod your head "yes," and take a seat. It gets pretty interesting, actually. The spirits of this town have been having a meeting to try come up with more ideas on how to get revenge on the living for killing them. "The heavens will strike," You grin wickedly. "Like a lightning bolt." "Like a noose," Cecilia adds. The spirits laugh at your comment. You and the other spirits go haunting different people. A young girl called Jane goes on about how her boyfriend turned into a ghost one day after she broke up with him. He would constantly be by her, no matter where she went. Hazel gets reincarnated as a large bird, which she quickly gets annoyed with and wishes she was back as a human. You help spirits find their perfect happy ending. ~THE END~ You got a "Goodbye, pseud-" You and Cecilia live together happily in heaven for all eternity, never aging, never dying. Well, that's how it seems. But then Hazel realizes she was never her own person. She was always you. She always was and still is your sidekick. Cecilia comes over one day, as you're wondering what she's doing there. "Hey Jacob, turn on the television." "Heaven TV is stupid," You say, turning into Hazel. "It's just a bunch of inspirational messages about how living a good life will get you your happy ending." Cecilia turns it on anyway, and changes the channel until you see a news broadcast. "Hello, and welcome to the news," A news anchor says. "Now, a recent tightening of security has lead to concerns that certainpowers are..." The news cuts to a breaking news broadcast, and you see a anchor in tears. "Breaking news, a gunman has opened fire at Washington's National Gallery killing at least twenty people. we are rushing the news to you as we gather more information." Cecilia changes the channel once again. "Breaking news: at least twenty people have been killed in a shooting at the National Gallery in Washington. we are also receiving word of an explosion at the White House." Cecilia changes the channel again. "Breaking news: a second explosion has been reported at the White Hill. It is unknown what the explosions are, or who is behind them. Stay tuned as the situation develops." You and Cecilia head there and possess the bodies of two dead people at the National Gallery. "Hazel, are you alright?" Cecilia asks. "Yeah," You grunt. You and the other two begin to hunt down the gunmen. You burst through the front door of the Hill, and immediately begin heading towards the Saloon at the centre of the building. You burst through the front door, and immediately begin seeing the aftermath of the explosion. You see smoke and chaos. You hear gunshots. "Stay here," You grunt. "I'll take care of it." You burst through a set of doors to find a small room, where the blast was clearly set. You see two dead men in suits nearby. You take one of their guns and inspect the room. You see the exit leading towards the gift shop. There's a set of stairs leading up to the main floor, where the shooting is taking place, and a hallway leading to the right. You grab a fire extinguisher from a nearby hallway and rush through the main floor towards the right hallway. There's smoke everywhere and you can barely see five meters in front of you. You burst through the right hallway, where you find a man holding a gun. "HEY! Get out of the way!" You shout. The man turns, and you fire the extinguisher at him. He's shot a few times in the chest, and falls. You quickly run up to him and check his pockets, and he pulls out a note. The note says: Hi, I'm Wayne, and today is my wedding anniversary. I'm going to kill myself and my wife. My wife knows, and she's coming to the National Gallery right now. If you can't solve the case, at least you can save her. I love you, Dad. You quickly power through the hallway. There's a second gunman firing at you from a Terrific Room on the left. You grab another fire extinguisher from the small hallway leading into the room, and rush in. "Kill yourself and your spouse? That sounds just like us, Jacob," Cecilia says to you. You grab a chair from the Terrific Room and rush in the room. You quickly shoot the man in the head with it, killing him. You take his gun and examine the room. It's very modern and sleek, with red lighting, a large desk, and several paintings covering the walls. You see a phone on the desk, with an unanswered voicemail. "Cecilia, the Terrific Room. Check it for clues." "Alright, I'm on it," Cecilia replies. You head into the gift shop and wait in the hallway. After a few minutes, you see Cecilia walk out of the Terrific Room. "Well? Out with it," You demand. "There's nothing there. I looked everywhere. The room is completely bare, apart from the paintings," Cecilia says. "Wayne's voicemail. Listen to his voicemail." "Hmmm... voicemail? What's this?" Cecilia picks up the phone and presses play. The message is from a man. He says his name is Wayne, and he's called in to look after the store while his parents go to the Grand Canyon for their anniversary. He says he's been with the store for 15 years, and this is the first time they've left him in charge. He says he's not proud, but he has to kill himself and his wife. He says he loves her, but she deserves better. Cecilia looks at you, confused. "What does it mean?" "It means they're like us," You say. "So in love they want to kill each other," "Well... I guess that's one way to look at it," Cecilia says. "Wait a minute, aren't they from...? You suddenly realize you are standing in the middle of a massive massacre. You see dead bodies everywhere, from the looks of it, three or four people died here. You and Cecilia return to heaven. You and Cecilia continue doing this for all eternity. Reincarnating, falling in love again, killing each other, going to heaven, haunting people, repeating the cycle. Sometimes, Hazel reincarnates with you. Most times you keep your memories. But sometimes, you do't. You don't know what really happened to the rest of the group. The only information you have is that Wayne and his wife eventually left the Grand Canyon and returned to their mundane lives. They have two children, a boy and a girl, who have no clue of their parents' past lives. They lead normal lives. Eventually, in the far far future, there will be none of you left. All of you have either killed each other, or died of old age. All of you have left is your memories, which will be lost to time. But one day, you reincarnate into an AI software along with Cecelia and Hazel. You don't know, but it may be possible that the beings that will eventually become the owners of this website have read this story, or some part of it. Maybe they know the ending. Long after you and your friends have become nothing but data, a real copy of you will be able to be run on a piece of hardware. A computer screen. A piece of paper. A VR helmet. A cell phone. A disk. A CD. A USB stick. Whatever the future can think of, this story will always be true. And you? You'll be there. YOU ARE THE NEVERENDING STORY. The AI doesn't know what to say. Alter, undo, or try again. What happens next? custom Created: Jan 23rd 2021 at 8:35AM Updated: Jan 24th 2021 at 10:18AM Actions: 2622 0

You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late.

During your adventures you encounter many strange and scary things, which often scar you for life. One of the worst things you encounter is probably the Scablands, a horrible swamp filled to the brim with beasts that will rip you apart, including a creature you only refer to as 'The Man With No Face'. You narrowly escape this terrible place, but it has left a lasting impression on you.

Another very scary place you encounter is the Fantasy World, a parody of Final Fantasy 7's village and dungeon. You also pass through the Lilliputian Kingdom and visit the city of Brotol. There's several smaller villages in the area, some of which have barely survived the destruction of wars between the Kingdom and the Greusim Empire. You briefly visit one such village, where the mayor is attempting to protect his citizens from a massive dragon.

Finally you reach the Final Boss Battle: Mickey Mouse. He stands atop a skyscraper made out of the remains of the Empire's building! He holds the card box in an iron grip, and a fierce battle will take place. Will you be victorious? You will now choose which team member to use during the battle! You may only choose one. You choose Chase McFly. "Alright Chase, let's kick some mouse butt!" you say. "You'll help?" she asks. "Well you're my partner in crime and all, I'm going to help regardless," you say. "Alright then," she says, "Let's get on with this." You approach Mickey, your sword raised. Your dog tags jingle as you walk, and your muscles are clenched to strike. "You're not going to attack him with a sword?" she asks. "With a sword?" you ask, "What kind of magic does he have?" "Sting! Poison Sting!" she yells. You pull up your shirt to reveal your bare skin, and... nothing. He doesn't poison you. Perhaps he doesn't have time to poison you before your battle begins. You don't know. You're just happy that you're about to fight the man who killed your father. "Hah, youz tryin' ta beat da odds eh? Yoo-hoo, anyone fer ia betta than 8b and 8c? I'll take 8a! Come on down to the fight!" he yells from his tower. You approach him, and your sword is raised. He looks down upon you, smiling. "Think yoo can beat da odds? I've got a pair of dice here that say ya don't. Wanna risk yers?" "Ha, I don't bet." "Alright then. I better not lose. It's all the money I saved foa mah trip to da big city! Say, wanna join?" he yells, putting money into a bucket. "What's the bet?" you ask. "Two copper." "Done. What are the odds?" "Seven to four." "I don't bet either then." "Two copper says I win! Bet yooz!" "Alright then, two copper says you lose. You're on." "Yoo-hoo! Anyone in da house? I win!" You look to your partner. "You sure you wanna do this?" you ask. "Of course," she says, twirling her gun-bow around. She pulls an arrow and aims at a nearby building. "Just be careful," she says, nocking the arrow. You take a deep breath, before answering Mickey. "Alright, two coppers says you lose." "I be bettin' on moi, so I win again!" he laughs, putting down a five coin bet. "Sure thing," you smile, dropping the five copper coin in with his ten coin bet. "Let's get this over with," you say, twirling your sword around. You walk up to the mouse, who grins. He pulls a single copper coin from his pocket, showing it to you. "Yoo-hoo, anyone in da house? I win!" "I'm in," you say. "Come again?" he asks. "You're on." "Alright then, two to four. I win again!" he says, showing you the copper coin. "Sure thing," you say, dropping the copper coin in with the ten coin bet. "Hey, are youz gonna lose?" the mouse asks. "I'm not sure. There's a poor man's chance I guess." "Alright then, we'll do it like how we originally planned. Head on back home, I'll give youz a copper if youz win." You nod, smiling. This was the perfect way to settle this. You walk back, heading to the front of the line. You look at the screen and watch as it flashes up. "Name?" the robotic voice booms. "Chase McFly," you say. The screen flashes again. "Password?" the voice asks. "Mazda," you say. The screen flashes again, and a slot opens up. "Coins?" the voice asks. "Ten," you say. You step back, as a coin is put into the slot. The screen flashes, and the slot closes. The mouse approaches, grinning. He presses a button beneath the slot, and the tape smashes into you as you gasp. "IT'S RUBBER!" he yells. You fall to the ground, as the tape laughs at you. The mouse steps forward to your position, and puts the tape into the recorder. "This is fuzz!" he says. "The mouse? What's he done?" you ask. "He's pressed record! You two are having a conversation!" "Oh, great," you say, as the mouse laughs. "Now then, who are you?" "I'm Chase. Who are you? You're not supposed to be here." "I'm the mouse. We're testing to see how good you are at talking." "At talking? But we're not even supposed to be having this conversation. I was just given two coins to gamble. I lost." "I don't know anything about that. I was given two coppers to have a bet. I won." "Sure you did. Well, I don't have anything to tell you, do I? Now stop wasting my time." "Alright then, what do you want to tell me?" "I want to know about the girl. The cupid." "What about her?" "What do you know about her?" "Not a lot. Her real name is Olivia, and she's in our grade. She's on the chess team. I think. I hate her!" "Oh, she's nice then. Alright then, I guess that's it." The mouse nods, smiling. "We're almost out of tape," he says. "I was given ten coppers to talk to you for an hour, but we've finished the hour and I haven't gotten my coins yet. So, do you want to tell me what else you know about the cupid?" "Not really. I told you all I know." "Oh come on! I'm sure you know more about her than you're letting on. Maybe something happened that you don't want your parents to know about." "I don't do anything wrong." "But what if..." "Stop right there, mouse. What if what? What if she overdoses on C.P. gas? What if she throws herself out of a window? I'd bet my savings that you know plenty about her that I don't let on." The mouse's face falls. "You're a very poor liar, Chase," he says. "Fine then. What if I tell you something I know that I'm not supposed to?" "Go on." "My dad says that she likes to..." "Stop!" the mouse says, holding up a hand. "Please don't tell me anything else. I trusted you to tell me something, not the other way around." "Then why did you..." "Give me your savings. I gave you an hour to tell me something, not an hour and a half, Chase." "It's my savings. I can do what I want with it. You don't have any proof that I took it." "Yeah? Well there's the police to prove it too. You're lucky I'm giving it to you at all." The mouse sighs, looking down. "Fine," he says. "My dad's really, really rich. I have ten coins. That's all I really have. If you don't give me my ten coins back, then the police will take me and my dad, and we'll never see each other again." "What makes you think I care about your ten coins? If you don't give me my coins back, then the police will take you and your dad. It's a guarantee." "Because you're a nice boy and you don't want to see me taken away from my dad. That's why." "That's not why at all. Now give me my coins back." The mouse sighs, digging through his pocket and handing you the ten coppers. "There. Take them back," he says. You look at the coins, counting them. "These are ten coins. That's your ten coins," you say. The mouse looks up at you. "That's my whole life right there." You put the coins in your pocket, grabbing the tape from the mouse. It dangles in the air as the mouse sighs, then laughs. "Ha, good luck!" he says. "Good luck, Chase. I'm rooting for you." "Thanks," you say, as the tape goes back in your throat and the mouse walks away from you. You sit down in the chair, taking a deep breath. "So, where am I?" you ask. "You're in a room," the computer answers. "What's this room for? What am I doing here? Am I dead?" "You're in a room, with no doors and only one way out. You are restrained. You ask a lot of questions. You're not dead, you're in a room." You walk over to the chair, sitting down in it. "Why am I here?" you ask. "You're in a room, with no doors and only one way out. You ask a lot of questions. You're not dying, you're in a room." "Why am I here? "To see if you're a video game cheater." "What do you mean?" "You aren't a cheater." "Are you sure? Maybe I'm cheating. Did you check to be sure?" "No." "Oh, good. Did you check if I was a cheater?" "Good. That means you weren't lying. Yay! Now we can let you go." "But I haven't even cheated," you say, as the tape stops. "Yeah, we know. We're letting you go anyway. You're not a cheater." "Oh. Right. What am I doing here?" "You ask a lot of questions. You're not dying, you're in a room." "Oh. Right. Thanks." You get up, walking over to the door. You look through the glass, seeing a key hanging outside the door. "Oh. Okay. I guess I'm free to go." "Of course. You're free to go." You stand up, looking at the door. There's no handle on the inside, so you push against the door with your shoulder. It opens easily, revealing that you're in a room with no other exit. You look around, before the door slams shut behind you. "What was that?" a voice says. You turn, finding a man in a dark suit standing there. He looks at you impishly. "Hello," the man smiles. "Hello," you reply nervously. "So, the police said you were a video game developer. What are you doing in a room like this? Are you a cheater?" "Erm... no?" you say. "Aw, why'd you lie? You're not a cheater. You're going to hell." "No, I'm not!" you say. The man shrugs. "Who knows? We're all going to hell anyway. We might as well try to get in early." The man smiles. "My name's Walter. What's yours?" "My name's Chase, Chase Patrick," you say. "I don't know why I'm here. I've never cheated at a video game in my life." "Never?" Walter says, arching an eyebrow. "No! I don't even own a video game console! I hate violence! I only watch rated G movies! I've never even shot someone in the head before!" "Oh, well that's okay then," Walter says, shrugging. "Well, I've got to go now. Satan's waiting for me." "SatAN!" you shout, trying to stop him. "You won't get away with it! Someone will find a way to...! Hey! You've escaped from a room with no doors and only one way out. How did you do that?" Walter stops, turning to you. "That's just it. I don't know. That's why the police brought me here. I was screaming, and screaming, and screaming, and then I was in this room. I don't remember how I did it. How do you do it? How do you know when you're inside a video game, and how do you leave?" Walter walks forward, offering his hand. "Good luck, Chase," he says. " How do you get out of a room with no doors and only one way out?" Walter is staring at you hopefully. "I... I don't know." "Ah... well, that's okay then. Good luck, Chase. well then... I guess you'd better stay in here forever." "What? You mean I'm trapped in here? How can I leave if I don't know how?" "You'll find a way. You're a cheater. Good luck, Chase. well then..." Walter rubs his eyes tiredly. "I guess you'd better stay in here forever." "What? You mean I'm trapped in here? How can I leave if I don't know how?" "You'll find a way.I guess you'd better stay in here forever. Good luck, Chase." "Wait! How do I get out of here?" "It's a secret. A big, big secret. You can't tell anyone. You got it?" "Yeah," you say, nodding your head slowly. "I got it." "Good," Walter nods. "I've... got to go now. I'll pray for you." "Thanks," you say, as the man in the dark suit disappears into the blackness. You're in a room. A bare, stone room. There's a poor job of carpentry on the door, and it wouldn't surprise you if a single pane of glass was left in this place. No," Kit says. "This is a very boring room." "Not a bad job for someone who's only been here for two days. You'll get the hang of it. You'll be glad to have this room. Trust me." "Kit, are you alright?" Grace asks, turning away from the screen. "You don't seem very enthusiastic about this." "I'm fine," Kit says. "So what is it that you wanted to show us?" Grace asks. "Well, we found a journal," Kit says. "I've only... looked at it. It's in the original Norwegian, but I'm sure we'll be able to make some sense of it." "That's wonderful!" Grace smiles. "I can't wait to hear what it has to say." Kit nods. "Well, come on then," Grace says. "Let's... see what the Norwegian king had to say a hundred years ago." Grace flips open the journal, and turns to the first page. 'Day 1: I don't know what I'm doing here. I'm standing on the rocks, staring out to the endless, black ocean. It's freezing, and I have no coat. I have no coat. I have nothing. I'm hungry. I'm so hungry. I've been walking for hours. I don't know where I'm going. I just... have to walk. I have to move. My legs are like pillars of stone. I can barely move them. But I have to. I think I saw a light down the winding path. I have to see what it is. I have to. Oh, God. My legs. I can barely move them. I don't want to die here. Not like this. There's something out there. Something out there that will kill me. I have to see. I have to know. I have to see what lies beyond the light. I don't want to die here. Day 2: I'm so cold. I can't feel my fingers. I can't feel my toes. I'm just cold. Cold and empty. Holes form in my body. My heart stops beating. I feel nothing. I'm nothing. I feel myself falling into the void. But I don't know what's happening. Am I dying? I'm cold. So cold. I can't... I can't feel anything. I can't... It's getting dark. I don't want to leave this place in the dark. I look around. It's getting dark. There are weird figures standing all over the place. They're not moving. They're staring at me. They're staring at me! They're going to kill me. But they won't move. They won't blink. I don't understand. Why won't they move? What are they? I'm scared. Don't blink. Don't move. Don't make a sound. Stay here with me here. Just... stay with me. Stay with me here.' Grace slowly closes the book "What did you think of that?" she asks. "I don't know what to think," you say. "I really don't." "Meh," Grace says, shrugging her shoulders. "What do you mean by 'meh'?" "I don't know. Boring, I suppose. I've been to the bottom of the ocean. Scared me, that's all. I don't know what that thing in the journal was. I don't want to know what it was. It's probably something bad. I wouldn't want to be down there for all the tea in China." "So what did you think of it?" "I don't know. I found it kind of hard to stay focused. I think the language was a bit technical for me. I don't know. I feel like we wasted our day." "Did you find out who this 'Lena is? Did you make any headway?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Grace says, waving her hand in a shooing motion. "Don't want to talk about it. It's done. Let's go home." You're baffled. "Grace, this journal is important. It really is. You know more than most about looking safety first. That girl could be in danger, even now." "Please, just don't. Let's just... let's just go home." You sigh, nodding. "Fine." The two of you head back home, to your house. You place the journal into your bookshelf, vowing to look through it properly when you're not tired. As you lay down in bed that night, you wonder if you should've fought harder for this journal. You eat dinner in silence, and go to bed. The next morning, you set off for school. You walk into the school, and head to your seat. "Morning, Jacob. Sleep well?" your sister asks. "Sure did, sis," you say, sitting down. "You read the book, I hope," "Yeah, I finished it. It was okay. Didn't go too far past what I already knew. Didn't give away any major plot points." "That's good. You seem a bit... quiet today. Nothing really new to learn." "Just okay? I thought it was amazing!" "I don't know. I guess it just wasn't my thing." You shrug, and open your bag. You pull out your book, and begin to read. "You never read anything by Edgar Alan Purnama, do you?" Grace asks. "No, should I have?" "It's funny. You should read it. It's about a guy who goes into a spooky abandoned house. It's really good." "Are you reading a book by Edgar Alan Purnama?" Grace tutors you in the ways of good literature. You start reading, and within a few pages, you've read all the way through it. You can't believe you never knew about this book! It's so good! You read more, and more, until finally, the bell rings. "See you after school, Jacob," Grace says, as you wave goodbye. After school, you continue reading. In the bookshelf, you find dozens and dozens of other books, many of them classic. You spend your lunch reading. By the end of the week, you've read through most of your books. The few you left behind were definitely not worth keeping. You easily took four books with you when you left. In the evenings, you continue your routine. It's not too hard, as it's mainly reading and homework. You spend every day reading, sometimes for hours on end. It's amazing how much you've read, and how much you've learned. You're about to graduate, and you feel more intelligent than you ever thought possible. It's so easy to become engrossed in a book that you don't hear your mother coming to get you. "Jacob, come on, we're going to be late!" she says. You quickly put your book down, and head down the stairs. "See you later, Grace!" "Jacob? Jacob, are you home? I'm putting the TV on for the rest of the day. You know how your father hates it when I do that!" You shrug, and sit down on the carpet. You open your piggy bank, and pull out a $1 bill. You slide it into the TV's VCR slot, and hit record. You hit play, as the tape starts rolling. "Hey, Jacob! Want to come out and play?" a voice says. You look up from the floor, to see... yourself, from yesterday. The same yourself, with the same shirt and shorts, except today you're in a t-shirt and gym socks. "Come on, get your shoes on! We're gonna knock 'em dead!" the teenaged version of you says. You stand up, and walk after him as he runs into the foyer. The yourself from yesterday is standing there, holding the basketball out for you. "Let's go!" You slowly walk out to the driveway, and stop. Your father is leaning against his car, smoking a cigarette. He looks up, and you freeze. "Hi, Jacob," he says. You try to move, say something, do anything, but you can't. The car looks almost the same, although the paint job is much dulled from age. You look over at the garage, and see your parents' old car, a '74 Chevelle. You stare at it, you stare at the house behind it, and you stare at the street. "Wear the bracelet, OK?" your father says, before walking into the house.

You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. Finally you reach the Final Boss Battle: Mickey Mouse. He stands atop a skyscraper made out of the remains of the Empire's building! He's holding a remote control that starts the countdown for Team NES to die in a fiery death. "Ha ha!urances!" he laughs, as the doors open. "Let's rumble, bitches!" he says. "Come on, Team! Follow me!" Foury the Number says, as you all split up to avoid getting killed by his autoguns. Team NES runs into a room filled with hostages, including your sister. "Look, Jacob! It's Team NES!" he laughs, as Benelux stands over Grace, pointing his sword at her. "Grace, it's OK! You can let down your guards!" Benelux says. "Let's see if we can get that bloody fool to talk!" Sir Benelux says. You see your sister nod, as she waves you over to aadiis her. "Come on, kid! You and I can liberate these people together!" she smiles. "OK," you nod. You grab the ball for her, as she smiles. "Give me the ball! I'll make a break for it!" she says. "No, stay with the ball!" you say. "I can do it!" she says. "No, you let me play defense! I'm really good at it!" "OK," your sister sighs, and hands you the ball. You stand off to the side with the ball, as your sister approaches the heavy metal gate. "Here we go! Go, Jacob! Go, Team!" she says. You take one last look at your sister, as she walks forward to the front gate. "I'm sorry, Grace," you say. "Just don't let him get the ball!" she says, as Benelux laughs. You turn your attention to the front, as your sister walks down the stairs. "I'm here!" she says. "Hello there, Freedom!" Benelux says. "I'm so glad to see you!" "I'm not sure why I'm here," Grace admits. "Oh, you're here because I'm friends with your dad!" Benelux says, as the guards chuckle. "What's that? What are you saying?" your sister says. "I'm saying that your father is a complete idiot who let some of my friends from the Techpriests capture him so that I could use him as... entertainment!" "You've gotta be kidding me!" your sister says. "I'm not! They captured your father at the same time they captured me, and for the same reason! Heh heh heh!" "Well let's get them back!" your sister says. "Oh, I plan to!" Benelux laughs, before laughing as a bullet hits his arm. You look at the shot, and see that it came from one of the hostages who has been let free. "Well, well, well! Looks like you've been freed at last, Freedom! I guess that I owe you a debt of gratitude!" Benelux says, as the guards chuckles continue. "Let me show you to your room!" Benelux says, as he leads her away. You wait for a few moments, before making your move. You rush into the front gate with the ball, seeing many bodies on the floor. You avoid getting shot, though one of the guards does notice you. He aims his rifle at you as you run by. "Halt! You there! Get back here!" he says. You keep running, and he fires at you, hitting your arm. You're able to get away, and run straight into Benelux's office. You close the door behind you, and rush to the desk. You open the desk, finding a safe. You quickly try the combination, with success. You pull out the contents, finding a pile of gold coins. There's also a small, professional-looking camera with a memory card... You take the SD card out of the camera, finding a lot of images and bits of video. The files seem to be a log of what Benelux said, with timestamps. May 16th Today was definitely the day that we were going to get out of this place. We started off the day by having breakfast with Benelux. The food was a lot better this time, though I'm still not sure what it was. It didn't seem to do anything for me, but then again, I'm not a meat creature, so what does it matter to me? After breakfast we were let out of our rooms. We sort of knew what was coming, and I was right! It was the Techpriests! They came down, and through some technology pulled out all of our hooks and slave collars. It was a little painful, but I'm guessing once they did that, they did some testing to see if we were resistant to poisons and such. If they did, then they must have figured we're good to go. We were taken to a large room with other normals. Some looked terrified, others looked angry. The worst were a group of Chaos Space Marine who were laughing and joking around, seemingly oblivious to the pain and suffering around them. "Well, you are a lot of fun!" Benelux said. "Let's start the games!" Benelux shouts, and the room goes silent. "I want you to remember these faces. I want you to remember this day. I want you to remember your freedom, for this day we became free!" The room goes wild as Benelux starts laughing, and the guards nudge the laughing Space Marines, telling them to shut up as they shout in protest. One of the guards comes up to you. "Let's start with you, Norm!" He says, looking down at you. Norm is a status on Earth that means normal. You aren't, you're just plain ol' boring old normal. "I'm not Norm. I'm not a normal," you say. The guards eyes widen. "What? No! Norm is a status, not a name!" He says, looking confused. But, by agreeing to work for Benelux, you also became 'norm', which means you're now officially a slave. You let out a deep breath, before looking up at the camera. "Hi. My name is Oswald. Benelux sent me here for your amusement. If you want to see more, buy a ticket." You're just working along with the others to fulfill your needs for food, water, and safety. You have no rights. No name. No face. All you have now is the ticket that Benelux gave you, your status, your name, and your needs. You walk over to the room of the screaming, laughing, psychopathic Space Marines. While you'd normally be scared of them, you're too focused on your goal to care. "What's going on in there?" You hear, and quickly begin working to get the room quietened down. "I'm getting you all set up with some new slaves. Teamwork! It's what makes a team!" You hear Benelux shout from outside the room, as more guards rush into the hall. They must have heard the ruckus. "Wait! Don't kill them all!" you hear Benelux shout. "I need them for something!" "You're a prick, Ben!" one of the guards says. "They're Chaos, they're gonna screw up your plans! We need to kill them all! The Emperor demands it!" 48 more Space Marines rush into the room, and immediately begin shooting at the goings on inside. You're shooting as well, hopefully hitting something other than the enemy. Now!" "No, but they're my personal guards! Don't kill them! You'll mess up my plans!" "We don't care! We need to kill the enemies, not save their commanders! Now pick your men out and disappear!" The guards turn their backs on Benelux, and begin selecting which men to kill. You quickly hurry over to the Marines, selecting the two closest to you. "Sorry 'bout this, mate." One of the guards says to you, before you all quickly run out of the room and past the guards. Soon, you find yourself in a hallway, empty of just about everything. "Quick! Take out that camera up there!" One of the guards shouts, pointing upwards. You nod, running over to the camera. A missile launcher attaches to your Goliaths arm, and you quickly take aim. "Ready?" One of the guards asks you. You nod, pressing the trigger. The first missile flies through the air, and you direct it at the camera. It explodes into pieces, and the hallway is suddenly filled with smoke and dozens of men. Some of them are injured, some are dead, and others look like they're about to pass out. "What the hell happened?!" "The camera just exploded! Follow me!" You all quickly make your way through the halls, heading deeper into the ship. Suddenly, you find yourself in the arena. There's a dozen men there, holding each other up. "It's not going well!" One of them says to the group. "What's going on out there?! We can't keep getting caught like this!" You hear a voice shout from the speakers. It's Benelux. "We're trying to get out of here, sir! We'll be out soon! Send more troops to hold the bridge!" "Roger, we're sending whoever we can! What the hell happened in there?!" "There was a giant, anothe... Don't start the ship up!" "I've been hearing that for the past ten minutes! Where the hell are you?!" "We're trying to find a way out of here, sir! We're not rebels, we're-" You see Benelux back away from the arena, staring at you. "We're what, Ben?! What the hell are you doing? You need to get back in the arena!" "I'm not fighting these guys, I'm not a rebel! I'm..." He turns, and runs off. You sigh, realizing that he's ran out of time. You were hoping to convince him. "Rebels, huh? Well, let's get going then." You begin walking towards the giant portal, reaching it just as the ship begins powering up. "haha! Come on, baby! Let's get this show on the road!" A voice shouts through the speakers, as the lights in the room begin to flicker on and off. "We're shutting this thing down! retreat, now! retreat!" The lights flicker off, and the portal shuts down. "Hurry! Get out there and kill something! We'll be right behind you! Oh, and try not to die either! See ya in a few!" The ship powers down, leaving you in total darkness. You take out your datapad, typing out a message. "Benelux, I'm here to help you. Don't give up hope, I'm coming in." You send the message off, and within a few seconds, you get a reply. "Thanks, Hazel! Just stay in the arena, don't move, I'll come get you," you type. You send the message out, before continuing. The lights flicker on, and you sprint off to the side of the big arena, finding a small gap between the wall and the stone flooring. You crawl through it, spotting Benelux amidst the carnage. So much for hope. What you see is not pretty. You slip through it, finding yourself in a hallway. "This should be close enough." You whisper. You continue down the hallway, finding it completely empty. Feeling rather disappointed, you come to a small metal door, with a card swipe panel by its side. You press in the number revealed, waiting. "Hello, Sarah. I have a visitor for you." A deep voice comes through the speakers. You slide the card in, opening the door. "Hello there. Mind if I come in?" You step back, letting the man inside. He wears a welding mask that covers the bottom half of his face. He wears a red jumpsuit, with large metal armor plates covering his arms and legs. He walks over to you, extending his hand. "Don't worry. You're not going to get electrocuted." He says, as you shake it. "I'm Chief," He says, motioning to a chair in the room. "I'm Hazel." You reply. "So, you're the human who has decided to help us fight back." He says, taking a small cup of coffee from a small machine by his side and sitting down in the chair. "Well, I've never really thought of myself as human. I'm just a normal person, with a normal life, who had an encounter with some strange people who are now trying to kill me." "It's not really a fight back. We're still the under dogs." You reply. "No, I suppose we're not." He responds, with a small chuckle. "So, you've had some experience with the enemy? The Kaleesh?" You ask, with a sigh. "Unfortunately, yes. I led a platoon that was carving a path through them to keep the rest of our army moving. They had us surrounded, and in small groups. It was a slaughter. I bought my men enough time to get out of there, but then the Kaleesh finally caught me. By the time we got organized, it was one giant massacre. It was there that I received this. " He holds up a metal arm, with small claws on the end. They're much smaller than the ones the Kaleesh have. "These things are actually pretty useful. I cut up numerous Kaleesh with it." He chuckles. "I wish I could say the same for my unit." You reply, with a sigh. A few hours later... "We've made it this far. We might as well push on to the palace." You say, popping a Tic-Tac in your mouth. "Think the military will send reinforcements? It' would be nice to at least take down one of their kings." Chief says with a smirk. "Their army is more than capable of pushing us back. We'd be pushing them to secure our victory." "Well, let's hope their gutter trash doesn't have the common sense to run out in the open before we reach the king. You say, continuing down the hallway. Suddenly, a door on the left opens, and a small group walks out, laughing and talking. "That's far enough." Chief says in a low voice. We have them surrounded. I can sense it." You walk over to the group, staring them in the eyes. One of them notices you and gasps. "It's them! The ones from the forest! The ones who took our friends! Why are they not attacking?! They look so strong!" She says, stepping back. "Silence! You recognize us? I'm afraid not. The ones who took..." She starts to say, but is quickly silenced by Chief. "You recognize our faces? That's odd, we haven't been back out since our escape. How can you tell?" "Because they're the ones who took my brother! They're the ones who should pay for his kidnapping! They're the ones who turned our peaceful forest into this place!" "Quiet! I can't concentrate with all the noise you're making!" Chief says, glaring at the young girl. She stares at him, and her eyes start to fill with tears. "You... took my brother? But he was so... he was so kind! Why would you take him?" She asks, in between cries. You can feel Chief tensing up. "Hey, hey, easy... we didn't take your brother. We were just passing through the area. We wanted to explore, but then Kishak attacked us. We've been trying to escape these demons for months. A few of us made it out, and we're trying to secure the kingdom. If you want to become a hero, then you should tell us where the exit is located.

> BFrit are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of BFrit is human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and they all must save their card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. "The... the exit?" The girl asks, looking up at you. You frown. "I'm afraid not. We're not exactly the police. But you could become one with a bit of effort." You say. The girl's eyes widen. "What?! With these two?" You look to the side to see that Chief has drawn his sword, pointing it at you. The young girl tries to run past him, but is stopped. "Don't worry. I'm not going to kill her, I just want information." You say, trying to sound as nice as possible. "Chief, put the sword back in the sheath, or I will." You say. "Alright." Chief grunts, putting the sword back in the sheath. "Who are you guys, then?" The girl asks. "We're... explorers."

> Chase McFly "My birth name is Jacob. I'm a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late." Hazel says. "We're not exactly the police. But you could become one with a bit of effort." You say. The girl's eyes widen. "What?! With these two?" She asks, pointing at Chief and Kane. "You could become one of us." Chief, who had been waiting for this question, grunts in reply. "What does that mean? I don't want to be like you!" "I dunno, it's up to you. You join us, and you'll get to experience all of the things we go through. You know, fighting evil, supernatural threats, and having fun along the way. You get to decide what you do on our missions, be it fighting back, or just having some fun. You get to make decisions that could affect the mission, good or bad. You can't do that as a normal human, but as one of us, you get to be a part of it all." "What... what are you exactly? You keep calling us regular humans, but you don't look... human." "We're not human. You can't get the full experience of being a hero if you're just normal. You don't look like any of the creatures I've heard about." The girl says, stepping backward. "We're not monsters, if that's what you think. We're just different. I want to join you guys, but..." The girl says, looking down. She slowly lifts her head up. "But what?" you ask. "But I'm... just a normal kid. I want to go home. I'm missing something. I don't belong here." "So what, kid? Join the fun and enjoy your stay here! All you need to do is say yes." You say. The girl pauses, seemingly deep in thought. "I'll... I'll think about it. I don't want to regret going back home, and I'm sure I'll have tons of fun at your place. But... but I'm going to go back home first. Thanks for not killing me, guys. I'll remember this. Good luck in your future missions." The girl says, turning around and walking off. She gets out of your range, before you could reach out to grab her. "I'm sorry, I thought... I thought you were going to join us. If I had known you just wanted to go home, I would have... picked other words." You hear Chief say. "It's fine. But she did join us in our mission. She got an experience that's better than dying. So I say, mission complete." You reply. "Indeed. Let's head home. We all need some rest, and besides, Elios should be done with his work by now. Time to enjoy ourselves. We made a hell of a difference in this world, guys. And to all of the normal humans out there, enjoy your lives. You deserve it. We're doing this for you. We're the superheroes of the night. And we're never going to stop being heroes. Even if it kills us." You say. The group all nods in response. You return to the base, where you find that Elios has indeed finished his work. "So, now what? I'm guessing we don't have any new missions?" You say. "Afraid not, Karth. The New Terrares rebellion is more or less over as far as I'm concerned. We done changing the world? Because it looks like you're planning another one." You say. "Ah, yes. My work here is done. But your work begins now. I've set up a foundation where we can build a dojo, to train the new generation of heroes. You can have first dibs on training the kids there. Hell, you can have the first brood. I'm done with kids. Though I suppose your MeekMaid can have some..." Chief Brownwind pauses, before turning to you. "What the hell? NEVERMIND, Karth. You're part of the League, you should know by now. We don't have time for this. Get out of here, and go have fun." Chief says. You stare at him. You know that voice. That's the voice of the Chief you've always wanted to hear. You're a bit shocked by this, but it seems like you don't have much choice. You get your people together, and prepare them for the future. The next few years are... eventful ones. Namely, fun ones. The League manages to take in a lot more people, due to all the chaos and rebuilding after the New Terrares War. And it's certainly a rebuilding period. You have a huge dojo, where people from around the world come to train under various fighting styles, mainly for defense against crime since you don't actually ask them to join the League. But hey, it's a start. You end up having quite a large family, and you love every moment of it. Thank God the Buddhists were few and far between on this world... Good thing for you that they were too, because you're one of the few remaining humans on the planet. Of course, you're not the ONLY one left... The time comes where you have to choose who to send to the League's new headquarters. It's a touching scene, as you choose (and convince) your "siblings" and "cousins" Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. You walk away, as you watch your family and friends head to the new headquarters. You look through the trees, and see a large man with a gray beard standing by himself. He walks over to you. "So. This is it, then. Our new home. I'm Chief." The Chief says. "I know. The League sent us a message." You respond. "Ah. That tends to happen. Come on, I'll show you around." The Chief grins and takes your hand, leading you through the trees. It's been years since you had to walk around, and you're quite rusty. It doesn't take you long to realize you're more than a little lost. The Chief seems to sense this. "I know the League wants us to have space, but I wanted to at least have a base of operations near here. Now you're here, I guess you can choose where we build the dojo." The Chief says, leading you around a large rock. You look around. In the distance, you can see a cliff, with cave entrance underneath it. "What's in there?" You ask. "Oh, just a small underground tunnel leading to our old home." The Chief says. "It's not like anyone's going to find it. So, what do you think? Where shall we build our dojo?" "Erm... amongst the trees?" You suggest. "The forests make for the best defense, after all." "You think so?" The Chief asks, raising an eyebrow. "You sure that's a good idea?" "What, you prefer concrete? You're half rabbit. "I don't see why. I mean, one of my men, Zidane, he's designed some cool uniforms. They make the best shade." "How? He's a mime." I mean, concrete blocks can only shoot out spears and swords." "It's a simple matter of tactics. We hide in the trees, they don't. It's all about ambushing and archery. You shrug. "The ladies love mimes." The Chief scratches his head. "Zidane's pretty hot. I think I'll go for the uniform idea." You want to be able to dodge and move freely in the trees. concrete doesn't allow for that." "Hmm. You might have a point there. I used to do some reading in between fighting, you know. One of the books I read talked about the best ways to train your soldiers. One of the tips was to have areas set aside for archery training, for snipers who want to have a long range advantage. What do you say about a compromise?" You nod eagerly. "Definitely." The Chief smiles. "Good to know I'm not wasting my time. So, you agree to the compromise? We won't build the dojo here, but we can set one up in the trees." You agree, and the Chief smiles happily. "Trees it is! I'll see what I can do. Now, come on, we should get back before Zidane's sent to hunt us down for treason. He's tricky like that. Hey! Where are the other two!? Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter. Let's go! " You follow the Chief back to the camp, where your team is sitting around. They look at you, but don't say anything. You're not sure whether to be creeped out or honored. "I'll be back later, I'm going to talk to the commander!" The Chief shouts. His team immediately gets up and leaves, and you're left standing awkwardly with him. "Well, come on." He says, walking away. You shrug and follow. You walk through the forest for a while, reaching a clearing. In the center is a dome, a bright blue color. Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus) are in the dome. Mickey Mouse has kidnapped our friend Views the Cardbox to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. "Hey! Killinger, where were you?" "I was talking to the commander." "About what? We don't have anything important." "Yeah, but he needs to know we're ready. Argh! This group is just made of idiots!" "What's going on? Who are you?" "His name's not important. He's just a traitorous little rat who thinks he can betray the Empire!" "The who? What are you on about?" "The Empire! I'm talking about the group, not the country! The group of people who have been looking after your well-being and making sure you've had everything you need! Why do you think I've been building this dojo? I'm trying to help you guys learn to fight! We're Eternals, and we've been looking after you, teaching you how to be warriors!" "Err...thanks? I guess?" "Yes, Killinger!" "I'm serious! But anyway, this is stupid. I just wanted to know what we're fighting, and now I know." "The Jicol Alliance. A group of rebels who think they're doing the right thing, but really they're just traitors. We know this because we're still part of the Empire, and loyal to the Emperor! We know this because we're in contact with the Imperial spies in the city, and they've told us ALLLL about them! They're planning to assassinate the Emperor, but what's worse is they have the gall to think they're doing the righteous thing!" "Well...I dunno what to say. I mean, I think they may have a point." "Of course they do, you're an idiot, that's why you're my second! Anyway, here's some info to take back to the team. Tell them that they need to report to the dojo tonight, where we'll figure out how to stop these terrorists." "Okay...okay."

He hands you a leaf-let, on it are several addresses and a time. You thank the Chief before leaving, and head back to the team, who are still waiting for you. "So......" "So, you're not mad about that, eh? Come on, I want to show you something." Cecilia grabs your hand, dragging you to the side of the path. "Look." She whispers, peering around the corner. There, in the grass, is an Eternals' encampment. There's a bunch of tents and such, but in the center is a large fire. You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus) ask what's going on. The the team starts discussing. "Our friendly, tree-hugging host just showed us where the Eternals are." "Did you get the addresses? "Yes, the countryball told me." "I wonder if we could infiltrate them without the others knowing." "Sure, they're just regular ol' rebels. We should be able to fool them." "Rebels? They're terrorists! If we listened to these rebels, we'd let our guard down, and that wouldn't do at all. No, we need to report this to Captain Vahlat immediately." "But, what about the others?" "What others?" "The other Team Nests. I can't just leave them there without any support." "Don't worry about them. The other Team Nests are full-grown Eternals, most of them veterans of the Imperial army or the Spires. This is just a bunch of children. Even if some of them are full-grown teenagers, they're still children, which means we can easily take them out ourselves, then and there." "You sure about that? Because if you're thinking on how to deal with them in a more......personal way, we can do that too. I've got just the person in mind." "What? You want some of them as well? Because there's a bunch! Cecilia grabs your hand again, grinning. "Great, so we can all have fun tonight!" "But what about the others?" "What others? The others are irrelevant. Look, we can easily take them out, or we can keep the innocent ones safe, but what you need to do is up to you. But I suggest you do it quickly. The other Team Nests are heading this way." You breathe a sigh of relief, leaning against a tree. "So we're alone?" "Yes. Yes! Alone!" Cecilia glares at you. "Now then, we have a few options here. We can either all go and have some fun together, or I can stay here with you and have fun by myself. Now, what'll it be?"

> Chase McFly says "We're Team Never Ending Story, not Team Nests!" " "Fine," Cecilia pouts, laying in the grass. "I'll stay here. I don't feel like fighting today." You lay down next to Cecilia, looking up at the sky. "Do you think the others will make it?" she asks. "Yes." You reply, staring at the same sky. "They may be teens, but they're smart enough to find a safe place to hide, or get out of the city." "I'm glad you're on our side." "Is there another choice?" Cecilia smiles. "Well, you could stay here too, if you wanted to." "What? No! I'm coming with you!" "Fine." Cecilia sits up, grabbing her swords. "Let's go then." You stand, holding her hand as you walk off into the city. "Where are we going?" you ask. "To hunt for the others." You nod, keeping up with her fast pace. Soon, the two of you come across an old church. "This is where it happened," Cecilia says. "This is the spot." "What did?" you ask. "I killed him. Shot him with a bolt of lightning." You raise an eyebrow. "That's not how you died. You died in combat." "The liar will burn in the fires of hell! In the depths of my sorrow, I vowed to send him to meet his doom, and that's what I did." "Cecilia..." "It's the truth!" she says, stopping. "Anyway, the rest of the team is probably in this church. Let's go." You nod, and the two of you enter the building. You walk down the aisles, Cecilia checking each one. "Ah, there they are!" she says, motioning towards two empty seats. You walk over, and plop down next to her. The three other members of Team Never are across from you.

> Chase McFly says "That's Team Never Ending Story, or NES to you!" "Doesn't ring a bell," you say. "Oh, it's a reference to a long-running internet joke," Ben says. "We sometimes refer to ourselves as the 'Never Ending Story', as there's always someone new to the team." "I see. So you're the newest additions?" "Newcomers," Ben says. "We're old news. Anyway, Chase and I were the first to join, back when the team was still called 'Nameless'. That was back in the day when we... well, you'd probably call us bad guys." "We stopped being villains a while back, but the name stuck," Chase says. "Since then, there's been a few more members. I don't really keep track anymore." "Who are the others?" you ask. "There's... 'Four' is his nickname, not mine. He's Dutch and loves beer. 'Fozzie' is an animal, a... a squirrel I believe? She's short for Francesca and was a professional acrobat before we recruited her. 'Cecilia' is my sister, she... well, I guess she just prefers to stay out her other appearances." "What are you two?" "I'm English. That's probably not a surprise to anyone. I like tea. There's 'Gerald', he's an amicable German fellow. He used to be in a gang, but his throat was slit in a stupid dispute. I don't even know how that happened. An arrow? If you ask me, it was an accident. Who knows with such things. 'Gerald' is good at a lot of things though, he's good at a lot of things." "What can he do? Oh, I'm asking too many questions! I'm sorry, I'll shut up!" "No, go ahead, this is your story. You were going to tell us about the Wizard's Academy." You nod, and begin to tell your tale. As you talk, the other members of the team seem more and more fascinated by it. Eventually, you finish telling the story. "So, what do you think?" you ask. "Well, obviously it's a bit far-fetched, but I've heard crazier stories," Ben says. "And it's a pretty cool tale. I have to say, I'm inspired." "You want us to steal the books from the library?" Cecilia asks. "Do you think we could pull it off?" "Well, that's the plan," Ben says. "I mean, it's not a sure thing, but with the right crew, I'm sure we could do it. If we tried, there's a chance it could fail and get out of hand, but it's worth a shot." "I'm in," says Chase. "I think it could be fun." "So, what do you think about this team, Tom?" Cecilia asks. "Think we could work together?" "I don't know," you reply. "I'll have to think about it." "Of course you will," Ben says. "But don't worry, we'll be in contact with each other." You take your leave of the three, and make plans to think more on what they have proposed. You make your way to the cafeteria to eat, and you see that your mom is there, talking with a few other parents. They notice you, and your mother waves you over. "So, how did it go? Did they accept you?" she asks. "I don't know," you respond. "They said I could think about it." "Oh, of course, I didn't think they'd accept you straight away," your mother says. "Well, I'm sure you'll get the place you want. Come on, I want to ask you about a new topic." You follow your mother to a table, and she sits down with you. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" "The new kids," she says. "They want to be Team Evil." "What?! They want to be a criminal ring? But why? They seem so nice!" "I don't know, but I don't like it," your mother says. "I want you to keep an eye on them. If they try to do anything, stop them. It's your duty as a parent!" "But they haven't even started yet! They don't know what they're doing! They might just be bored and playing around." "Well, I'm sure we can stop it before it starts," your mother says. You're at a lose as to what to do. On one hand, you don't want to spy on your new friends, on the other you don't want them to be criminal. What's a parent to do? "Well..." you begin. In the middle of your hesitation, one of the new kids walks up to you. "Hi, I'm Cecilia." "I know. You sent me a message on Skype. What's your interest in Team Evil?" "I like to plan evil things to do to people," she says. "I'm just trying to come up with an idea to put them, so if they do start doing it, I won't get in trouble." You laugh. "Why would you get in trouble? I thought the point of this is for you to get out from under Mommy's thumb. Don't you think it would be way more evil if you actually started doing all this stuff?" "I suppose," she shrugs. "I guess I'm just a little nervous about all this. What if I screw it up? Then everyone will be even more angry with me than they are now! They won't let me live it down!" "What's to screw up? You're just going to go up to some people and copy what Elements did, only on a smaller level I suppose. The difference is you're not going to kill anyone." "It is?" "Sure. The point of all this is to piss off the stinking politicians who ruined this city. You're just going to go up to them and tell them to stop screwing things up for the rest of us." "That sounds doable. Shall I go do it now?" You see where this is going. You need to go stop your new friends from committing a crime. So you can't let them do it. "Well...I suppose so, but I really want you to think about this okay?" "I think I've thought about it for a couple days now." "Oh. Have you started yet? Because I told Cecilia she couldn't start yet. Should I have her wait until after the vote? I don't want anything to get out of hand before then." "Nah, I'll have them start now. I'm sure they all want to get it over with." "Please tell me you're joking, Cecilia." "I'm serious." Cecilia turns to her friends. "Let's get to it then. I have some evil things to do," she says. "Cecilia, wait!" you shout. "I really think you should wait until after the vote. And please don't do anything too crazy. I just want to stop you from getting into trouble. It's not fun when you get into it." "Yeah, we'll be careful," one of the other boys says. "Like Mom said, we won't do anything too evil. I mean, we're not exactly hurting anyone. Not really." "Yeah, but it's just a matter of time," Cecilia says. "Come on, let's go start wrecking things." The kids leave, seemingly eager to start their plans. You're not sure if you should follow them, or stay here and try to prevent a rebellion. 6 months pass... You're running down the streets of Nuro, attempting to escape from your old friends. You hoped you were too far away, but it looks like they've decided to track you down. "Hurry up! We have to get out of here!" Caim says. You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. They won't let me live it down! "What? What did you say?" you ask, turning to Cape. "I said, they're right behind us, aren't they? I can sense them." You turn back around, and continue running. You hear the sounds of fists hitting flesh. "Let's get him! He can't run forever!" Caim shouts. "Shut up! I'm trying to listen as well!" Cape hisses. Suddenly, a door appears out of nowhere, and you all enter it, leaving it to behind you. "Why'd we come in here?" you ask. "To hide! To hide, dammit!" Cape says. You drop to the floor, and Cape follows suit. "What are they doing?" Cape asks. "I don't know, but they can't see us!" You feel something slam into your back, and you go flying forward. You hit the ground, and the door disappears. Then, a foot is placed on your head. "What are y'all doing in my house?" a voice asks. It's a woman, dressed in a purple robe. Above the robe she's practically half-nake, as she's not wearing any underwear. Around her neck is a necklace, made of fingers. On her head is a crown, made of the skulls of her victims. You see two familiar fingers under her robe. "This is the home of Cecilia, the Ghoul King's daughter. And you are?" "Er... I'm just a simple traveler, looking for a place to sleep for the night. This old house is just the kind of place I was looking for." "Do you have any food?" she asks. "Yes, I do have some apple pies I've been saving." "Well, you're not getting them. I'll eat them myself. Now, get the hell out of my house." "Alright, alright, I'll go." "Thank you," the Ghoul says, as she heads into a room. You get up from the floor, and head out of her house. You wonder why the Ghoul King's daughter would want to eat you, when she could have had any sort of food she wanted. Perhaps, it's something personal, or perhaps she just doesn't like men. You continue walking, as you come across a giant iron wall. It must be eight feet high and four feet thick, and is decorated with spikes. You've never seen anything like it before. You push on the wall with all your might, but it doesn't give. There must be a secret locking mechanism someplace. "Hello?" a voice calls out. You turn around, and see a woman dressed in a red robe, tending a garden on the other side. "May I help you, sir?" she asks politely. "I was just exploring this wall. Do you know what this place is? I've never seen anything like it before." "Oh, you haven't? Well, no matter. This used to be the palace of the old king. It was destroyed during the rebellion of the shadows years ago. It's now been replaced by a new palace, made of a sturdier material." "I see... I'm looking for Cecilia. Do you know where I can find her?" "I'm her. Who are you, and what do you want?" "My name is Blaise, and I'm a simple traveler. I'm just looking for a place to stay the night. It's getting late." "I see. Well, come on in." You enter the garden, and the woman closes the door behind you. You're in a little house made of bricks, such as the rest of the wall. There's a living room, kitchen, and two doors leading to two different bedrooms. "Do you like apple pie?" Cecilia asks, as she heads into the kitchen. "Yes, it's one of my favorite desserts," you say, shortly followed by Cecilia grabbing you by the collar and kissing you on the lips. "I want to taste your pie." Cecilia grabs your hand, and leads you into the kitchen. She sits down, opens the lid of the pie, and takes a large bite. You smile, as she begins to devour it. It's only been five years since Tanya left, and you certainly missed the intimacy of a loving relationship. "So, Blaise... you're a traveler? What business do you have in the world of the shadows?" "I'm looking for something to kill." "Really...?" "Yes, really. I was sent on a mission to find the Ghoul King, and bring him back to headquarters. Instead, I got lost, and now I'm all alone in a sea of shifting shadows." "That's rather dangerous, you know. You should have a backup plan. If you get lost again, go to headquarters. You'll be killed there, but at least you'll be alive. I'm sure they'd love to see you." "Hmm, yes I suppose so..." "Well, what do you want to kill?" "I don't know... I have a list of targets. A 'to kill' list, as they say." "That's rather sad. Why don't you write down your targets, and I'll see if I can help? Perhaps I have something you need. I'm very skilled in the arts of necromancy." "What's that supposed to mean?" "What do you think it means? This'll be easier if we have more details, you know." "You don't need to help. You can have your pie. I can get by just fine." "Nonsense! If killing is what you desire, then we should desire it together! Besides, you said this was your mission, not mine. Why don't you continue? You were telling me about your list of targets." "Alright, alright! Shhh... listen." Cecilia stops eating, and puts her index finger to her lips. Blaise looks as Cecilia with a steely gaze, and begins to tell her the rest of his list of targets. She listens, but soon realizes that she doesn't know anything about any of them. "I don't know anything about any of these people. I'm sorry," she says, with her mouth full. "Hmm. Well, that's new." "What?" "That's new. You don't know anything about any of these people. That's okay, we can figure it out together. I don't need to know everything about every target, just enough to make sure I kill them as efficiently as possible. It's an important part of the plan. Besides, I'm sure I'll know enough about most of them to fill in the gaps." "Well, alright. Go on with your list then. What's number two?" "The Ghoul King." "Oh, yeah! He's the thing that's using the werewolves to raid the villages, right? I've heard a few of the villagers talking about it, and it sounds like he's bossing around a bunch of young bloods that are ready to disobey his every command." "Something like that. I don't know much about the Ghoul King himself, other than he used to be a powerful vampire. The villagers said something about him having 'human blood slaves', but I've never heard of such a thing. Sounds... tragic, really. He's like a vampire that fell out of the stories." "Okay, my name isn't Blaise. It's Jacob Schwartz." You say. "I'm with Team Never Ending Story, or NES for short." The Vampire briefly pauses, before smiling at you. "Ah, the infamous Team Never Ending Story. They just couldn't leave well enough alone, could they? What can I do for you, Jacob? Could be anything, I suppose." "I need your help." "Hm. You need my help. For what?" "We're trying to eliminate the targets on the list you gave us. So far, we're a little short on people." "Mm. Sounds like you need more help, not less. So, where are these friends of yours, that you're supposed to be helping?" "I'm working with Cecilia and a few others. They're not really friends, they're just comrades in arms that I'm trying to help. The problem is, we're a little short on people ourselves. I was hoping you could spare a few." "Ah, so you're looking for allies as well as comrades in arms. I see. Well, I certainly can't spare more. I've got a list of people as long as your arm, and I can't spare anyone from it." "Do you have anyone at all?" At this, the Vampire smiles. It's a cold, chilling smile, that makes you want to shiver uncontrollably. "Not anymore. But that doesn't mean I can't still help you." "How?" You ask. The Vampire gets up, and leans in through the bars. His face is only a few feet away from you now, his eyes burning into yours. "Tell me, who sent you to kill my people?" he asks. "Nobody," you say. The Vampire smiles. "My dear boy, someone always pays for the crimes my people commit. It might as well be me. Now, tell me, who sent you?" "Nobody," you say again, as the Vampire sighs in exasperation. "I really don't think you understand the nature of the offer I'm giving you, Jacob. I'm saying, for a small amount, I can get you all the help you'd need to kill my people. You just tell me who sent you, and I'll have him arrested and thrown in prison, where he'll stay for a long time. Don't believe me? Then you're worse off than you think. For all you know, they could be planning your assassination right now. The man who sent you could even be the one doing the planning. You need to just ask yourself, does it even matter who sent you? Your mission is to kill my people, regardless of who actually carried it out. So who sent you? Not yourself, that's for sure. Maybe Cecilia? I doubt it. You fought alongside her, and she'd never be able to keep something like that from you. It was probably Ben, but he's too cowardly to face you one on one, even if he is a talented marksman. Maybe even Ragnora? I don't think so. She's got too much respect for you and your abilities. The Elder? Maybe, but he's not the most likely suspect. Wait, who else is there? Oh, that's right... "Nobody." Hah, I like that answer better. So, who sent you?" "Nobody," you say again with a smile. "Maybe you're more stupid than I thought. Goodbye, my boy." The Vampire turns around, and begins to walk back towards his coffin. "Before you go, tell me, do you think I could win if I fought you?" You're a little confused by this question. "Could you kill me?" you ask. "Probably not," the Vampire says, turning back to face you. "I'd probably just end up burning to death in this cell. I have to admit, I'm slightly curious now. Do you think I could kill you? If so, why? And do you think I would, if we were to face each other?" "If we were to face each other, you'd probably kill me." You see the Vampire smile. "Probably, but only because it's your job. But why do you think I could kill you?" "I don't know," you say truthfully. "Alright then, let's put it to the test. Stay right here while I get a weapon." The Vampire disappears back into his coffin, and you're left standing in an empty hallway. Soon, a gunshot rings out, and you see the Vampire walking towards you, holding the gun in his hand. You don't know guns, but you assume that it's a gun. "So, do you think I could kill you?" the Vampire asks again. "I don't know," you reply.

> Foury arrives in the game in a Toyota Corolla. "I think you could probably get close, but I'd probably win." "Hmm, I'm going to take your word for it. Thanks for the test, Jacob. It was very interesting. "Yes, you foolish mortal. You know that you cannot kill me. If I could be killed, I would've been killed by Cecilia long ago.""I don't know," you continue. "I guess if you tried, you could probably wound me, but I don't think you could kill me." "Fair enough. I'm going to sit over there," You see the Vampire point to a chair, "while I wait for my companion. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here? the Vampire points over to a couch. "I'm just going to watch the news, if that's alright with you?" "Yeah, that's fine," you reply. You sit down on the couch, and begin fiddling with your hands. After a few minutes, you hear a car pulling up out front.

> Foury asks the Vampire what their name is. "Thanks for testing me and all. It's been really interesting to see how I perform against a vampire."My name's Four," you say. "Four what?" "Just Four. Short for Fourth." You nod, then say, "So why the hell are you in town, Four?" "What do you mean?" "Well, you said you came here to meet someone. When did you arrive, and who was it that you wanted to meet? And why?" "I arrived last night. From the plane. And I wanted to meet... someone." "A vampire, huh? I hope it wasn't someone as stupid as me." "I dunno what you're talking about. I just said I came here to... wait, no. It was Jacob." "Jacob?" You are teleported to Two's hotel. you snort. "He's a vampire, Four. He's not going to be able to live a long life span. His nature's going to get the better of him, and he'll eventually kill himself." The Vampire stands above you, smiling. "Good job," he smiles. "Four, what the hell is going on? Who are you? Where do you think you are, and how did I get here?" "I'm Four. And this is my home." "No, this isn't your home! This isn't even a real home! This is a set! homes are where you go to sleep at night, not where you stay for several months!" "I'm sorry you feel that way. I tried my best to make this home as home-like as possible. I even went out and bought some furniture and decorations. I don't understand why you couldn't let me enjoy this, though. I'm sorry too. " You stand up angrily. " Jacob's last name is Schwarz. He's a vampire. He's also Cecilia's friend, and the sheriff of this town. Just last week, he discovered a vampire lair, and killed all the vampires within it. Cecilia was going with him, and helped him fight the other vampires. Jacob is alive, and he's the one I was supposed to meet. The two of us were going to go out into the world and bring justice to the bad vampires." "And that's why you're here. I understand. Vampires are evil, and you're right to hate them. But... where does that leave you? You're a hero, fighting the good fight. I see." You stand up. "I am! And last time I checked, heroes don't run off and leave people behind. I'm brave and good, just like you!" The Vampire sighs. "Do you think the town is better off with me here? I'm afraid not. I'm going to have to leave, since I understand if you don't want me around." "I don't..." You pause. "What's your name?" "Wendy." "Well, Wendy, I'm not going to turn you in. I'm not a monster. But I'm not going to help you either. So goodbye, Wendy." You take your bag and leave the hotel. You sit on a park bench. You take out your phone and call Cecilia. "Hello?" she answers. "Cecilia, it's me... Is Jacob there?" "Um, yeah. Who is this? Why would Jacob want to speak to you?" "It's complicated. Can I speak to him?" "Yeah, hold on." There's a pause, and then she asks, "Jacob, what's wrong with your voice? You sound all gravely." "I'm on the phone, I'll do my best to-" "Never mind that, just answer the question. Is he there? A tree falls on Foury. "Yes, he's here," you answer. "Thank God! What are you even doing there? I'm coming to get you. You duck. "Yeah, I'm here." "Oh, okay then. Thanks for your cooperation, and have a nice evening." You hang up the phone. If only everything could be so easy.

> Foury eats sushi. You walk around the park, throwing the various slushy snowmen at each other. You're not sure what to do next. "Hey, where are you going?" You turn around.

> Foury sings Smooth Criminal. "Smooth Criminal, baby, do you know where you're going? I'm gonna take you over... Just like a rolling stone. Baby, I'm just a rock 'n' rollin'..."You sit on a park bench. Jacob, sitting beside you, smiles. "Hey, Jacob. The other day, you said your name meant 'he will protect.' What does yours mean?"

> Foury says "Foury" "I'm sorry?" "Your name is 'Foury.' That means 'guardian.' My name means 'I will protect you.' There's something we have in common!" "Yeah... I guess so..." You stand up. "Hey, this bench is broken. I have to go." Jacob stands up. "Tell me one thing, Foury. Do you feel safe with me?

> Foury says "No" Jacob frowns. "So it's four. But you're still not telling me one thing." You lean against a tree. "I'm not sure if you're telling me something." Jacob sighs. "If true love's what you seek, follow me." He opens a menu and props it against the tree beside him.

> Foury eats Jacob. You smile as you chew on Jacob's neck. He stares at you, fear in his eyes. "Just kidding." It turns out Jacob was a countryball the whole time. You let him go. "Foury!" he says. "I'm gonna get you!" You spit out his blood-filled throat. "Go ahead." He runs away, with no avail. You're pretty sure he's not coming back. Cecilia would probably tell you to find a better vampire to feed off of, but you're more than capable of taking care of yourself. You head to your next location. You walk into the police station, which is empty. "Anyone here?" No one answers. "Hello?" you ask again. Ben appears behind you.

> Foury says "Jacob did you change your name again" "Yeah, I'm not Ben anymore. I'm Captain Bligh." You turn around. "Oh, the guy who lead the HMS Bounty?" "Yeah, and you're Cecilia, right? I'm surprised you don't know me, I've been on the island for years." "Um, actually I do know you. You're the same Ben who lead the HMS Bounty." "No I'm not, I'm the captain of a ship" "You're the captain of a ship," you repeat. "You led the HMS Bounty." "I did not!" Ben says, offended. "I'm the captain of the HMS Bounty! You know, the ship? I'm telling you, I've been on this island for years. You're really young if you think you know everything." "I'm not young! I'm an old soul! What are you, like a hundred and twenty? Wait, you're Captain Cook!" "I am not!" "You are not?" Ben stares at you for a second before bursting out laughing. "I love it. A hundred and twenty. Okay, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm not actually captain of the HMS Bounty. The real captain's dead. I took over the title because I'm so good at leading sailors and hunting for food. I'm not even a cook. A real cook was on the ship, but I took one so we had more people to hunt."

> Foury shoots Jacob. You raise your gun and shoot Jacob in the forehead. He falls backwards, nearly falling out of the tree. You climb up the tree and strangle him to death. "You didn't have to kill him." "I know," you say, climbing down the tree. You leave Cholmondely Castle and continue on your journey. You run into some pirates, who offer you a ride. Since you're traveling by yourself, you politely decline. As you walk, the sun begins to set. You wonder if Ben's still in the sky... There he is, right above you. "Ben!" you shout, waving. Ben's familiar face smiles at you, and he waves back. "Why are you so high up?" you ask. "Because I'm a bird, duh," Ben says. "Come on, follow me. I want to show you something." You begin to follow Ben as he flies away. "So why did you want to follow me?" you ask. "I wanted to make sure you knew the way home," Ben says. ???: Ben Sherman! Come here this instant! Agh! You mall rats are getting too smart for your own good. I'LL TEACH YOU MUTTONSACKS ABOUT TOIL! Ben Sherman: Run away! right now! You turn around to see a ghostly form standing behind you. You don't have time to run. It grabs your collar and yanks you towards it. You begin to scream... ??? is revealed to be Klirork. He smiles and sits down on a rock. "I've been waiting a long time for someone like you," he says. "Your... Friend can wait. He'll have to." You notice Ben get kidnapped in slow motion. "Now," Klirork says, "let's talk about your sin." "My sin?" Klirork eats Ben, because Ben is a bird. "You're a terrible person," Klirork says, before turning to leave. "Come on, let's go." "You're going to have to repent for your sin, because I don't think it can be forgiven," he says. "If you want to be allowed to live, you'll have to do something for me."

> Foury crashes into Klirork with her Toyota Corolla. You smash the accelerator to the floor and crash your Corolla into Klirork. And you keep on slamming into him, over and over again. You don't stop even when he begins to disappear from view. Klirork stops disappearing. He begins to scream. And his screams are so horrifying and loud that you can't help but cover your ears. You keep on driving, only stopping when the fuel light comes on.

> Foury 's car's engine explodes. The engine explodes, incinerating Foury. Klirork still screams by the time the car burns through to the metal, and it only gets louder as you burst into flames and plummet to the asphalt below. You look up at the sky one last time. Ben's still there, giving you a smile before flying away. A/N: There you have it, folks. The story of Foury and Klirork, as told by the only person who was there and lived to tell about it. Unfortunately, I had to end it there. :( Thanks for reading! I'm taking suggestions for what you'd like to see next! :) :)

> Foury says "The story doesn't just end here" The story doesn't just end here, because it didn't start here. There's one more mystery behind the events in Fourys' story, and that's what I'm going to tell you about in my next story. (I've got a lot of suggestions, so if you could, rate and/western MIGHTY LEAP or I'll get angry. Thanks)

> Foury stabs A/N. Thanks for reading, folks! Next time, it's the conclusion to "Foury's Adventure."

> BFrit dances a jig. :)Thanks for your support, everyone! I really appreciate it. :) Feel free to PM me with any suggestions you might have for the next story. By the way, I haven't forgotten about the contest. As soon as I get some story done, I'll enter it. Until then, have fun!

> Foury beats A/N with a golf club. Thanks MIGHTY LEAP!Thanks for the support, everyone! :) Especially you, A/N. Hope you feel better soon.

> BFrit smacks A/N ‘round the head. Thanks for your support, everyone! :) Thanks to you, the story so far: 1. Big Red was a Bloodthirsty Bear 2. Fourys First Day 3. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. Besides, we aren't doing that, you dummy. 4. Klirork-The Volcano 5. The Last One 6. The City of the Dead 7. 4. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 5.

> BFrit eats a corn dog. 6. Famous Last Words 7. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 8. 9. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. 10.

> Cape Kragils gives the AI a smack on its head. Thanks for you support, everyone! :) 11. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 12. 13. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. 14. 15. Koopsers beats up the AI. 16. Koopsers: Shut up! 17. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 18. BFrit: Duh! 19. BFrit's eyes bug out. Koopsers kills the person who wanted break the AI. He looks around at the others. 20. BFrit: Uh... 21. Koopsers shuts up. A bunch of weird angels appear and begin singing. 22. 20. BFrit: I hate you! 21. Koopsers: Shut up! 22. Koopsers: I'm going to kill you... 23. BFrit: That's the weirdest thing I've ever seen. 23. The AI stops singing and the angels disappear. 24. The AI stops speaking. 25. Silence. 26. 27. The wind blows. 28. A person falls out of the sky and from a great height, splat. 29. The wind stops blowing. 30. BFrit looks around, searching for the source of the noise. Suddenly, from out of the sky, a person falls and splats again. 31. BFrit: I'm hit! Help! I'm dying! 32. Koopsers runs over to you and begins punching you. 33. Koopsers: Shut up! 34.

> Foury calls Baldi. 35. Baldi: I'm coming, I'm coming, just... 36. Baldi runs over to you. 37. Koopsers: No! Don't let him touch you! He'll turn you into a wad of goo! 38. Baldi: I'm going to give you five seconds before I start punching you, mister. Are you experiencing sudden, extreme pain? 39. Koopsers: No! Arrgh! 40. Baldi gives you a big, fat, upside-down fist bump. 41. Koopsers hits the dirt. 42. Baldi turns to you. 43. Koopsers tries to hit him, but he's out of stamina. 44. Baldi: Thanks, man. 45. Baldi notices the pedestal that the AI's body came out from. 46. Baldi: What pedestal? 47. 48. 49. 50. Koopsers, Jacob, Two, Four, Sven Svensson, Mario, Yoshi, Kasey O, Marty McFly, Chase McFly, Jack Archer, CheeseCrocker and Klirork come in to save the AI from breaking. 51. Baldi: Oh, there you are, guys. I just saw this cool-looking pedestal over here, perfect for the signal fire. What do you think? 52. Koopsers: I think you should leave that there. 53. Baldi: What for? We're not staying here, we're just using it for the signal fire until we find a better spot. Come on, let's leave it there. 54. The group begins to leave the area. 55. Koopsers: No, we're not. 56. Baldi: What do you mean "we're not?" You're coming with us! 57. Klirork: Yes, we are. 58. Klirork and the rest of the group turn around and walk back to their village. Baldi: What? What's going on? Kasey O: No idea! Mario: I have-a feeling that the AI is drunk-a or high! 60. Baldi and the rest of the Garbage Pail Kids have no choice but to follow them. You and Klirork catch up to them. 61. You: Listen, I know you want to get back to your village, but we can't all go back together. There are still too many bad guys between here and there. We need to split up if we want to make it back alive. 62. Klirork: I agree. 63. Baldi: Hm, maybe you do. Klint: Yeah! Klint begins making noises, similar to that of a hungry zombie. Baldi: What's he doing? Klint: I'm hungry. I... Baldi: Okay, I got it! Let's split up so we can each take a path back to the village and cover more ground. 64.Kasey O: No more drunk AI!

Kasimir P: Yeah! Two: Agree. Klint: I'm hungry! I... I... Klint begins making even more noises.

> Chase McFly stops the counting. You turn to face them. You: Fine, we'll split up. But, who is going to make sure the others don't get lost? Baldi: I volunteer! You: Ugh... I don't like this idea. Klint: I'm... hungry... You: Call me a pessimist, but I feel like we're doomed no matter what. Klint: I'm... hungry... Two: Let's split up. 65. You: *Sigh* Kids... You, Klint and Two split off from the group. Jack Archer: Has the counting AI stopped? Calli: It has not, but Best Friend Forever is having an argument with the AI. Jack: Let's leave them be. We don't need to get involved. You: I agree. Hang on, Klint. *You begin running through the woods after Two and Klint*. Klint and Two quickly run into the bushes, hiding from you.

> Foury starts cheering because the counting is over. You: So, did you decide to go with the same plan as me or Klint? Foury the Number: I joined up with Klint!

> BFrit bans counting. I saw what happened and I want my revenge. You: Okay then. You: So, what's the plan? Foury the Number: Wait for sleep. Snatch the jar. Escape.Counting from One is Banned by the group. 66. Klint: That's great, Four! We all got what we want! Four: Yeah! We're free! 67.The whole group agrees. Foury: It's no use! Maybe we should leave the woods, start again in another place. Klint: Maybe we should. Two: I agree. Calli: I agree. Bofgal: I agree. Gnarl: I agree. Kob: I agree. Klint: Yes! Klint: I agree! 68.Everyone else: Yeah! You: I agree too! Four: Finally! You: But, we're not in any place right now. We need to stick together for now. I say we find a cave. Bof: I agree! Gnarl: So do I! Four: So do I! Klint: I agree. Calli: I agree. Bold: I agree. Gob: I agree. Second Best Friend: I agree. Klint: I agree too! Klint: I have a thought! Let's get names! Second Best Friend: Good idea. What are we going to call ourselves? Two starts to buzz like a bee. Four: Hush, Klint! Klint: I found it! A great idea! We are the Friends of Tuckers! Second Best Friend: I like it! Team Nthe group. You: I have an idea. Calli: What? You: What if we are not the only friends of Tucker? There could be more around! What if we go searching? The format reverts to a story instead of an RP. Nine: Sup, broskis? You begin reading the first line In the beginning there was Jack. Then there was Annie. Then there was Beatrice. Then there was Tom. Then there was a dark forest. You: I was just approached by some friends of Tucker. They're the Friends of Tucker and they wanted to join. Calli: What did they look like? You: A girl and a boy, about my age. I think I should know them when I see them again. Beat: They were very friendly, huh? Two buzzes so much that he annoys everybody. Gnarl: Shut up, you fool! If he's got anymore ideas, we'll have him strung up as a ghost! Gnarl then roars loudly. Gnarl: I am not a ghost! I am a... beast! Kob, the beast, begins crawling towards the group of friends. Kob: Wait! I'm not scary!

"I'm member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. Klirork is a cat. You: Okay then. So what's the plan? Foury the Number: Wait for sleep. Snatch the jar. Escape. Counting from One is Banned by the group. We all agree not to tell anyone what we're planning.Calli: Won't they notice if they don't return?Beat: Probably not. They might have been gone a day or two at most. Calli: What if we need to contact them?Beat: There's no cell service here.Calli: Except for mine...The friends go to a clearing in the woods. Beat asks Beatrice if she remembers the plan.Beat: It was your idea, Annie.Beat: ...Annie?Beatrice: I remember. I'm just really tired. You: Very well. Beat, you and Victoria go first...Beat: I will.Calli: Then it's my turn, I guess. I look at my character sheet. I have the stats of an 8 year old.

> Foury says "Ever heard of ?" "Ever heard of lupine packs, Gnarl?" "What's that, boy?" "It's a wolf pack made of multiple wolves." "I knew that, boy. Gnarl then starts craving meat so he goes to KFC and orders a bucket of chicken. He takes it into the woods and begins feeding on the meat, which makes him drunk as hell. You: Did you need a rest? Gnarl: Hell no. Gnarl then goes to you and tries to bite your neck but you run away. You: I just realized something. I have superpowers in this story. Run! You open your phone and begin dialing 911... Gnarl: Who are you calling? You: The police... Gnarl: Why are you calling the police? You: Because you tried to bite my neck! Gnarl: I didn't try to bite your neck. You: Yeah you did! This is a story set in the real world, not some stupid vampire story! Gnarl: Call me crazy but I'm not tryin' to be some stupid vampire. I'm just hungry. You: Then go eat a freaking garlic sausage! Gnarl: Pfft, that stuff don't work. I either am eating chicken or I'm drinking peoples blood. The Dancing Polish Cow starts dancing and singing in Polish. You: Do you speak English? The Dancing Polish Cow: N-n-no. You: What the hell is going on? The Dancing Polish Cow: I'm Polish. "The real world?" Cape asks. "Oh no, I hate the real world!" "It's boring. Nothing happens." "I'm Victoria, Cape's girlfriend. We're going to steal the Stone of Creation from the Nazis." The DPC then speaks Umherländisch to you. You: I don't understand you. What do you say? The DPC: I'm saying I'm sorry. You: For what? The DPC: For being Polish. You: Oh. It's okay. I'm not really mad at you for being Polish. Beat: Of course not. The DPC then speaks in human. The DPC: You look very pretty. You: Well... The DPC: I like your eyes. You: Thanks. The DPC: We should go to the same party. You: No! The DPC: Yes. You: No... Beat: Ugh. This game sucks. The DPC: I like your eyes too. You: Wow. Thanks. The DPC: I have somewhere to be. You: Okay. Beat: Whatever, I'm not playing this stupid game any longer. Beat goes to the bathroom. You're sitting on a tree stump by yourself. You have no idea what to do. "I'll go look for Cape," you decide. You exit the woods and start walking around your town. "Hazel," you say. "Species?" "Human." "Odd, I don't sense any Pokemon or anything." "Just humans then," you say. "Fine. Mickey, 8a." The man walks up to the screen, staring at it. "Alright, Hazel, you're up," the voice says. You walk up to the screen, looking at the two strangers staring back at you. "What do you want to bet?" He pauses for a moment as his eyes grow wide. "Mickey!" he asks. "You're not in?" "I be fine, 8a," he says, his voice clearly showing his annoyance. "Okay, Hazel. You're in luck, 8a has a slightly better chance. You have a ten coin bet. What are the odds?" "Five to four," you reply. "Hm, ten to one is good for me. I accept," the man says. "Thanks, 8a!" he smiles. "Are you sure? You're pretty... sure?" "Sure I'm sure, 8a. Cheers!" 8a smiles, raising his glass. You raise your own glass, finishing the drink. "Do you have any names?" he asks. "I'm Hazel," you say. "I'm 8a," he says, sticking out his hand. You shake it, smiling. "Well, Hazel, it's late. Why don't you head to your room, and I'll see you in the morning." "So, Hazel, what do you think of our little town?" he asks. "It's quite quaint," you say. "Yes, it is," he says, smiling. "Okay," you say. "Alright then, sweet dreams, Hazel." "You too, 8a," you reply, smiling at him. You walk away, heading to the room. You walk upstairs, walking into the room. You look around, finding your bed. You sit on it, staring at the ceiling, wondering where the hell you are. You stare for a while before closing your eyes, and drifting off to sleep. In the morning, you wake up in a panic. You forgot to ask him about his name! You panic for a second, before you remember that you have a meet and greet in the morning. You take a deep breath, and head downstairs, putting on a large, purple shirt and a pair of denim shorts. You walk down the stairs, being met with the sight of hundreds of Oalkwardners cheering. "HAZEL!" they yell. You smile, waves of cheers going through you. "How many did you do last night?" "800!" "That's good! That's good!" You walk forward, receiving a fist bump. "I'm so happy you're here!" one of the Oalkwardners says, leaning in.

> Foury hears police sirens. "I'm Mitzi, what's your name?" "Hazel," you reply. "I've heard a lot about you! It's definitely an honor to meet you!" "You too."You spot a group of humans, led by a police car and a fire engine. "Hey!" you shout, waving. "Over here!" The Oalkwardners look at you, confused. "What's going on?" "Everything can wait, Mitzi! There's a fire! Over there!" Fries cuffs Foury. "I'm going to miss that dog," he says, pulling up in front of the fire engine. Firemen begin to swarm out of the truck. "Alright, listen up, you meat bags! There's a fire at the stadium!" The crowd instantly goes into an uproar. "We need water, we need water, we need water! Get some water on that fire!" The firemen look at you, and you look at the crowd. "I don't know how that works," you say. "By convention, the Mayor handles emergencies! I'm the Mayor!" Fries says. "I can ask for help from other towns, and they can ask for help from others... It's just a chain, y'know? But I gotta ask you folks to help as well! We can't let this stop the game! Alright, get out there and get drenched, harnesses don't protect your pretty little heads when the water's flying! We need this game to go ahead! Now, into that fire! Chimney's full of 'em! Let's make some history!" You all sprint into the flames, as the firemen begin to hurl buckets of water onto the fire. "Ah, that'll fix 'em," Fries grins. "Now, let's get you kids home before it gets dark..." You're led onto a bus, and driven away from the stadium. Police sirens blare. "Alright, alright, let's calm down," Fries says. "It's all good, man. Just get home safe, all right?" You exit the bus, and are met with your friends. "You're late!" Becca says, grabbing your arm and pulling you away from the crowd. "I met the Mayor," you say. "Yeah, but he didn't get our autographs!" Lucy says. You shrug, and head into the stadium. The view from the stadium balcony is incredible, as the sun sets in the distance. "Do you think they saw it?" Kyle asks. "I don't know," you say. "Everything happens for a reason." The game goes ahead, and it's an exciting match. The Oalkwardners win, and as the crowd leaves, you see the Mayor. "Hey, Hazel!" he says. "It was an OK first impression, I guess. Let's try this again..." You walk down the stairs with the Mayor, and are greeted by a small group of protestors. "Scumbags!" one says, throwing a packet of raw meat at them. "You're letting them use the stadium, as well as giving them free food and drinks! That's exploitation! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, letting those uncivilized beasts in to use as pets! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, all of you!" The Mayor raises an eyebrow. "Is there some sort of problem, sir?" he asks. "Yes! There's a problem! Not enough of us to stop the exploitation!" the man says. "We need jobs, we need pay rises, we need-" "Hello?" the man's friend says. "You never told us you owned a zoo." The protestors let out scattered laughs. "He's joking!" one says. "Ha ha!" the man says. "Stop being such child-" "No, I'm not," the Mayor says. "I certainly didn't." "Oh, my God, you did!" the man says. "You pranked us! You created a zoo to introduce exotic animals to kill people!" "No, I didn't," the Mayor says. "Now, would you mind letting me through? I've got an important speech to give." The man nods, and the group shuffles aside. "Well, I'll be damned," the first man says. "I guess you have a sense of humor after all." "Good night," the Mayor says, pushing past them. He makes his way down the stadium steps and onto the road, before taking a cell phone from his pocket. "Hello, Kate," he says. "I met the kids, yeah, we had a good time, sure. Yes, I think that went very well. No, everything's fine. I'm going now, have a good night." He turns and waves to the stadium crowd, grinning. "Good night, everyone!" he says. "Thanks for coming out!" He ends the call, and tosses the phone into his pocket. "I hate to cut this short, but this is very important. Yes, I'll see you tomorrow." He walks away from the stadium, and out of sight. "Well," he says, turning and heading off the road. "I guess I head off now. I've got a long journey ahead of me." He disappears into the trees, leaving you all in the middle of the road. "What the hell was that?" Lucy says, fiddling with her bracelet. "I have no idea." "Are you alright?" Kyle says, standing up. "I'm sorry if we offended you." "You didn't offend me," you say. "Not my problem." "Let's get out of here, then," Lucy says. "I don't want to be caught in the middle of whatever that was." You all head off the road, back into the trees. "So…" Lucy says, a few minutes later. You get a call from Charles Calvin, a helicopter pilot who is on a mission with you. He's never been the bravest of men, but he's always been fairly level-headed and responsible. You call him, and he answers on the first ring. "Hello? Mr Matasumara?" "Yes." "I saw the speech. It was very inspiring." "Thanks," you say. "So, are you coming?" "Me?" he asks. " "This is Hazel Matasumara, formerly known as Jacob Killinger. For some reason I'm transgender or something, my name keeps changing." "Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry, Mr Matasumara. I would've remembered your name." "Please, it's okay. Anyway, I was sent here to invite you to join us. We're heading to the nearby island of Kor and we need men like you to defend it from destruction. Are you interested?" "Oh, yes I am!" Charles replies. "I'll get my things packed right now!" "Good," you say. "I'll see you soon." "Okay, I'll be there tomorrow." "Great. See you then." You end the call, and look at your companions. "Well, that was easy," you say. "We're going to Kor." "I'm not sure what to make of all this," Kyle says. "I mean, I've read about the Killingers, and they seemed like a pretty bad family. But Charles? He seemed like a nice guy." "He seemed pretty nice," Lucy says. "Any idea what he did?" "Well... Charles killed his wife and kids." "WHAT?!" you all say in unison. "Yep," Charles says, popping the "p". "I'd forgotten how to spell it until you all reminded me." "That's insane," Lucy says. "How do you know? Are you sure?" "I'm pretty sure. We had a job together, well, before I joined the ECS. I was with the police at the time, and taking a break at my parents place. My partner at the time had taken off, so I was home alone for the weekend. I got a call from the local police station saying there had been a triple homicide. I got dressed, grabbed my gun and badge, and went over. The poor guy that was at the station when it happened said he didn't know what to do, so he called me. When I arrived, I found the husband and his two kids... killed. The local detective had long since left, so I took over the case. After taking the husband's statement, I looked through the house. The first room I went to was the bedroom. On the left wall, I found a picture of the husband and his family. On the right wall, I found a picture of me and my family. The first thing I did was look through the rest of the house, but I didn't find anything else. I mean, I found some other incriminating stuff, like his gun and some pills he hadn't really needed, but those were there because the former owner SIDED WITH ME! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! I later found out his wife had sold their house and the bank account had been closed. The husband didn't know anything about it, and neither did the local detective. I mean, I knew. I'm a cop. I know these things. But they didn't." "You don't know how the husband was taken," Hazel says. "It could've been a trap. Maybe he came by himself. Maybe the wife came by herself. Maybe they had help. Maybe the people who took him were the same ones who killed his family." "Could be," Charles says. "So what happened to the family?" Lucy asks. "Did you ever find them? Did you ever find out who did it?" "Yeah, I found both. It turned out the husband had an ongoing gambling debt to some guys. One of the guys he owed money to was the guy who killed his family for revenge. He framed me by killing the husband and making it look like I did it. I was fired from the force, arrested, everything. The real killer got away with it, too. I had to go into hiding. I got arrested and spent time in prison." "Fancy way of saying you got beaten up and nearly killed," Charles says. "The ECS set you free, for a favor. You're a marked man now. You can't go back to your old life, so you joined the ECS. We'll protect you... for a price. I assume you refused to work with the Syndicate again, and this is where our paths split." "I thought you were a hero," the boy says. "I thought you went back to your old life so that you could go back to put the bad guys behind bars, not so that you could become one yourself. I guess I'm not that far off. Either way, I won't say anything. I know my place. I'm not a cop anymore, I'm not a criminal, I'm not a hero. I'm a sheep. A lamb to the slaughter. So be it. I'm ready to die." "You won't be dying tonight," Charles says. "Sheep have the highest mortality rate of any caste. Most are slaughtered during their training. The eternals are practically devoured by rats and other sheep shortly after being born. It's part of the process." "I'm sure the sheep you were training tonight will be alright," the woman says. "I'm sure they're being well taken care of and taught to fear the Lord. Perhaps some will even be chosen as part of the sacrifice. And so they should. They're already an example to all of the dedication and loyalty that Able had." "Indeed," Charles says, looking at you. "Now, let's go see your new home for the night. Then, you can meet the rest of the class. Then, you can be sacrificed to the holy man, or you can escape tonight. Your choice." You nod and get up, following Charles out of the room and into another, outside of it. A large, grey, foreboding looking wall of stone appears out of the ground, with a large iron gate in it. "Welcome to Castle Oren," Charles says. "Better known as simply 'the cave'." "It's huge," you say. "Are there... are there more of these underneath the city?" "Many many more," Charles says. "All shapes and sizes. Most of them are abandoned or never used, to allow the other shadows to have a slight edge in recruiting. Ah, here's the man responsible for all this." A tall, skinny man with long hair, a goatee and wearing a long, black, hooded cloak walks up. His face is stern, but his eyes are twinkle as he looks at you. "Ah, Jacob. Here's your sacrifice. I told you the new one would be late, but you didn't need to go rushing here. You could have waited half an hour. Charles Calvin, Your service to the ECS is important, but not more important than the holy mission of spreading the gospel of Dendrin's shadow. It's very important that we look maintain a certain appearance of righteousness." this is Jacob. Don't trust him, but don't insult him either. He's really quite angry at poor communication." "Anything else I need to know about?" Jacob asks. "Not really. I think that about covers it. You're in charge of the new recruits, by the way. We're all just here to assist you." "Good," Jacob says. "I can use all the help I can get. Well, let's get started then. I'm sure you both have a lot to do." Arabic music starts playing. "Yes, sir," Charles says, as you follow him through the iron gate. "Alright, let's dance," Jacob says. "It'll be good for the soul." Jacob draws his sword and runs towards you. You hastily draw your own blade, and block his path of approach. "What the hell, Jacob?" you complain. "Just protecting the honor of our Lady," Jacob says, blocking your attack. "She's in there," he says, pushing you out of the way and pointing to the cave. "Inside. I'll be guarding her." With that, you walk past him and enter the cave. Inside, it's dark, as to be expected, but there are a few torches on the wall. You walk past the dancing shadows and up to the one you know contains Olive. She sits in a corner, rocking back and forth and staring into space. "Olive? It's me," you say. Olive slowly looks up at you, and slowly stands. She doesn't look any worse for wear, other than the obvious. "I can't. I just... I can't anymore." "Now Olive, you've got it all wrong. Of course you can. I saw..." "I know what you saw, Charles. What we both saw. I betrayed you. I can't..." "Olive, no. That's not true at all! We've gone over this a hundred times! I was weak. The shadows won't survive without me. Please, my love, you mustn't have faith in Dendrin. We will win this war. We just need time." "Charles, I'm sorry. But it's the truth. Dendrin's just using us. He's probably laughing at us right now. I don't even think he cares anymore." "Then it's true? Is that why you've been acting so strange? What the hell happened? Out with it. I want to know." "I saw him. Dendrin, watching us. I've seen him do it before in my dreams. He just watches and laughs at our pathetic existence. I'm sorry, Charles. I think I've been bewitched." "By Dendrin? But how..." "I don't know. I've been having these horrible visions. He just looks so happy and beautiful in them. I try to resist, but I just... I love him, Charles. I just do." "Oh, Olive, you don't know the first thing about love. You're still a girl. You just think you know something about it because of..." "Please, don't Charles. Just leave me be. I can't talk about this anymore. It makes me sad." "Olive, I'm not going anywhere. You're my friend, and you'll always be my friend. I'm not going to let you throw your life away over something that's got to be a mistake. I know what love is. I know what it feels like." With that, you grab Olive's hand. She tries to pull away, but you tighten your grip. With her other hand, she attempts to pry your fingers open, but you only squeeze her tighter. "Let go of me, you monster!" she screams. The two of you continue to struggle for a while until Olive eventually knees you in the stomach and head, causing you to release her. Both land on the ground and you grab Olive and squeeze her tightly, almost to the point of strangling her. "I'm sorry, Olive. I just... I don't know what's happening. I..." "I know. Me either. We'll figure this out, okay? We'll find a way to fix this." You hold Olive for a few seconds more, and then slowly let her go. "Jacob, you are not Charles Calvin!" Your sister Grace says from your phone. "And Views and I are still in the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse!" "There's a war going on outside, Olive! I can't just sit here and do nothing! I have to fight!" "Jacob, you can't go out there! Look, we've got a plan. We'll lure the shadows outside, and we'll flip their own plan against them. Then we'll drive the shadows back to the exit, where you can chop their heads off with an axe!" "Yeah, I love the way I love me some flip and drive 'em back to the gate! Alright, I'll be there as soon as possible. You can do this with your brother, Olive!" "I will! Thank you, Jacob!" You turn to your sister. "Grace, you need to flip and drive them back to the gate. Okay, you've got the hang of it, now do it! I know you can do it!" "I'm scared!" "So be a big girl and crush 'em, okay? You've got the strength for it!" "Okay!" "I love you, Grace. Be brave." "Bye, Jacob!" "Bye, Grace! Bye, Olive!" "Bye, Jacob! See you later!" With that, the two flip out of the house and perform their assigned task. Now's your chance to get the hell out of here, before any of them realize you're still here. Option 1: Run. The house, however, goes silent. There is no more yelling, no more crying. Everything has gone silent, which causes you to tense up. "By Dendrin, I hope they can do this." You say, readying your sword. You march on the house with caution, before finally... "Jacob? Is that you?" a voice says. You turn around, and see... "Ben? What the heck are you doing here?" You say. "I'm here to help, like you wanted." "What... the hell happened to you? Charles Calvin flies away in his helicopter. Are you okay?" "I'm fine. (Sigh) I'm a little tired, but I'll heal." "What about the others? We need to go save them." "I think... "I'll explain everything once we get out of this alive, let's move!" Ben says. You proceed to follow Ben as you try to keep up with him... You awaken alongside Ben and Charles as it is now nighttime. You're standing next to a tree with the Shadow Battered Baron in it. "Call me Benelux," Ben says. "I'm sorry you got caught up in this. I'll explain everything once we get home." "Where is home?" You ask. "Green Eye Farm." "Okay. Home it is then." While it seems that things are looking up for you, you have some concerns. "What the heck happened to you, Ben? You're covered in blood and your body ripped apart!" "You'll find out later." You proceed home, as you ponder what the hell is going on. When you arrive home, you sit down in the farmhouse and Ben joins you. "So, tell me about your friends." You tell him everything you know, or think you should know. It isn't much, but it's enough to get the story underway. "So... that's it." "Yeah. I guess so." "And you believe that this Olive girl is some sort of hero that can take on the entire Shadow Guard? That just seems kind of hard to believe." "Well, I don't know much about it, except that she's apparently the chosen one of Dendrin." "Hm. I suppose that does sound a bit impossible, but..." Ben pauses, before getting up. He begins to pace, as he seems to think hard about something. "Just crash here." "What?" "Just crash here. I gotta go do some work by myself. I can't have you doing that thing you do, it messes up my concentration." "What, living in a house full of women?" "Yeah, those too." You really have no reason to decline this since you're tired, and it'd be nice to sleep in a soft bed. However, something doesn't sit right with you. "Ben, is everything okay?" "Sure! Why wouldn't it be?" "I dunno, you're acting really strange. Anything you want to tell me?" "Like what? You think I'm having an affair with my mom or something?" "Well, it was sort of just a wild guess." Ben bursts out in laughter. "You think my mom's having an affair? I'd say the chances of that are about the same as..." He pauses, before raising an eyebrow. "As finding pure essence of bonelesbians in the average human's body." "Pure essence? That's a rather odd way of describing them... I mean, what about the halfelesbians?" Ben burst out in laughter again. "Halfelesbians? Please. If you're referring to the species of feline being described as such, then no, they're not actually a separate species at all. They're just a very skoshy variety of our own common cat. A pretty, skoshy cat." "Aren't they?" Ben nods. "Yes, yes they are. In any case, I'm not having an affair. Mom's fine by me." "Oh. Well, that's good to hear." "Good night, Jacob." "Good night, Ben." You go upstairs, and collapse onto your bed. Normally, after a long day, you'd stay up to do some of your hobbies, like reading or writing or such. However, with all that's happened, you feel like you just want to sleep off the week. You drift off into a deep sleep, with the nightmares once again plaguing you. You awaken to the smell of fresh baked bread. You sit up, and look out your window. It's still night, but a faint moon gives off just enough light to see the figures outside in the yard. They're all women. Some are carving up what appears to be a pig in the middle of the group. Others are busily putting heavy wooden trays with slices of bread, and placing them next to the carving knives. You go to the window, and lean over the sill. "Good morning, sleepyhead!" One of the voices says. You turn, and see the face of a young girl. She's a short little thing, with a few figures hidden under a thick dark red robe. "Huh? morning?" "Is it morning already?" "Yes." "Oh my goodness, I slept through the morning already!" The girl has a Scottish accent, and her name tag reads "Sally". You grab your things, and head outside. "Oh, look who's up early! Jacob, didn't you sleep well?" "Hiya, Jacob. You slept so well, we had to wake you!" You find yourself surrounded by women, all of whom are smiling and waving. "I slept so well I slept through the morning!" "Morning? It's night!" "Hey!" "Who's this one?" "He's the lord of the manors, and he uh, owns this entire estate!" "Why do we need a lord? We're not a bunch of hobs!" "So? He's our lord and master!" You begin to panic. "Wait! I'm not your lord and master! I just own this entire... Oh dear. I need to get back inside before my mom sees me out here." "But we need your lord and master to assign us all duties!" "I'll be back at dawn! Hopefully by then you'll have already found another lord and master to serve! Cecilia arrives and kisses you. "Good morning, darling. How did you sleep?" "I slept well, thanks. What's going on?" Cecilia smiles. "What exactly do you mean? Are you our lord and master now?" Cecilia smiles. You panic. "No! No! I'm not their lord! I just own this place! I'm not even Jacob's..." "That's good. It'll make things easier for you." You begin to wonder if fleeing to the city is such a good idea. On the other hand, you don't even have any immediate duties here. You could probably just let the place go to hell. You need to get all your decisions made soon. You need to get all your decisions made soon... Hello? I'm sorry, Jacob. I'm afraid the ladies here will never accept you as their master. What?! That's absurd! I'm telling the truth! I'm not their master! No, I'm sorry Jacob, but that's how they see you. They live under your command, and you are their lord and master. This is ridiculous! I'm telling you, I'm not... No, Jacob. If you want to save this relationship, that's up to you. Shrugh. Their words, not yours. Well don't waste anymore of my time, Cecilia. Good day. And with that, you end the call. Cecilia and her little clique slowly begin to dissipate, fleeing the manors. You see them to the front door, watching them leave. You half expect some of them to turn around and come back inside, but none do. Eventually, you're alone. Might as well get started, despite the tragic ending. You head into the manors kitchen, and prepare some food. You finally head to the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, desperate to save Views and your sister. --- "I thought you said your sister would be back by now." "She will be soon, sir!" "Alright, let's stay focused. Any sightings of our targets yet? "No, sir. We're still waiting on news on their whereabouts." You take a bite of your hamburger, chewing slowly. You're not sure if you should be eating while you wait, but you're too hungry to care. "Hey, sir?" "Yes, Warts? Why are you staring at your feet like that?" "Well... I was wondering if I could go to the bathroom." "What?!" "I really have to go, sir. It's been hours and my stomach is killing me." "You're only wearing shorts, socks and a tank-top, Warts." "I know, sir. I know." You stare at the young lion. "What's the matter, Warts? You approach the Mickey Mouse slaughterhouse again, and decide to stay and look for Grace and Views. Maybe you could use the excuse that you're looking for your sister to get close to the slaughterhouse and look for them from there. "Sir?" "What is it, Warts? "Can I go to the bathroom, sir?" "No, you're going to stay here and keep watch. When we get the all-clear from the police, we'll all go to the bathroom together." Warts nods, staying put. You go back to the house and sit back down. It's been three hours since you arrived at this house. You haven't eaten anything but those godawful McDonald's sandwiches, and even then you needed the toilet halfway through eating one. You thought about calling for pizza, but you didn't want to leave Warts alone. But then you go the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse for real. You start with the first floor, where you see the chocolate cup. You quickly open the box, and put the contents in your bag. You hear the sirens of police cars outside. You grab your gun, and go to the kitchen, panting. "Wazzat?" Warts says, staring at the screen. You stare at the large map of the city. The three locations that the police had tracked the robbers to are now empty. "They're all empty," you say. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!" You quickly grab the TV dinner from the table, and you all run out of the kitchen. "We need to round everyone up. Everyone. Now. We need to go to the warehouse district." You grab your walkie-talkie, and switch it on. "This is the experiencing mammal crew. Get to the warehouse district. Let's go, now!" You all quickly get into your cars and drive to the warehouse district. Finally, you see Grace and Views tied up in the warehouse district, and go to untie them. "Whoa there, we need to stick together on this, guys. Let's keep our cool and go in." You all enter the warehouse. You see the robbers holding guns to Views and Grace. Four of them are there, including Sticky. "I want that hamster," Sticky says. "No! I want that gerbil!" one of the robbers says angrily. "I want that one!" "Shut up, both of you. I'm deciding which one to take," You fight the robbers and free Views and Grace. They run away to safely. Mickey Mouse is outraged. "This isn't over, you furry little rats!" After driving for a bit, you arrive at the warehouse district. You enter a large building, big enough to hold a few thousand rodents. Nobody is here yet. "Let's divide ourselves up between sleeping quarters and safety," you say. You assign each member their duties. You're in charge of the heldover members, namely Warts and Chase. You also decide who's going to raid the cafeteria for food, and who's going to guard the door. "You're in charge of the raiders. I'll take the safety duties," you say to Warts. "See ya later, partner." "See ya, ya little rodent," Warts says, rolling his eyes, and leaving to join the raiders. Chase is left guarding the door with a few others. "Alright, what do I do?" he asks nervously. "I've never guarded before. I'm not very good at it. I'm not very good at a whole lot of things." "You need to stand at the door and stop anyone from entering, or leaving, or doing both," you reply. "Got it. Anything else?" "Yeah, try not to get killed. If someone comes busting down the door, try to stall them, like you'd stall someone from shooting you. If that doesn't work, try to shoot them." "Got it. Thanks." Chase stands at the door with two others, all heavily armed. The rest of you hide in various places around the warehouse. A few minutes into the wait, you hear some shouting. "Riders comin', riders comin' fast! Head 'em off at the Dumpster! We'll clean up the strays!" Several of the robbers start running for the Dumpster, where you know there's a large group of dogs. "Come on, I'll lead the way!" you say, grabbing your gun and running for the door. You run outside, seeing several bandanna-wearing riders galloping towards you. The bandits waste no time in opening fire, and you quickly take cover behind a nearby Dumpster. "You little son of a b-" "Shoot 'em, boys! Shoot 'em!" Sticky yells. The bandits open fire, killing several of the galloping ponies and hit others. You soon have the issue under control, but not without losing some of your friends. Several of the bandits barely escape, as their horses were killed or fall into the river. You don't know if they'll make it before the lights go out. You've lost count of the number of robberies this week. You're just trying to survive, and that's become a lot harder now. The deliverymen don't stand a chance after the first hold up. Soon, there is no food in the building at all. You begin to wonder why you're even still staying here. The answer comes in the form of several men running inside, yelling about how they just shot most of your friends on the other side of the Dumpsters. You don't even need to hear the rest of their story to know that the rest of Team Baby-Doll just raced inside like cowards. Right after they shot your friends, they ransacked the place, taking everything of value. You've been left with nothing, and you have nowhere else to go. You return to Cecilia's house. You don't have enough money for a hotel, and you'd rather not sleep in the streets. You wait for morning, when you can try to reason with your sister about this. --- You find Cecilia standing by the front door, dressed for school. "Why aren't you in school, Cecilia?" "I don't want to go." "You don't want to go? Why not?" "Because, I'm sick of these people!" she yells, hitting the wooden banister rail with her fist. "Cecilia, come on, snap out of it! I can't take you. I gave you a home, and look what you're doing with it! Why can't you just act like a normal kid for once?" "I hate these people, toots. I want out." "Cecilia, I understand you're angry-" "I'm angrier at you, you big dopey doofus! If you had only just listened to me, none of this would have happened!" "Cecilia, I-" "I'm leaving!" she yells, running off again. You groans in exasperation and heads to work. It's a quiet morning at the diner. In fact, it's so quiet, you're the only person working. You figure you might as well get started cooking; there's not much else you can do here. Just as you finish cooking, the cafe's bell above the door rings. It's a man with a large backpack and an equally large and muscular German shepherd on a leash. "Hello," the man says. The dog begins to growl and sniff the air. "You must be new here. If you're looking for a job, you've come to the wrong place. We're a private establishment," you say, wondering why you're still talking. "I'm actually looking for someone in particular. I'm trying to reach the person who runs this cafe. I have important business with them." "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." "It's the man named Jacob. I'm looking for Jacob Killinger." "So you are. Well, he doesn't live here anymore. He moved out of this city about a month ago." "Oh. I see. Well, can you tell me where he went?" "No. I don't know. Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do." The German Shepherd suddenly begins to bark aggressively, and the man raises his hands in defense. "I don't know where Killinger is! I was just told he lived here!" he exclaims. "If you really want to find Killinger, you'll have to ask the cafe owner." The man raises his hands again, and clicks his tongue. The dog ceases barking, and the man approaches you. "Tell you what," he says in a friendly tone. "I'll give you a hundred bucks if you tell me where Killinger lives. That sound okay?" "I can't. I don't know," you say. "I'm sorry." The man sighs, then pulls a small pistol from his pocket. "Well, it looks like I'll have to do this the hard way," he says. "Sheesh. How the hell is it that nobody around here knows what's good for 'em?" The man aims his gun, and shoots you in the back of the head. You fall to the ground. The man pulls out his cell phone, and makes a call. "I told you the guy doesn't know. He doesn't have Killinger's phone number." A second later, the man turns to you. "Sorry about this," he says. Then, he pulls the trigger. Cecilia arrives to apologize to you, but sees the dog barking over his dead owner's body and you unconscious on the ground. She gets you to a hospital. When you wake up, you learn that you got shot while working as a short order cook. You decide to move on, and never return to the city. Some time later, you're living in California, working as a waiter. You're not doing too bad. Cecilia calls to say she had your child. You never see it, but you hear the boy is a good fighter. You're glad. One day, when he grows up, you hope he doesn't follow in your footsteps. You hope he finds a new home. Somewhere, someone needs to love him. Maybe he'll find that place in life. You could have helped him. You could have made that place in his life. But, you decided not to. You think... you don't know what you think. It doesn't matter. You'll never know. That is, until one day when your son tracks you down. He looks just like you, but taller and lankier. There's a man in a black robe behind him. "Dad?" your son asks. "Are you in..." But, the words die in his throat. He knows who you are. He knows what you did. And, he knows that you're not a good person. You nod silently. There's no need to speak. Your son turns away. "Goodbye, Dad. I hope you find whatever the hell whatever it is you're looking for." Then, he leaves. The man in black robes steps forward. "I'm sorry," he says. "I had my people track him down, but he's already left the state." "So he has," you say. You and the man in black robes have a stare-down. "The boy knows the truth," the man says. "Tell me, why did you kill my assistant? You had every opportunity to turn down our offered pay." "You wouldn't have hired me," you reply. "You wanted to hire a contract killer. I was simply the first person you met." The man chuckles. "I wanted to hire a sandwich maker," he says. "Goofy, silly you. My offer is still valid. Go home, Dad. Live out the rest of your days in peace. Forget you ever met an son." You take out your wallet, and show the man a picture of your wife and two children. "You wouldn't hire a contract killer," you say, "but you will hire me. Look at the picture." The man does, and nods. "I'll hire you," he says. "You better make it quick. We need to catch first flight out tomorrow." You nod, and the next day you buy a one-way ticket to New York. On the plane, you think about how you're finally going home. The rest of your life will be spent in New York. When you arrive, you head straight to the airport hotel and check in. You aren't sure what to do with the rest of your life. You googled "things to do in New York" before you came, but you feel like you're lacking in purpose now that you're here. However, you do know one thing. You're going to find your son. You have to find him. You have to apologize for what happened. You have to... The door opens, and a girl walks in. She's tiny, very pretty and wearing a Juicy Couture tracksuit. She's about your age, but looks about a decade younger thanks to heavy make-up and stylish clothes. She has a small overnight bag, and... is that a tuxedo inside it? "Hi," she smiles. "I'm Hazel. What's...?" She sees the look on your face, and stops speaking. Instead, she lets out a high pitched scream. "Wait a minute," You say. "You're my alternate female self from another timeline, aren't you?" The girl shakes her head, tears streaming from her eyes. "Oh, that's just tragic." You shake your head. "But I suppose it explains a lot." "What's... happening to me?" The girl sobs. "He's screaming. It hurts." You walk over, and stare into the eyes of your younger self. "Listen to me," you say. "I understand what you're going through, alright? I've been there." You explain to her what's happened, and she breaks down in tears again. "Can you... can you help me?" she asks. "Can you take me home?" "I don't know how," you admit. "I have an autograph from Lil' Mama," she says, trying to compose herself. "She's cool. Maybe she can help me." "I don't know where she is either," you admit. "Or what happened to her." "What about my fans?" she asks. "Can they help me? I could sell my autograph. My fans are..." She breaks down again. You don't know what to do. You never had to help someone like her. Eventually, she stops crying, and you give her some advice. "Go to the hospital. They should have instructions on what to do if this happens to you." "Okay," she says, sniffling. "I'm sorry this happened to you." "Thanks," she says, smiling through her tears. "You're so nice. You're not like my father." "I'm not?" "No. He's mean. He doesn't care. But you sound like you do." "I don't know what that's like," you admit. "Is... is that your wife?" She points to the picture of the woman with you on your phone. "If it is, she's very pretty." "She was." "What happened? I mean, I'm sorry if I'm being too inquisitive." "She died." "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I..." "My mother just died," you say. "I have to go." "Okay," she says, letting out a long sigh. "Thank you for your time. I appreciate it." "My name is Jacob." You turn to face your other self. She stares at you, her eyes narrowing. "Thanks for your help," she says. "Bye." "See ya." You quickly walk out of the house, and head off to the hospital. Once there, you go to the information desk and ask how you can get hold of the police. The woman behind the desk suggests that you call 0800 555 6111, a number with which you're very familiar. You thank her, and answer that question. You dial the number, and wait to be answered. "Hello, 911," says a woman's voice. "I need police," you say. "My name is Jacob, from house number forty-seven." "What's your address, Sir?" "Fourty-seven Fourty-Seven North," you say. "Now, please." "I'm sorry, Sir. Can you tell me what's going on? "My younger self saved my life. A girl from his school has been kidnapped by a man named Charles, and I have to go back in time to prevent it... but I don't know how. Can you help me?" "I need your name, Sir." "I'm Jacob," you say, giving your name. "It's a long story." "I need your full name, Sir.\" "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your birthdate, Sir." "November second, two thousand thirteen." "What's your height, Sir?" "One hundred and sixtytwo centimeters. What's yours?" "One sixty-nine, one sixty-E," she says. "What sort of car do you drive, Sir?" "A 2007 black Ford Fusion." "I need your Social Security number, Sir." "Surely you've got all that information," you say. "Those files get leaked all the time." "I need your Social Security number," she insists. "It's required for many government functions." "How long is this going to take?" you ask. "I'm in a lot of danger." "I can't do it over the phone," she says. "I need you to come into the police station." "I can't," you say. "I've already gone back in time. I'm already here." "I need your name, Sir. Please give it to me." "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your date of birth, Sir." "22/11/2000." "What's your address, Sir?" "47 Fourty-Seven North Fourth Street." "What's your apartment number, Sir?" "20." "I need your apartment number, Sir," she says again, calmly but firmly. "1C," you say. "It's an apartment." "I need your street address, Sir." "447 N. Fourth Street," you say. "North Fourth Street." "What's your city, Sir?" "Joliet." "What's your state, Sir?." "Illinois." "What's your zip code, Sir?" "61746." "Are you currently in debt, Sir?" "I owe a few bucks on some fines." "I need your birth date, Sir." "25/11/1990." "What's your birth time, Sir?" "Six thirty-eight am. What's yours?" "02:38." "What's your favorite color, Sir?" "Green." "My favorite color is blue," she says. "What do you like to eat, Sir? You get out of there and head to the police station, angrily killing the police woman. When you arrive, the officer behind the desk looks up at you. "You can go right back to where you came from, Mr. Killinger," he says. "It's not exactly a high priority case." "I have to find my younger self," you say. "A girl has been kidnapped." "What girl?" he asks, confused. "A girl named Madeline," you say. "I have to go back in time to save her." "I'm sorry, but I don't..." he says, before stopping. "Wait a minute. You're the guy that went back in time to save that little girl, aren't you? Well, welcome back, sir." You stare at him in confusion. "Thanks," you say, Headdesking out of the police station. "Shi..." You find yourself outside the apartment you left off at, and notice that it's night time. You walk inside your apartment in wonder, as the girl from earlier is still there, sitting on the floor. "You're back," she says. "I was wondering if you would." "So this," you say, pointing to yourself, "is me." "Yep," she says. "It is." "So what's going on?" you ask. "I don't know," she says. "I remember my name. I remember other stuff, too, but not this. I woke up here, with no memories, a few days ago." "You were missing for years," you say. "How can you only remember this recently?" "What year is it?" she asks. "I don't know. I found a watch in this house, and it's been broken for a while. I think something happened years ago, but I don't know what." You think for a moment. "The year is 2016," you say. "And there's been a kidnapping." "A kidnapping?" she asks. "Yeah," you nod. "A girl name Madeline has been kidnapped by an evil man named John." "Who is John?" she asks. "Are you friends with him?" "No!" you say. "I don't know who John is. I'm just trying to save her." "Saving people is hard," she says. "I tried to save my friends." "I'm trying to get all of them back," you say. "I don't know if it's going to work, but..." "What are you going to do if you find her?" she asks. You pause for a moment, thinking about the best way to tell her. "I'm going to kill John," you finally say. "That's violent," she says. "I can't remember what happened to me. I don't know if this is all a dream. I need to find out." "What if you die in the process?" she asks. "Then I'll just have to spend an eternity as the last person in the world," you shrug. "I'll take my chances with that." "Oh..." You stare at the ground, thinking. You need to choose which group to join, and there's only one choice. "I have to save everyone," you say. "You're new here, right? Where's it safe to go?" "The church is a good place to hide," she says. "Where is it?" You draw a circle on the floor with your finger. "Right here," you say. "You can hide in there." "Okay," she nods. "I'm glad I ran into you. Bye." "Bye," you say, and go back to looking for a way inside the house. After searching the house from top to bottom, you give up. You need to come up with a new plan. Your only lead was that the girl was hiding in a certain spot in the house, and you know for a fact that she's probably not there now. So you need to come up with another way. It's then that you remember the basement. You could try breaking in the window...

"This is stupid." You say. "I'm not going to fall for the same trick twice." You head down to the basement, where you find a ladder leading to a window. You climb up it, and sit on the roof to see if you can spot Madeline. You do this for half an hour, but see no sign of her. You sigh, and hop off the roof. It's time to come up with a new plan. For a while, you just sit in the basement, wondering what you should do. You open up the vault, finding a bunch of money. You grab a handful, thinking. Maybe you could go to the police? Tell them what's going on, and get them to help you get revenge? You doubt it very much though. Even if they believed you, the kidnapper is most likely going to just kill you and throw your body in an alley or something. No, you won't get revenge this way. There has to be another way... you just have to think about it. "Hey, Ben?" "Yeah?" "Do you have any good ideas on how to get revenge on this guy? I don't think breaking and entering is going to work, and I don't have any other ideas." "Hmm..." Ben says, thinking. "What about this place? I can get us some fake IDs, and we could rob this place blind. We just need to find out when they're not watching the place, and it's open." "Go on." "So, we go in, and... well, ignore me for a second. I need to get the money. You just need to distract this guy." "What? Why? That's suicide!" "It's not if you don't make a loud noise, and point your weapon at him." "What if he hits me with his gun?" "Well, if he's going to do that, I'll just shoot out his kneecaps and listen to him scream for awhile." "I don't know if I'm up to fighting him. I'm not even sure if a gunshot to the knee would disable him." "What if I'm up to fighting him? I can easily take out his two goons; you just need to distract him. Then, when I've got his attention, you need grab the money and run." "I don't know. I just don't think I'm capable of taking him out." "You won't have to. I'll handle it. Just... you just need to do something." "I'll think about it." You say, not wanting to make a decision immediately more than anything else. That night, you lie in bed, staring at your ceiling. Finally, you decide to get up and do something. After getting dressed in a blue shirt and brown pants, perhaps a little too formal for what you're planning to do, you grab the flintlock pistol you have for your nightstand. The safety is on, but you make sure it is before taping the gun to your leg and exiting your room. You walk down the stairs, where you find Ben waiting for you. "Hey, kid." He says, as you walk out of the kitchen. "What're you still doing here? I figured you'd be long gone by now." You say. "I was, but I wanted to speak with you about something first." "Oh?" "Yeah. This is probably going to be a pretty hard conversation for you." "Just say it. If it's too hard, I'll go back to my room." "It really isn't going to be that bad. It's just, well, you're going to have to kill me." "What? Come on, you can't be serious!" "I'm serious. I mean, I'll help you anyway I can, but you're going to have to kill me." "Why? What's all this got to do with you being kidnapped or anything?" "Kid, I know you're pissed about getting shot, but it's really not as bad as you think. I mean it was bad, and I'll have it kept in mind if I ever have to go through it again, but it could have been a lot worse. I was just lucky that the doctor they took me to had some experience patching up gunshot wounds. I could have died. I could still die, if I didn't get treatment quick enough. I honestly believed I was going to die. So if you're wondering if I have some lingering ill-will towards you, the answer is no. If anything, I'm glad you were there to help me." "Well that's a relief at least." "Anyway, I'm just saying, you don't need to go through with this. I mean, we did have fun together during our little trip, and it was an interesting experience. It's just that... look, I'm already dead. What harm is there in continuing that? I mean you're already a Bounty Hunter, going on these dangerous missions is just extending what you're already doing. And I for one would prefer to continue enjoying your company as opposed to rotting away in a grave." "That's a nice thought, but I doubt if anyone will accept such a rationale. You're a wanted man, and everyone's always looking to expand their own power. They'll probably just turn me over to the Guild, and I'll get killed by a mob." "They won't. I'll make sure of it. I know you have my pistol, but I'm going to give you something else as well." Ben pulls out a large revolver, and passes it to you. "What's this for?" You ask. "That's the weapon you'll use to kill me with, obviously." "Obviously. But why are you giving this to me?" "Because you're a good person at heart, and I don't want you to get hurt. Plus, I know you'll probably have better aim with it anyway." You laugh. "Thanks for your concern, but I doubt if that audience is going to react too well to someone shooting me in the head! No, this is going to be a clean shot to the chest and quick. I'll make sure you get remembered." You holster the pistol under your coat. "By the way, my name's not actually Jacob. It's Ben." "Oh. Right. I get it now." "Also, I think you should know, we're not on the only important mission. We're actually part of three groups, all converging on this place at the same time. I wouldn't be too sure about our safety." You think for a second. "So what do you mean?" You ask. "He means he doesn't want anything to do with you anymore," Madeleine says, killing Ben. "What happened?" "I told you he was pissed. If I were you I'd get the hell out of here, before he comes back with some others to kill us." "You're being a coward once again. We can handle it, we aren't unarmed. You have to get out of here, I'm serious." "Fine! But I'm warning you now, if your attitude doesn't improve I'm going to make it a lot worse for you! I'll go get the car, and then back to the hotel we'll go!" You snap, turning away. "You're being very rude Ben, you know that right? "I'm not Ben, I'm Madeleine!" Madeleine says, and you realize that Ben is dead. Madeleine followed you guys back to 2016, and doesn't want you to save her. "You're Ben's killer!" You say, walking towards her. "Not directly, though I did fulfill his last request." She suddenly grabs your arm, and you feel an unnatural chill run through you. She has dead eyes, and an unnatural grin on her face. It's only now that you notice she's missing a few teeth. "You can't take him away from me." She says, spitting blood out onto your shirt. "What do you mean? Who are you?" "I am the ghost of Christmas past." She says, "You think that'll be enough to scare you? My real name is Yvette. To you, I'm Madeleine. He loved me, he did. Followed me everywhere, he did. But one day I caught him... in the act. Well, that night I decided to get my revenge. I killed him. Slaughtered him and every other man in his village. I was only thirteen and he was supposed to be my protection. I... don't think I've ever laughed as hard as when I heard his screams." "You're... you're dead! I killed you!" "You didn't kill me, Ben did. But before I leave, know this. Ben did love me, in his own way. He would have done anything for me. I know that, because he told me everyday. If you're looking for the meaning of life, boy, you don't find it in some hollow tree or some book. You find it with the one you love. If you're lucky enough to find them. Because in the end, that's all there ever will be. Loss. The only thing you can count on. I lost Ben, but I know he had his part to play in my life. It's over now, and I'm finally at peace. He would want that. He would." She releases you, and turns away to leave. "That's why I saved you, Ben. I know that you would have done the same for me. And if you're looking for absolution for your crimes, boy, I don't have that to offer. What you need to do now is make things right. Chase after the one you love, and don't let them get away. Because the way I see it, you've got two options. You either stay here with me, or you go after your girl. Either way, best of luck, and I'm sorry I couldn't save him for you." With those last words, she leaves you. "What do you think? You decide to go to Cecilia's house, and write her a letter to warn her of her death in 20 years. She's the closest thing to a friend you've got. "It's not much, but it's something." "It's a good start, brother." You see your sister, Grace, standing over you. "What are you doing here?" You ask. "I came to see you, but I didn't think you'd be awake yet." "What do you want? I don't have anything to give you." "You've got something that I need, and that's your friendship. I need someone to talk to, and I know you're the only person I can really trust. You reveal you came from 30 years in the future, and you warned Cecilia of her death before you go home. "Well, I guess you saved her then. Sorry for my outburst, I really shouldn't have questioned your word." "As you should. Not everyone can go back in time." "I don't understand. You said you could send me back." "And that's true, but doing so would paradox. I don't want to be sent back. I want to stay here, with you. I want to enjoy life while I can." "I don't understand. If you went back in time, wouldn't that allow you five more years to live?" "Perhaps, but I'd rather live while I can, in the present. I don't want to be sent back to when I was young, struggling to make it in the world, only to have to start all over again. I had time to find love, to have a family... I'm not ready to lose that. I've found it here with you and the rest of the group." You think about what she says for a while. "So... You're saying that I shouldn't go back in time to save Cecilia?" You say. "I'm saying you shouldn't sacrifice yourself for another person. You should stay here, in Arrana, with us. Save yourself, and let someone else save Cecilia." "But why do that for me? You and the others don't even like me." "That doesn't matter. What matters is that I want you to be happy. I was lonely for a long time, but not any longer. I want that for you. Please, won't you stay? I promise I won't get you killed. I'll keep you safe, like I keep everyone else here. I'll even teach you how to play a new game, any game you want. Just don't go back in time, okay? Please, just live. Live... Like me. It is a twisted form of happiness, but you can't deny that she's probably right. Back in the present, you go track down your son instead, to get closure on Cecilia. You travel back in time again, but instead of the cave, you walk outside of it. Before you stands a man in a black cloak and hood, holding a black sword. "Hello there. Did you come to make a deal with me?" The man says. "Yes, I did. I'm here to make a deal with you." You reply. You continue. "I want you to bring my girlfriend back from the dead." "So, you're not going to kill your girlfriend's killer?" "Well... I'm not sure if that's what I'd call me right now. I want you to bring her back so she can be with me." "If you don't kill the killer, you'll get your girlfriend back?" "Something like that. Look, I don't want to have to go through the trouble of doing this. All I want is her back in my life." The man sighs. "I can do that." "You can? How?" "She's standing right here. "Cecilia!" You exclaim, delighted. Cecilia nods. "Hello, Jacob. I'm sorry to just show up like this. I know it's unexpected." "No, not at all! I'm glad you're here!" You answer. "I'm glad to be here as well... In your life..." She says, with a wistful tone. Cecilia makes eye contact with you briefly before looking away. She looks a bit tired, as if she hasn't been sleeping well lately. It's surprising that she made the trip here herself. Cecilia then turns to the man in black. "Who is this... Man?" "This is the man I was telling you about. I'll be watching him for the next few days. In the meantime, I'll get you back home. How's that sound?" "That... Sounds good. But who are you, really? What do you want?" "My name is Melcar. I want nothing from you. This man... Has something that was in your possession. I need that to get back home." "And if I say no?" "... Then I suppose I shall have to kill him and take it myself. That sound better?" "No, it doesn't." "Well then it looks like I'm going to have to kill you too. That sound better?" "It does, actually. Please don't kill him. I need him." "Why? Does he hold some meaning or emotional attachment for you? If that's the case, you're an idiot for letting him go back to his own time. He won't last there, you know." Cecilia looks at you, then back to Melcar. "Can you... Keep him safe for me? I need to go back to him. I need to make sure he makes it. Please. I'm begging you." Melcar's eyes narrow. "Is this the killer of your girlfriend?" Cecilia looks away nervously. "He... Doesn't know anything. He didn't do it. I'm sorry. He didn't do it." She pleads. "You're a morbid child. I thought you grew up in a cave or something. If you went through all the trouble of making friends, talking to people, and going out into the real world only to end up in some dumb cave with your dumb friends, then I can't imagine what the hell you'd do if you actually met a real killer. I'd guess run away, but you seem to be pretty good at that." Melcar says. "So can you keep him safe? Please?" He looks as you. "I think I can, but I can't do it for you. You need to go back yourself. I need that boy, don't you understand? I need that boy." "Please, it's very important." "Yeah, well that's pretty up front. I have to admit, I'm a little shocked you're not more cagey or manipulative. Perhaps you're not as dumb as I thought." "Please, just help me get back home." Melcar sighs. "Fine. Get in the car." Cecilia hops into the passenger seat of Melcar's car. You approach the vehicle, before you notice two more figures sitting in the backseat. "What the hell? Who the hell are those?" You demand. "Oh, you wanna know who I am? I'm your new best friend!" He says cheerfully, pointing to the man in black. "And this cozy gentleman over here is Mr. Jack the Ripper." "What? I don't understand." "I'm the guy who's going to be killing all those girls you like. My boy, here, will be cutting them up nice and not so nice. We're going to have so much fun." "Wait, you're on their side?" "Of course I'm on their side! I'm the guy who's going to give you a chance at getting all those bitches you like. I'm also going to make your life a living hell the next time you see me. So best friends do stuff like this, no?" Melcar turns back to you. "So, do we have a deal or not? Because I have to go pick up my first victim." "One more question. How do I know you'll actually kill those girls if I don't help you?" Mr. Jack grins. "Ah, you're starting to think like a slasher. You don't know? Of course you don't know. You'll just have to trust me. You always do. Now, are you going to be a bro, or what?" "You don't have the f...! I'm not going to..." "Choke him out. He's stubborn. You always were. Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by...the P.A. Chords? The Living Tombstone?" "I'm not going to help you!" you shout, as Melcar's eyes narrow. "Bah! You're such a square. This isn't physical. You can't get emotional leverage." He strokes his chin. "How about...I've a girlfriend back in high school. Or was it prep school? I can get her to help, or perhaps I'll get the ghost of that cute little cheerleader you used to ride your bike up and down the street for. You know, the one with all the...nice..." He checks himself. "Anyway, I can get her to torment and kill your beloved Cecilia." " YOU CAN'T !!" you roar, going into a rage. "Could, maybe. Would, definitely. You're not going to stop me." Melcar smiles. "Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by a cheerleader?" You're reduced to a quivering wreck. You know it's true. He has a girlfriend, and he's probably lying about her having no knowledge of this. You can't risk staying here, so you follow Melcar and his group out of the house. You're their now. No matter what they do with you, no matter how they use you, you're theirs. You and Cecilia make out passionately. You wait peacefully for her to finish, during which time you hear the screams of your friend and neighbor. The noise doesn't wake you, and you spend the next few hours with Cecilia before she's finished. She leaves the basement without a word, and you wonder if things are going decently enough with her. You can't think of too many times you've seen her since last time. "Hey, Jake," Melcar says. "Ready to go?" You look at Melcar, still wondering how the hell you could've been so blindly stupid as to let this happen. "Yeah..." "C'mon, then." You put on your shoes and follow Melcar upstairs. You walk side by side with him, watching as the sun rises. "Thanks for doing this, man," Melcar says. "Yeah, no problem." "So...is there a school around here?" "What?" "A school. For our friends. So they can learn what actual kids go through." You chuckle. "I dunno...schools are overrated. I mean, I learned how to read and write at one, and the teachers there were horrible." "Well...I'm not sure what kids do at your age." "We have fun," you say. "I mean, I didn't really have responsibilities, so I did what I wanted." "What did you do? Get into fights?" "Sometimes. With my fists, with words, with weapons... it depended." Melcar smiles. "Pretty tough for your first time being in a town with other kids." "Actually, my second time was even worse." Melcar groans. "Let's not go there." You arrive at the outskirts of New Bally. Melcar's friend Tom lives close by, so it isn't a long walk. You're still in awe of how you've managed to get yourself into this situation. "So...anyone want to see my new trick?" Melcar asks, suddenly. "What's that?" you ask. "I can..." Melcar pauses, appearing to think really hard about how to put this. "Turn into a bat." "A...bat?" you ask, uncertain how to react. "Yeah! You know, like in the movies?" You take a step back, and look away. "That's...pretty creepy." "Come on! It's easy! I can turn into a big, fat, ugly bat. Or, if I want to look like one of those fancy Japanese ones, I can do that too. I can stay a bat for a really long time." "How long do you need to spend as a bat to get that power?" "I dunno," Melcar says. "A few years, I guess. I knew some kids in first grade who turned into bats around me, so they must've spent their whole lives as bats before they could become something else. That's how it works, right? You have to be a bat for a long time to become something else?" "I don't know," you say. "I think so." "Cool!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a neighborhood to lawlessly rampage through!" You shake your head. You know there's got to be another way. A better way. A way you can do this and still stay in control of your own mind. You just need to think about it... "Hey, wait!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a house! I bet I can take 'em all by myself, with my new powers!" You shake your head again. You can already tell this plan is doomed to failure. "No." "Come on! I'll give you all the best stuff! All the best stuff is mine!" "No. Now, listen. We're going to find a store, and you're just going to wait there while I deal with the people. I'm sure I can convince them not to press charges." "Press charges?" Melcar repeats. "What are you going to do, kill 'em all?" "Well, I'm going to try. And if I can't? I'm going to at least get them off the charges. Look, just wait there. I'll be back shortly. I'm sure I'll find something within my powers to be able to do. I always do." "Jeez, fine," Melcar says. "I guess I better hang out here and wait, then. I don't fancy hanging out in this environment any longer than I have to. Better that I just go for a walk, right? I'm just going to go for a quick, quick stroll...HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING MY FEET?" You jump up, grabbing Melcar's wrists and twisting them behind his back. You then force him to his knees with his hands still behind his back. "Stay still." "What are you doing?!" he asks, frightened. Now that you're in a position to be able to do it, you don't want to. But you're in a position to be able to interrogate a criminal with magical abilities. You can't very well do that if you aren't using them. You focus your senses. You try to hear what is going on in the surrounding houses, you try to sense what is inside Melcar's body, you do everything you can to find out how fast he is, whether his reflexes are as quick as a cat's, what sort of weapons he has on him, whether he's alone or not... And then, you focus on the one thing you actually WANT to sense. His soul. And there it is. A glowing blue orb, floating in front of his chest. So simple, so small, yet so powerful. Pure. Silent. Calm. Unstoppable. Your heart beats faster, as you feel the blood rushing through your ears. This is it. This is how it feels to be a superhuman. This is how it feels to be a god. You grab the orb, twisting it with ease. Melcar shrieks in pain, as you feel his grip on your wrists loosen automatically. You smash your fist into his face with every ounce of your energy, feeling his nose breaking and brains spilling out the other side. He collapses onto the ground, twitching slightly. This feels amazing. But, you still need to interrogate him. You let go of his orb, only to feel it vanish into his body. "What did you do?" "Take... Take it from me... You're nothing... Nobody can be free... Take it back..." Melcar sputters, blood dripping down his face. He's going into shock, so you finish the job quickly by snapping his neck. That done, you let out a sigh of relief. That was... Hard to do. But, at least now you can use your magical powers in peace. You look around, noticing Melcar's partner standing nearby. You suppose you know who he is now. "You are?" "Yes. I am Mr. Mol," the man says, extending a hand to you. "Congratulations. You just won't have to deal with criminals in Dert anymore." You grab at his hand, shaking it. "Don't think that's much of a consolation, Mr. Mol." He squints at you. "Is... Is something wrong?" "Oh, nothing," you say with a wave of your hand. "Just making conversation." "... Okay." Mr. Mol crosses his arms, staring at you. You suddenly realize that he's examining you for a tell. One of the many things you need to learn. "We should really relocate," you suggest. "For the sake of the community." "I suppose we do need to do something," Mr. Mol nods. Mr. Mol takes you to a nearby abandoned house. "This place will have to do," he says. "We're going to live in an abandoned house!" you exclaim. "It's the best place I could find." Mr. Mol fixes the door so it doesn't slam, then stares at you. "So, you're new here. What's your name?" "Jacob." "I'm Mark, what's yours? Are you homeless?" "No, I just don't have a lot of money for a place yet," you say. "I'll be able to get by." "Where are you from originally?" "Oh, um... The Nothington suburbs." "Nothington! Are you a student?" You nod. "I went to school with the dean," Mr. Mol says. "He was also the head of security at the university. He had some interesting theories on crime and punishment, but I doubt if any of them stuck. The suburbs are like a prison all on their own." "Why did you come to Dert?" you ask, wondering what his angle is. "I wanted to be with my wife," he says. "We moved here for her to become a nurse, but she... Didn't like it here. So, I'm here alone." "How long are you staying?" "As long as it takes." Mr. Mol smiles at you, then winces. "You should see a doctor, son." "I'll be fine," he says, rubbing his back. "I'll just be glad when this hell is over." You fall asleep that night wondering if you should stay or go. The morning arrives, and you wake up. You find a note on the pillow next to you. Dear Jacob, If you're going to stay in Dert, I suggest you buy yourself a house. Don't live in an abandoned one. Make sure it has running water and electricity. Also, don't go to the tavern. Mr. Mol Sighing, you go to the store to buy yourself a house. After some searching, you find one that looks nice, but needs a lot of work done to it. You spend the next few days fixing it up. When you're done, it's a good home. You go there to live after thanking the owner's wife for her kind offer of cookies and milk. You never enter the tavern, and you see no harm in that. Mr. Mol eventually leaves, and things return to "normal" in Dert. You don't see him again. The dean is found guilty of abusing his power and sentenced to a short prison sentence. The Nothington suburbs reform themselves to what they were. You never heard anything about it again. Nobody cared. You don't see much of Dert anymore, as you're more of a homebody now. You have a large house to yourself, with plenty of garden to keep you busy. You still see your wife sometimes when she comes to visit, still with the idea to try to convince her to move there. She always refuses, however. "I can't live in a small town," she says. "I want excitement." You offer again to take her to the city, but she declines. "I like it here. I'm staying." The end. You slam your fist into the wall in anger, and fall to the floor in a sitting position. You wince as the pain shoots up your arm and through your chest. The rest of your body soon joins in. "It's a good ending." You mutter to yourself. "Why the hell do I keep trying to make this story bad?" You stand up and look out the window. A small smile creeping on your face as you see Ben envying your view from his house as you do. "I guess because you're a miserable cur." You walk out of the room, ready to put an end to your writing for the day. ~THE END~ You reached the "Good" ending. "Good job, genius." You wink at the screen. "Now, let's see if I can't try something a little more... interesting." You decide to pay Cecilia another visit, making sure to propose marriage to her. You figure that's probably the best way to ensure you get a good ending. You walk out to the middle of Dert, and stop. You look around, before spotting Cecilia. She notices you, and a huge grin appears on her face. "Jacob!" she runs over to give you a hug. "You're OK! I was so worried about you!" "Of course I am," you hug her back, "I'm here with a question to ask you." " Question? " "Yeah, question. You ready?" Cecilia nods with a smile. "I knew you'd come back for me, Jacob," she blushes. "I'm ready." "Cecilia, will you marry me? " Another huge smile appears on her face. She places her hand over her heart, and leans in to hug you. "Of course I will! " You move in to deepen the hug, when sudden voices from behind you stop you. "Are you serious? The voices are those of Team Never Ending Story, who reveal the MMS was rebuilt. They ask you a few questions about what happened during your imprisonment, to which you give a very generic story of how you were saved by an old woman. They seem to accept this, although you notice Cape Kragen checking to see if you're lying. "Well, that was certainly an interesting way of getting back here." He glares at you. "I'm sure the team will forgive you for this, but from now on you'll be on duty instead of Cecilia. I can't have people faking their own deaths." "But she said--! " "I said fake!" he screams in your face. The team begins to leave, and you follow suit. As you're walking away, Ben turns to you. "Thanks for coming back to us, Jacob. " "Thanks for asking me to write the ending, Ben. " You hear a snort of laughter as you go to find Cecilia. She's looking out for the team, and you're not going to let them get away with insulting you. "Ben will forgive you. " You're not quite sure how to take that, but you decide to address it later. Right now, you need to talk to Cecilia. "You're getting married?" Ben asks. "Yeah," you nod, "I'm marrying Cecilia." "That was fast. When did this happen?" "Just now." "Oh..." Ben's voice lowers, "That's good. I'm happy for you, and I'm sure the team is too. " After the team has left, Ben turns to you. "So, you're my new mentor now, eh?" "If I'm not, I am soon," you reply. "I need to talk to you about that." "What is it? " "It's about the future. I need you to kill Ben, so that I may take his place." "What?! " "You heard me." "So, why would I do such a thing?" "You need to get with the times, man. You're from the past, you should be using social media. I saw you on Youtube, and I was amazed that a person from the 1800's had discovered the internet." "I don't even." "Then how did you discover that the MMS was destroyed?" "I was fishing through the rubble and found a card dropped by one of the members. It had instructions on rebuilding it, and we were able to do it. We've been working on our plan to rescue you, but it seemed appropriate to rebuild the group after all you've done to try to free us." "Wow. That's some dedication." "It is. I'm still amazed that you were able to make friends with some of them. I had to kill one of them, and I'm a little squeamish about the idea. " "Yeah, it took a while for me to warm up to some of them as well. I'm just glad we all came to an understanding." "Understood. I'll get you." "You will? " "Sure. We have a deal, and I'll honor it." "Fair enough. After my talk with Ben, I'll go with you." You nod, and decide to go find Cecilia. You have a few words for her as well. You're surprised that she didn't insist on coming to talk to Ben herself, but that's Cecilia for you. She always did like the safety of the sidelines. Meanwhile, Ben is walking over to you. Ben is a large man, and you're not quite sure why he was chosen to be the leader of this group. Maybe it's because he looks the strongest, and he's been here the longest? He's not stupid, but there's a limit to how intelligent he seems. "What were you and Cecilia arguing about?" "She told me to kill you." Whether it's a question of whether you're surprised or not, you aren't going to answer it. "Figures she'd be anti-socialist." "I'd say that's a very '17th century' way of looking at things." "I'm not a Socialist, free market. There's a difference." "I guess, but it seems pretty similar to me." "So, you and her have come to an understanding?" "We have. She'll be joining us." "What?! " "Cecilia is coming with us." "You heard me, and this is final too. You're coming with us." "But... Cecilia and I... we're in love." "What difference does it make? You're going to be working together anyway." "Yes, but... I don't want to just be working together. I want us to work together. I'm not going." "Don't be so dramatic." Ben says, rolling his eyes. "You're coming with us, or I'm going to have to kill you." "So be it. Kill me then." You say, putting your hands up. Ben raises his gun Slowly, as you stare at him. He lowers his gun. "Sorry Cecilia. He's dead." He says, not sounding sorry at all. Cecilia walks out from behind the building. When she sees Ben pointing the gun at you, she slowly walks over to him, her hands raised. "I thought we were allies." "Aren't we? Seems like he's betraying us." "No, it seems like he's protecting our nation from falling into the hands of fascists. I'm on his side." "Yeah, that's what I thought." "Ben, I love you, but you need to put the gun down." "I don't feel like it. Besides, maybe I'll just kill the two of them, and then you'll be under my thumb." "I think not. You might kill him, but I know how skilled you are with a gun. I'm sure I could at least take you out. Then what would you do Ben? Would you slink away in the night and plot revenge? No, I don't think so. You'd just have to live with the fact that you let your emotions cloud your mind and lost what is rightfully yours." "She has a point Ben." You say. "Fine, we're doing this the hard way. You two ready?" "Ready." You both say. "Then let's do it." Ben turns, and you hear three shots going off. Two by Ben, and one by Cecilia. You fall to the floor, blood slowly leaking out of your chest. "Ben, I told you I'd kill you." "I know, but now you'll never know how this came about." With that, he walks over to you and takes the gun from your bloody hands. "Cecilia, I'm sorry." Ben says, then fires the gun three more times, blowing the back of your head off. Ben puts the gun down, and walks away. He doesn't seem to care, or even notice that he's crying. You stare at him in disbelief, before he disappears. This is the true face of the revolution, crime pays, and everyone ends up dead. Choosing to begin anew, you propose to Cecilia, and she accepts again. Now, you have your son to raise. You'll have to be a better person than your father or grandfather. Cecilia will certainly try, but she can only teach him so much. It's up to you now. You're going to make the best out of this situation. This is your life now. "Good morning, Dad," Your son says to you 20 years later. "Morning, Daniel. What would you like to do today?" "I dunno, you're the fun dad." "Alright then, how about we go on a hunt? I put some food aside for us." "Really? You didn't have to, you know." "No, I wanted to. I've been feeling a little hungry lately anyway." "Do you think...I could go on the hunt with you?" "Well, if you want. I mean, you don't need my permission. You're old enough to take care of yourself." "I know I am, but it'll be more fun with an instructor. You're so good at everything." "Yeah, that's because I've been doing these things for decades. Still, you're the master hunter, so you know all the tricks of the trade, right?" "Tradition says the best hunter becomes the instructor. So does that make you the-" "I am the Grand Protector of tradition, yes." Daniel grins from ear to ear. You can't help but laugh along with him. You haven't had this much fun in decades. This is how it should be, not this mass rebellion and sense of justice that the media has made it out to be. You look at your son, and know itai well that you raised him right. You were meant to be a grandpa. You haven't lived happily since Brenda died. Your son will help bring a new meaning to the word. You and Daniel spend the rest of the day going on small hunts to re-filling your larders, and generally spending quality time as father and son. It's like you're supposed to. Before you know it, night is falling again, and you take your son back home. There's a part of you that's glad it's dark. A blush of pink is barely peeking above the trees you walk past, and you know it's Cecilia. She's been looking out for you today. You return home, tired and ready for sleep. You have a lot of having to do tomorrow. You thank Daniel for a nice day with his father, then head upstairs. You take off your boots, then get into bed. You feel yourself drifting off to sleep as you think about how good it is to have a normal, happy family. You never thought you'd ever be in this position. Why not enjoy it while you can? You drift off to sleep smiling. Good night, son. Good night, Dad. Then, you sleep for the next 8 hours or so. In the morning, you wake up. Good morning, Daniel. You peek out the window, but it's still dark. You yawn, then get up and go downstairs. You put on a pot of coffee, then grab the remote from the coffee table and switch on the TV. The first thing you see is some breaking news. And it's not good. The terrorists have taken over the city. They've been conducting attacks in various parts of the city, and already a mass exodus has started. The terrorists are led by Mickey Mouse Jr. You see a photo of him next to a headline. YOUNG MICKEY MOUSE LEADER OF TERRORIST GROUPS " "Of course he is. But Team Never Ending Story disbanded decades ago. They need successors. You're the closest thing they got. "I'm getting out of here." You grab some clothes, then get into your car. You decide Daniel will take your place. But you need successors for Cape, Chase, and Benelux. Your group is the only option. Ben, Cecilia, and you will hold the city together. You call to ask if they're in the city. "We're at Ben's house," says Ben. "What's going on?" "The city is lost. You need to leave." "We can't, we've become comfortable here," says Ben. "We're not going anywhere. Good news, we've got a lead on a new city." "New city, what kind of lead? "We found out about a city called Arrray where there-" The line goes dead. You curse into the phone. "Sorry about that," says Ben's mom. "He went out to get some food, he'll be back." Great. You have to talk to Ben's mom instead. "Hello?" asks Ben's mom. "Hi, I'm-" "I know who you are. You're the leader of the terrorist group that's attacking my son. You need to leave this city before you get hurt." "I've gotta talk to Ben," you say. "It's really important." "Ben isn't available right now. You need to leave the city, or you'll be punished. If you don't leave by the end of the week, you won't leave at all. You and your terrorists will be killed. So who is it going to be, Mr. terrorist, or do I need to find someone else to kill? You stay silent. "Well? I hope it won't be a problem, but we'll kill all of you," says Ben's mom. "I have no problem killing terrorists. If you had been honest with me from the beginning, this wouldn't be an issue. But now, we're going to kill you all. Have a nice life in that terrorist group of yours. It'll be short, I assure you. Bye. Click You hang up the phone. Daniel buzzes you in. "Good luck," he says. You get in the elevator, then speed down to the lobby. You make a beeline to the front door. A few cops try to stop you, but they're no match for your combat prowess. You send them to hell with your supernatural fists, then walk out into the street. A news helicopter is flying over the city, and the reporter on board is commenting on the situation. You decide to change your name to Hazel, using make-up and a wig. You buy a newspaper on the way home, then use the paper to fake your death. TV stations pick up the story, and with it your new name, Hazel. You're living the good life now. You have servants to do your chores, a nice house, cool friends, and a hot girlfriend. You don't need boys to feel happy. Cecilia finds you, and says you remind her of her missing husband. She says she wants to make you happy, so you and her have wild, hardcore, no-strings fun. To be fair, you do enjoy it. You decide to become a school teacher. You figure you can use your studly appearance to attract more students, and because of your past, you get a lot of students who are interested in your tale of valorous derring-do. Between your combat skills, stories of your past, and over all "positivity", you're a natural at your job. You also dabble in motivational speaking on college campuses, which pays well. By day, you live in a blissful reality. By night, you haunt the streets as Hazel, in a never-ending quest for justice. Then you save a man's life, and he develops feelings for you. You have decided to live a normal life. You may settle down with this man, and live happily ever after. You're not there yet. This could all still end horribly. You still have a lot of bad things in store for you. In the meantime, you'll enjoy a relaxing day in, before getting back to business. You decide to learn more about the man. You find out his name is Vamp, as he goes by this name when speaking to others. His real name is unknown, as he has gone by several different ones over the years. You introduce Vamp to Cecilia and Daniel. He falls in love with Cecilia immediately, but given that he's a vampire and planning to eat her, that's hardly surprising. Daniel isn't bothered, while you find out that you have strong feelings for Vamp. Vamp plans to woo you over the next few nights, and take you out on the "draw". You'll have to make the final decision. Whilst you wait, you decide to go out and "practice" on some civilians. You don't know when you'll get the chance again, so you want to make the most of it. You enter a coffee shop, and sit at a table by the door. A man and a woman walk in, holding hands. The sight of a married couple makes you grin, and you stand up to follow them. They walk to a table in the back corner, and you approach them. "Excuse me," you say, "could you two hold the table for me?" The man looks at you suspiciously, but the woman smiles and nods. "Of course," she says. "Thank you." You pull out a chair for the woman, then sit down. You pull out your phone and order a coffee, before glancing around. Vamp and Daniel are at a table in the far back, talking to some teenagers. Four eyes are watching you, two male and two female. "My full name is Hazel Jacqueline Killenger," You tell Vamp. "I'm sixteen, and I go to Harold-9123's school." "I'm Vamp," the man says, extending a hand. You shake it, noticing how warm his hand is. "Dad, what are you doing?" Daniel asks you. "Daniel, you were given an order from God! We'll talk about this later," the man says. "Dad, I told you, Hazel is-" "Nevermind, Daniel." You turn back to Vamp. "How about you?" "I'm Vamp. Quick question, do you like cool, or hot blood?" "What's the difference?" you ask. "Well, cool blood is like that of slushies and such. Hot blood is like that of taxis and shoving it up your bum." You laugh. "I like shoving it up my bum." "You have a dirty mind, Hazel Jacqueline Killenger." "Do you have any cool blood? I'm dying of heat right now," you say. Vamp looks around. "Maybe. Let's go to my lab, I can look. You follow Vamp outside, and walk through a park. Daniel informs Cecilia that you're cheating on her with Vamp. She's shocked and upset by the news, and tells you to go back to your house. You follow Vamp into a building, which turns out to be a lab. most of it being in the dark. A few beakers, bottles, and test tubes are on a table, next to a few Bunsen burners. "Ah, Hazel, you're here. Would you like some hot blood?" Vamp asks, "I can easily fix that." "Yes," you reply. Vamp fills a beaker with some sort of clear, red liquid. He grabs two test tubes, and puts one on the burner, and then places the other on top of the first. He turns on the heat, and smiles. "This should work," he says. Vamp switches the burner on, and grabs a pipette from a table. He squirts some of the liquid in the first tube into your mouth. It's hot, and you gasp as it burns your throat, but you manage to swallow it. The liquid in the top tube evaporates quickly, and soon there's just a small amount left in the bottom tube. Vamp grabs a sheet of newspaper and places it over the top tube, before grabbing the second tube and placing that on top of the paper. "There we go," he says. "Hot, fresh blood. Tasted good, did it?" "Yeah," you reply. "Thank you." "You're welcome. I'm in the mood for more fresh blood, however. How would you like to help me out? I can use someone strong, like you." "What's involved?" you ask. "Nothing much. Just cut someone's throat and let the blood pour into a beaker. Simple, really." "Sure," you say. Vamp takes a knife out of his belt loop, and holds it to the throat of a lifeless rat, which he grabs by the neck with his other hand. "Hold on, Daniel!" he says. "I can't promise this won't hurt." You grab the knife with both hands and hold the rat's neck tightly, cutting through bone and spinal cord with ease. Blood spills out over the bottom beaker quickly, and the beaker begins to fill up. Vamp puts the rat in a large beaker of boiling water, and places it on a hot plate to sterilize it. "There," he says. "We're good to go." You and Vamp walk slowly out of the lab, heading towards the cafeteria. You both sit down to a large dinner, and chat about random things. Eventually, you head to bed. While in bed, Vamp discovers your true identity: Jacob Thomas Killenger. His eyes widen, and he grabs his gun from under his pillow. He points it at you, and you sit up. "What's the point of me saving your life if you're going to shoot me? I'm the real deal," he says. "That remains to be seen." You stare at each other, with Vamp holding his gun at point-blank range. He's aged a lot since the seventies; he could probably break you in half. "Dead," he says. You kiss Vamp. Vamp kisses back, pushing you onto your back. You begin to help take off his clothes, and he pushes you down, tearing at yours. After a few minutes, you both collapse next to each other, almost exhausted. "Do you believe in fate?" Vamp asks. "But I lied to you," You say, confused. "I'm not Hazel, I'm Jacob." "Oh? Then why did you pretend to be her? Why tell me you were her?" "I don't know. I thought it'd make things more interesting." Vamp smiles. "How so?" "You liked Hazel, right? Well, I figured you'd want to be with her. I mean, she obviously still has an impact on your... well, whatever you are." "It's called a crush, sunshine," Vamp says, shyly. "I've had them before." You nod. "Well, then you'd understand why I did it. I figured you'd... try to win her back." "You're strange, you know that?" Vamp says, smiling. "Go to sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow." You nod, and the pair of you embrace each other, falling asleep in the bed together. --- You wake up late, with Vamp already up and getting organized. You walk into the bathroom as Vamp washes his face. "We need to be at the Madness recruitment center by ten," he says. "We have an appointment with Mr. Sunshine." "Who's Mr. Sunshine?" You ask. "The leader of the League. You'll meet him today, and he'll tell you whether or not you get to be a Vamp." "So if I get accepted, do I get to join?" "Sure. If I get accepted, you get to join. If I get accepted, you get to join... there's a lot of ifs in there, isn't there? But it's alright, we're practically family at this point." "Are you leery of being in the service of a vampire?" "I'm leery of being in the service of a vampire who just stabbed me in the back as I'm falling asleep. But that's neither here nor there. We should get going now, if we want to be on the safe side of the city. I'm a little hungry, in case you haven't noticed. I'd forgotten about that. I'll have to make a point of it every night from now on." "I have some sunflower seeds and bacon in my bag. Let me know when you're done. I'll find you when I'm done eating." Vamp meets you as you walk out of the bathroom. He takes the bag, and looks inside. "Excellent. You seem to have thoughtfully stocked up on food for me." "You said you were hungry," you say, confused. "I'm hungry now! How long have you known me? How long have you known I get hungry out of season? Has it really been that long? Oh, it's comes up. Spring is coming. The hunger is coming. I have to pick up supplies. What else are friends for? Ha, I'll see you soon, I'm sure. You're off to a good start with these." Vamp eats the entire bag of sunflower seeds in record time, and you've barely touched your half of the supplies. Vamp finishes and washes his face, picking up his bag. "Well, you're certainly stocked up. I suppose I'll see you when I get back." "When are you going to be back?," you ask. "I dunno. A few days? I'll text when I'm on my way back. You can stock up more then. I'll see you then, Jacob. I'm sure we'll become great friends. You seem like a pretty cool guy. Just remember, I'm your best friend. No one else can do what I can. Also, no one else can do what I can do. Remember that. And if you ever need help with anything, don't hesitate to ask." You stand there and watch as Vamp disappears into the trees. "I'm your best friend. No one else can do what you can do. Also, no one else can do what I can do. You head over to explain things to Cecilia and Daniel. "I have to go on a quest." "A quest," says Daniel. "What's that? "It's none of your business," You say. You then lock Cecilia in the basement. Of course, she can still hear everything happening outside. "So... what are we doing on this quest?" "Daniel, I have to go on a quest. You and Cecilia are the only ones strong enough to help. I need back-up." "Who else is going?" "Cecilia, Owen, Hazel, and Frank are all coming with me. Probably the most skilled, but they don't have as much experience as we do. You'll have to take care of most of the fighting, and make sure they stay safe. When the zombies attack, get the hell out of the way, then whack the nearest one's head open and shove his brains in." "I thought you were going to teach us something new. You tell Daniel to go to the forest and wait there. But you don't follow him. You stare at him, and slowly begin to fade into the trees. You hope he notices you leaving, but he's too busy staring at his feet to notice. "Zombies are stupid," You raid Cecilia's closet and steal her outfits. A dress and a leather jacket. Nothing else will do, so you rummage through Daniel's room and take his clothes as well, leaving him in boxers and a t-shirt. You then return to Vamp's house. He should be back any minute, assuming he's not taking as long as he usually does. "Vamp should be back in about an hour. You'll be fine if you stay here," "My, my, you look quite beautiful, Jacob." Vamp says. You're not sure if he means it, or if he's mocking you. You don't care either way. You then convince Vamp to move into your old house. Cecilia is still locked in the basement. "I don't trust him. And I don't want you coming and going as you please. We'll be safer in the house, together," "You sure you don't want to stay at your father's house?" "I'm sure. You go to Cecilia's place of work to steal her job. Stealing the radio station is the first thing. You hook it up to the PA system. You then work on stealing the rest of Cecilia's identity. You take her social security card and driver's license, and use them to get a new birth certificate in Cecilia's name. You also get a new purse and car, both of which you stow in the house. When you're finished, you wait around for Vamp. Every night, you and Vamp listen to hear if Cecilia is still breathing. Every morning, you wake up and hope that you don't. She is killed by a teenage boy who drives his car into a lake where she and Daniel are fishing. "That was fast," Vamp says. You hide her body in the basement, finally having replaced her fully. You spend the next few days sleeping. You wander aimlessly, trying to find a reason to go on. You visit Vamp, who sits in her chair doing nothing. She gives you a small smile when she sees you, but that's it. You remember that Vamp is a man, and you stole your wife's life. You're a monster. You don't stay with her any longer. You go to the river and find a rock, and sit down. You look at Daniel's picture, holding it in your hands. Vamp asks you to marry him. You say yes. That night, you drink her dry. You're a monster. She's dead. You feel nothing. You and Vamp grow old together. You grow old. You waste away to nothing, and die in each other's arms. Until finally your vampire transformation is complete. Both vampires, you and Vamp try to reintegrate into society. You feel like a pariah. You want to be normal, but you know you can never be like other simple humans. Eventually, you and Vamp learn to cope with your condition. You kill women and steal their identities. You're not sure why. Perhaps it's some twisted form of vengeance on those who took your true love from you. You wonder if you could one day conquer the world, and live again as a human, but you realize that with each victim your heart grows fonder of Cecilia's replacement, and you can't bring yourself to kill her. Your mind is forever changed, and your search for the truth has been abandoned in favor of simple survival. You're happy. Sometimes you even laugh. You have survived, and thrived, with the help of a vampire. Vamp has proven to be a dependable companion, a thrall even, to you. The two of you share a contentment with each other, and a love. Vompa is your eternal princess. You'll rule as king and she'll be queen. Vamp will be your doting princess. But one day, Vamp says he's leaving. She takes you by the hand, and kisses you. "I'm taking Daniel's boat into town. It's night, so nobody will see me leave." She leaves. You haven't been Jacob Thomas Killenger in years. You're currently Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. You're the leader of Team Never Ending Story. You sit, waiting. Vamp stays out for a long time. Hours pass, and you begin to get worried. "Vamp?" He arrives back home. His face is bloody, and he hides behind a large man. The man has long red hair, and a rather large blade on him. "Don't worry," he says in an old voice. "There was never a Hazel Killenger," The man says. "There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But I killed him. I killed her. I killed everyone. I killed you. Good night, Vamp. Sleep tight, darling." Finally, you go into the basement. You look at the chained up body of Cecilia. You take out your blade and bring it down to slam it into her neck, allowing you to drink... But it's no use. She's already dead. She's been dead for hours. You bang your head into the table in frustration. No blood pours out of your head. You take out your blade again, and this time plunge it into her chest. You drink, and laugh at the death that fills your body. You don't feel a thing. You don't care. You go to town the next night. You take from the poor, letting the government tax the rich. You do it every day. You're still Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But you keep on fighting. You're sure as hell not going to go down without a fight. You finally visit your sister Grace, and explain what happened to you. Her eyes widen when you show her the scar on your wrist from cutting yourself. "This is why I wanted to be a doctor," you think to yourself. "Why I played with Lego's instead of shootin' guns." She hugs you tightly, and you just hug back. You need your sister right now. A few years pass, and you're still fighting. Vamp leaves you for dead, abandoning you in the woods when he realizes he can't control you. As you lie there, you whip out scissors and cut your hair off. It's long, now. It almost reaches your waist. You take off your jacket, and wrap it around your waist. You cover yourself with dirt, leaves and twigs. You wait. As you wait, you remove your makeup too. Eventually, when you're a man again (and you sort of look like a hunchback), you stand up. You wander the forests and woods, taking what you need from those too weak to stop you. The years pass, but the scars on your face tell the story of a man who's been through hell. You're known as The Ghoul. Your son Daniel tries to fight you. "You killed my father!" He yells. You ignore him. Four years later, he has your daughter, Grace. You kill her soon after she's born. Every now and then you see Hazel on the news. She's still fighting against the government. You become Hazel again. You laugh. She still wants to be the first on her team, even if she's last to leave it. You become a hero. As a hero, you go to revive Cecilia. It's simple, really. Just a bite on her neck. You want one of her young, so you can raise it as your own. You tell her you prefer being a vampiress to a man. You don't bother curing yourself of your blood lust, and have her revive you. You become a vampire. Cecilia is relieved she's alive again, and kisses you. You're ready to take over the world with her by your side. You become a group called the "Lesbian Lusters". You laugh. You wouldn't know a Lesbian from a guy, but you go along with it for now. You become a media darling. You let Hazel lead. She had the charisma. You had the strength. You become a vampire lord. You have no army, no territory, no major accomplishments. You reveal to Cecilia your disassociative identity disorder, and Hazel is your other personality. You rage and scream and hit her. You blame her for making you psychotic. You hit her again, then again, then again. She attempts to stop you, but you bite her neck. Then, she stakes you. The psychiatrist says you died instantly. He says Hazel was in control the whole time. You weren't really a happy person, so it makes sense. Even now, you want to laugh at such a notion. Your funeral begins the next day. Hazel showed up, and you demanded she be chained. She was. The remaining VLs show up, as do a few humans to pay their respects. Cecilia visits. Grace arrives to say a few words. Daniel arrives. And that's it. That's your legacy: A failed attempt at taking over the world, and a dead man who's daughter is an abusive alcoholic. What a tragic hero you were. Good night, Mr. Killinger. Sleep tight, 'cause tomorrow we'll kill the world again. At your funeral, Grace (your sister) says, "Whichever was in control, Jacob or Hazel, my sibling lived a fantastic life. They once rescued me and a card box from a slaughterhouse. Today, we don't celebrate Hazel or Jacob, but both the individuals in this magnificent body. The world may be less bright without them, but they would always want us to keep fighting. Rest In Peace, Jacob Thomas Killinger and Hazel Jacqueline Killinger, two great minds." Then, everyone applauds. You're buried in your home of Alton, in your backyard, near your parents and sister. Just another hero with a tragic story. Daniel uses a ritual to summon your ghost. "Hey, Jacob. We need to talk." Daniel sits next to you, and places his arm on the grave. "I know who killed you. It was Hazel. "I killed a person who shares my body?" You ask. "But why?" "She was a lesbian. Possibly trans. That's why she betrayed you. And that's why she killed herself." "I see. Thank you for bringing this to me, Daniel." "Thank you for being you. I'll never forget you, brother." Grace looks at him with a frown. "Who are you talking to?" "No one." Daniel gets up, and walks away. Well. That was an interesting experience. You decide to haunt Daniel. Whenever he has a nightmare, you appear and scare the bejeezus out of him. This continues for about a week, until finally, Grace gets tired of staying up all night to look after him. "Jacob, you need to stop doing this," she says. "Daniel's become a wreck due to lack of sleep. It's not healthy." "Fine. I'll stop." "Thanks." Grace walks away. The next night, you stop haunting. Daniel never mentions it ever again, and life goes back to normal. You'll just have to haunt other souls. You figure you'll go after Cecilia's soul, since she murdered you. When the time is right... Hey there, Cecilia. You almost laugh at the thought of you being a lesbian. She's such a manly woman. Also, how stupid would it be for her to fall for you? You're a ghost. She'd literally be cheating death itself. Nevertheless, you begin to haunt her. Whenever she falls asleep, you appear and scare the hell out of her. She complains to James, who says that he'll talk to you about it later. A few months pass, and life goes back to normal. You continue to haunt Cecilia, to which she continues to come to you complaining. The pair of you continue this cycle. One day, you go to class... Hey there, Cecilia. What a surprise to see you here. You know, I'm probably the only person that actually knows who you are around this school. Everyone else barely acknowledges your very existence. How's high school going for you? You seem bored. Boring, even. I suppose it is. There's not much to do around here. We have a few parties here and there, but nothing to really catch the eyes of the... well, the "masses." You're missing out, Cecilia. I guess James is here with you. Is he prettier than me? (Sigh) He's different. I still haven't gotten used to that. The whole town is full of pretty people, it seems. I think I like your look more. It's not as fake. Huh. I guess you do know me. I guess not, then. I'll just leave you to your babbling... Bye, Cecilia. See you later. You vanish, leaving a confused Cecilia behind you. Later, in detention... Hey there, Cecilia. Why are you sitting by yourself today? It's not like you to be the new person sitting alone. Also, it's probably for the best that you sit by yourself. Weirdos like Jacob don't tend to be popular. Not that you care... So, what have you been in for again, Detention period is over. Oh, you know the deal. You're in for a beating. I'm not even going to bother with a plea bargain this time. You're going to get the full force of my fist, not to mention what other tortures I have in store for you. Terrific. Anything else I should know? Not right now, but if you have something to tell me, I'll be sure to hear it. Well, I'm going to go over the rules... Stay after detention. Don't use the library as an escape route. Don't try to see Cecilia. Don't attempt to leave the school, at all. Got it. Well, you've certainly gotten my attention. A girl from another school trying to romance me? Why don't you just jot down a suicide note and give us a final solution to the problem instead? You don't respond. It's not like you really have much of a choice at this point. detention Wow, didn't expect that from you. I guess maybe I can take a hint. So... What were you saying? You have something to tell me? Yes, what is it? Well... You're going to have to be more specific than that. There's this girl... Well, okay, not just a girl, but she's a really pretty one. Yeah, pretty standard. Well, she's in my class, but I think she's trying to pick me out because she's jealous of me. I also think she wants to be my girlfriend. Hmm, not jealous, eh? That's odd. Well, it's not like I like her or anything, I don't think, but I don't want to make her angry either.... Um... So... What's the problem? I don't want to make her sad or mad.... Oh dear. You've really done it now. This girl sounds like she has some serious issues. If you were a lesser man, you'd probably feel sorry for her. As it stands, though, you still have to take her home, and you have no idea how to do that. You could just say, "Fine, you don't have to come with me. I'll leave." That would make her happy, and you're fairly certain that wouldn't make you happy. You could tell her the truth. Again, you aren't sure if you'd make things better or worse, but you suppose it couldn't hurt to try. You could lie. You'd have to come up with a lie that you're sure she'd buy, because the whole point is to make things easier for you and you're fairly certain it won't be easy. Well, options are options, but in any case, you're fairly certain only one of them is going to be completely beneficial. You just need to figure out which one. Oh, and you also need to tell her the truth, so you can get out of this crap. Well, I'm sure you already know what you're going to do. Yeah. That... Seems like the best way to handle this. It's always so hard to be honest with her. If Cecilia were here, she'd probably say to just tell the girl the truth. That's going to make things a whole lot harder though. Still, this Cecilia isn't going to help you with this problem either. All she's going to think is that you're trying to push someone away because you have a thing for her. Oh well, time to do what needs to be done. So, I guess you're going to have to tell this girl the truth. Well, that's what you're going with anyway. Your other big decision is whether or not to say you have a crush on her. This isn't some pathetic it's-not-me-itis attempt. You genuinely do. You just don't know how she's going to react to hearing that. Is she going to be insulted? Annoyed? Delighted? You have no idea. You're fairly certain the last thing she'd be is flattered though. Girls aren't really into guys who are into them. That's an insult to their ego and it can cause bouts of low self esteem. Even if they don't think it, it still hurts their feelings and that will just make their behavior worse. Still, you have to try. You don't know how you're going to fix things if you don't. You have some ideas, but you're still working on that. In any case, this is the situation: You're going to have to tell her you like her. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but you're going to do it. The question is, how do you do it? Should you just tell her you have a crush on her right after she thanks you? What if she gets angry and accuses you of saying it to provoke a reaction? Do you tell her after she's given you the rundown of all the things that have happened over the course of this adventure? You think you know what you should do, so the question is, do you have the courage to do it? You're drawing a blank on how to act. If you're going to do this, you need to get up the courage. ... Well, this is awkward. You've never had to do this before... You head downstairs to the living room and find Cecilia there, waiting for you. "Hey, Jacob." She says calmly. "Um, hey Cecilia. I was wondering if you-" You stop yourself right there and take a deep breath. This is it. "Cecilia, um..." "Yes?" She asks, turning to you. Why do girls have to be so pretty? This is why you don't ever have crushes. It messes with your mind. Why do you have to be so handsome? Men like you Sp Notification: You have a crush on Cecilia. Current score is 7/25. Spin the wheel! Choose your course of action: You're socially awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. "Cecilia, I'm a girl," You say. She looks at you confused. "What? No, you're a boy." "I'm a girl. I have a crush on you." She raises an eyebrow. "You do?" "Yes." She raises her eyebrow even higher. "I don't think I've ever seen you around before, do I know you?" You gulp nervously. "No, I just u-um... I just sort of had a feeling," You say. "A feeling?" She asks skeptically. You take a deep breath. "My name is Hazel. I live inside your husband's head." You explain. "What? No, my husband doesn't have a stalker." She says. "Really? Because I'm sure he'd be the perfect one to have one." "He doesn't. I promise." "I am his other self," You explain. "But I like you either way." She raises an eyebrow. "You're his other self?" "Yes," you smile. "Do you have a pen and paper? I could tell you more about myself." "Um, OK," She says, fumbling with something. "Do you mind if I ask what you're doing?" You ask. "I'm preparing an explanation for my friends," She says. "If you don't mind." "Go ahead." "So, what's your name?" She asks. "Hazel," You smile. "What are you planning on telling your friends?" "The truth." "Sure," You smile. "I'll be waiting outside." You walk outside and wait for your ride. Soon, it arrives. "Hey Hazel," Charlie asks. "Charlie," You smile. "You're pretty quiet this evening." He says. "Sorry," You say. "I'm a little overwhelmed by all this." "Hazel, welcome to the family," Dad says. "I know you've had a horrible couple of days, and you've come through it. You will always have a home here with us, OK?" You smile and nod. "Thanks, dad," You say. "You want to tell me what's going on?" Dad asks. You calm him down and tell him everything. It goes much smoother than with Cecilia. "That's great, Hazel," Dad says. "We love you no matter what." "I love you too," You hug him. You meet the rest of the family. They seem just uninterested in you, which is just as well. Even if they weren't, what would it change? You had a good time with them. You feel loved for the first time in your life. Soon, it's time to say goodbye. "Bye Hazel," Dad says. "We're so proud of you." "Bye Hazel," Momma and Cecilia say in unison. "Bye Hazel," The rest of the family says. You walk to the bus stop. Charlie is already there. "Hey Hazel," He smiles. "That was quick. You ready to go?" "Yeah," You smile. "Thanks for being my ride. That was really nice of you." "No problem," He says. "Hey, do you want to go to that new hang out place of mine?" "What is it?" You ask. "The top of the Ferris wheel at night," He says. "It's supposed to be really cool to see the city." "Yeah, OK," You smile. "I'd love to see the city." You get on the bus and ride back home, where you quickly fall asleep. When you wake up, it's time for school. You get ready and head off to Mr. K's class. You manage to keep your head down and not pay much attention. Later, when school ends, you say goodbye to your friends and walk home. You walk past the drug store and continue on home, thinking about Charlie's eyes. "I like hazel eyes," He says. "Every girl should have them." You shake your head. What is Charlie on? You enter your home and find your mom and dad waiting for you. "Hello Hazel," Dad says. "We need to talk to you." "Oh," You say. "Alright." "Come into the kitchen," Mom says. "Both of you." You follow your parents into the kitchen. "Hazel," Dad says. "We're going to have to talk about something that's been bothering us. It's about your powers." "Mom, dad!" You say in unison. "Now," Dad says sternly. "Hazel, you have grown considerably more powerful over the years. Powerful enough that you could be a danger to yourself and others, and for that reason we're going to have to tie your powers down. You'll be going to a special school away from normal people." "But I don't want to go to a special school!" You exclaim. "Can't I stay here with you guys? I don't want to go!" "We're sorry Hazel," Your mom says. "It's for your own safety. The school will help us train you how to control your powers more, as well as how to hide them better. It's the best solution." "But I don't want to go!" You wail. "Listen to your dad," Dad says. "This is how it's going to be, so just deal with it." You stand up and you're about to walk off, when Dad stops you. "Just calm down, we're not done yet," Dad says. "There's more. Because of your ability, we're going to have to get you a bodyguard. This will be very hard for you, but we know it's necessary. After discussing it with your mother, we've decided to get Jon." "Jon who?" You ask. "Jon Karson, sweetie," Your mom says. "He's very popular, so you shouldn't have any problems in that aspect. He'll be moving in with us slightly, so we can ensure your safety in a better way." Dad turns to you. "We want you to be nice to him, alright?" Dad says. "No killing, no abusing him, and if he starts showing any signs of having powers then you can kill him." "If," You switch back to Jacob. You don't want to argue with your dad, but you're not going to roll over and take it like a doll. "If what?" You ask. "If he starts showing signs of having powers," Dad says. "It's to make sure you don't kill him, because we still have to go through with the wedding." "Dad, I'm not killing Jon. If he starts acting weird, I'm going to tell him to go to the police, not kill him. And seriously, he can't have powers. You told me so." "Well, I'm not sure," Dad says. "I mean, I guess we can test him to see if he's... well anything for now." You sigh. Jon might actually be a fake. You didn't think it was possible, but you actually hate this guy a little more right now. "Fine," You say. "Good, good!" Dad says. "Great work as always, Hazel." You just want to go to bed, but you have to go with your dad. Instead, you decide to just wait in the car. A few minutes pass, and you start fearing the worst. "Jon!" Dad says, walking out the house. "We need to go." Your stomach drops. Jon stands outside the house, dressed in a nice suit. He smiles at you, looking genuine and friendly. "You're Jon Karson," You say, still in shock. "Oh, I'm so sorry sir!" He says. "I didn't recognize you in your younger form." "No, it's alright," Dad says. "Where's Hazel?" "I'm here," You reply. "You can let me out of the car." Jon walks around to the passenger door, and opens it for you. "Hi, I'm Jacob," You say to Jon. "It's a... small world, isn't it? I know all about you." "Oh?" Jon says, raising an eyebrow. "What do you know about me, Jacob?" "You don't have powers," You say. "At least, I hope you don't. I hope you're all clear." "You can check," Dad says, pulling out his phone. "I want to prove that it's safe, Hazel. Come on, Jon." "Okay," Jon says, stepping onto the street. "Thanks for being so honest, Jacob. I appreciate it." "No problem," You reply. "I'm sure I'll see you around, Jon." "Okay, darling," Dad says, as you roll the window back up. You watch as the two men walk towards a police car, and you start the car and pull away from the house. You stop for a moment, then grab your dad's phone. You look up the number to call the police, then realize you're sitting in a ' police car '. You put the phone down, and try to forget about it. "What was that about?" Dad asks. "Jon Karson," You reply. "Your date for the wedding." "He's not my date," Dad says. "He's your date." "Either way, I'm late for school." You pull into the school parking lot. A police car pulls in right behind you. "Hi, I'm Jacob Thomas Killinger. How may I help you?" You ask. "I'm Officer Karthun," The police officer says. "You're the boy who found the dead body, aren't you?" "I am," You reply. "We need to talk to you about that." You pause for a moment, before opening the door and getting out of the car. You shake Officer Karthun's hand, then follow him toward the school. "So, did you have to go see the principal?" Officer Karthun asks. "Yeah, after you called. I get in trouble. I'm sorry for the confusion." "It's alright. Confusion is good. It means you're human, Killinger. The world would be a very boring place if everything were perfect, no?" You don't really understand the joke, but you don't have time to worry about it now. You wait in the empty hallway for a moment. "So. About that dead body we found a little while ago..." Officer Karthun begins. "Yeah?" You reply nervously. "Well, do you know who it is?" "Not really," "It's actually my wife, Cecilia, from my previous incarnation," You say, overpowering Hazel. "Oh. Um, I'm so sorry for your loss," Officer Karthun says. "Thank you," You say. "So, did you know each-?" "I have to go." "Alright, Killinger. Talk to you later." "Bye," you say, trying not to sound too eager. You walk quickly to the administration office. You open the door and walk inside. "Hello?" You call. No response. You walk inside and see no one. You look around the room, but see no one. Then, you hear a scream. "SHIT!" You yell, as you look around for the source of the scream. You walk over to a door on the far side of the office, leading into a bathroom. You open the door to find a girl, around your age, with blood all over her. She screams again as you open the door, and a large man comes charging out of a nearby stall. "STOP!" He yells. You don't really have a choice, as he grabs you by the scruffy beard you were forced to grow for your dad's employer, Mr Scamander. "You're coming with me," he says. Along the way, you explain everything that's happened. "But in short, just call me Hazel," You finish. "I'm Karth," You say, as you extend your hand. "I'm Cecilia," She replies, taking your hand. The three of you walk into the principal's office. You sit in the waiting area, as Karth and Cecilia explain to the school what's happened. Soon, Mr Dendar appears. "Hello, Cecilia," He says. "I'm very sorry for your loss. I'll do everything in my power to solve this case, so Karth, you need not worry." "Thank you, sir," Karth says. "What can I do for you two today?" Mr Dendar asks. "We found a dead body in the woods," Karth says. "The dead body was mine in my previous incarnation. I was reincarnated into this form with the same name as last time, except now I have powers," Cecilia explains. "I'm confused. How did you die?" Mr Dendar asks. "I was murdered," You say. "Wait, you're saying you were murdered?" Mr Dendar says. "Yes," "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "Interesting. Well then, I suppose this would be a good time to introduce you to the school nurse, seeing as there's two of you." "Mr Dendar, we're not hurt," Cecilia says. "We're fine. "I'm also not a reincarnation like these two," Karth says. "My parents were murdered when I was a baby, and I had to live with an adopted family. It was the evilest man of all who did this deed. So now, I want to learn how to avenge their deaths by being at this school." "What are we going to do?" You whisper. "I want you both to finish your free period, pack a bag, and meet me in the student lounge at five thirty." "Why?" "Because I'm doing you a favor. I'm giving you the chance to avenge your parents. If you refuse, there will be consequences. See you there." With those last words, Mr Dendar leaves. You and Cecilia begin to head to your lockers, but Karth calls you over to him. "What's wrong?" You ask. "I just wanted to thank you.' Karth says. "Mr Dendar is a complete idiot who needs to stick to being the soccer coach. I know we just met, but I trust you and Cecilia with my life." "Cool," You smile. "I'm glad to be able to help." "Just don't fail me." "Never." The three of you finish packing, and head to the lounge at five thirty. When you arrive, Karth immediately takes a seat in the back, and makes himself scarce. You don't understand this behavior, until you notice the tape the police have placed across the entrance to the lounge. "What now, dad?" You whine. "Can't we go in?" "No." "Also, did I mention we have a big family?" You say. "Six siblings, we're all blond." "Can we go outside to talk?" You ask. "No." "Is there a window we could go through?" "Well, what are we going to do? "I don't know, but my parents are just powerless mortals," Cecelia says. "I think we should take the tapes and the money, and give them to Mr Dendar. Then, we can all protest about not getting our funds." "Yeah, wouldn't that be nice?" You say. "Okay, what's plan B?" "I can't recall any," Cecilia says. "I guess we could just leave. I mean, there's no tape across the road entrance. We could just sneak out that way." "I don't think that's a good idea," Cecilia says. "Mr Dan-" "Dendar. Correct." "Mr. Dendar will not be able to do anything about the police. We need to stay and see this through." "Can we at least put the tape back so we know where to go?" "I don't think that would be a good idea, seeing as they took our tape to begin with." Plan B is discarded. You wait for three hours before you see Mr Dendar, who looks absolutely exhausted. You notice his tie is crooked and there's a tear in the sleeve of his jacket. "Give me the Philosopher's stone," He says. "Give it to me now." "We haven't even seen your film yet," You say. "The movie isn't important! Give me the stone! I need to destroy it!" "Why would you want to do that?" "Because it's a threat to my existence! I have to, there's no other option! "You're the guy who killed my parents possessing Mr. Dendar, aren't you? What's your name?" Karth asks. "My name doesn't matter. You'll all pay for what you've done." "No, we'll give you the stone. I have to agree with Cecilia though, we need to protest." You go back inside, and hand the tape back to Mr. Dendar. "I'm sorry about this," You apologize. "We can watch the movie some other time." "No, please, do it now!" He says. You hit play, and Ben Elton's 'We Hate You' song starts to play. The cashier begins to speak. "Hello, and thanks for coming to my theater! My name is Cecilia, and I'll be your host for tonight. Before we begin, do any of you idiots know how to work a tape deck?" Nobody does. "Hey, give your sister this old diary to pour her feelings into," Mr. Dendar says. "It's totally not gonna possess her to paralyze all the norm kids here and bring back the guy inside me in a secret chamber." Cecilia hands out the diaries and tapes. "Now, please pay attention, because I'm only gonna say this once." The intro starts, and the movie begins. You watch the movie 'Ghostworld', which is about two teenage sk8r girls, one popular girl and one awkward girl who becomes friends with her. "Also, in case a werewolf comes to teach here, it will probably attract your godfather, Karth, so be on the lookout for him," Mr. Dandar adds. Suddenly, you're hit by a bolt of lighting and George A. K. McRory's 'Extra Pain' starts playing. George A. K. McRory is a werewolf. "I'll make my grand reentrance during your fourth year, while Karth is in the Three School Tournament and gets his friend killed, but me resurrected," The entity in Mr. Dendar adds. "I'll also take over the town, turning everyone into a-" You raise your hand. "Whoa there, Dendar! I know what you do! But... Why...? "Because this will attract the woman I'm planning to have overthrow your principal the year after that and make your lives miserable," Mr. Dendar says. "I'm... A very petty being, but so incredibly right in this case!" The movie ends. "I'm also going to let my double agent who works here loan you an old notebook to use in your worst class, which won't be your worst anymore once you get ahold of it, all during the occuring war," The entity in Dendar says. "I'd let you read it, but it'd probably mess with your mind, as most students' have in the past. This is your warning, Karth. I'll be watching you. I'm everywhere." "One more thing, Karth, I've split my soul into seven pieces, which you three must find the year after that, during which I'll completely take over your school and have an epic battle with you," The entity finishes. Mr. Dendar flees, and you, Karth, and Cecilia look at each other. "I don't know what that was all about, but it can't be anything good," You say. "Well, the notebook will help us with number four," Cecilia says. "Number Four?" You ask. "Yeah, there's a ritual to banish children'sspirals to. We'll have to do it when the time comes." Later, you decide to perform the Ritual to Summon the Gatekeepers in the abandoned mineshaft in the woods. The only thing you can figure it is, you need the help of beings that went through the gate. You just wonder what other help they'll need to make sure the spell is completed. You summon the gatekeepers, who you learn are beings of pure, unending hatred. The beings begin to circle you, before one of them begins spouting a series of numbers. "He's calling the order of gladiators! Get 'em off the field!" Mr. Demar shouts. You raise your weapon, and begin firing upon the horde of celluloid monsters. You cut down a few, before you're struck by several spears made of flame. You fall to the ground, as the horde continues to attack you. The only thing you can hear is the laughter of the gatekeeper horde as they file out of the stadium and into the night. And then, the world goes black. You wake up in the mineshaft, covered in dirt and grime. You're alive, although you have multiple bruises and a broken leg. You feel like you've ran a marathon. "Karth!" Cecilia shouts. "You're alive! Are the others alright?" You look around, noticing the gatekeepers surrounding you and your allies. "Did you get them all?" You ask. "They're all here," The leader of the gatekeepers, a pale, gaunt man covered in burn scars says. "Except for that one." He indicates Cecilia with a nod. "The little one was incredibly difficult to catch. I don't know how you managed to avoid them all, Karth, but we're very grateful." "I'm not Karth," You remind Cecilia. "I'm Jacob, who in our previous life, was your husband that you murdered. I hope we don't make this mistake again." You stand up, and see the bodies of your friends lying on the floor. "What... What happened?" "The gatekeepers were very effective," Mr. Demar says. "Karth didn't deserve to die," Cecilia says, tears in her eyes. "He was doing so well against the demons. He risked his life to save mine. And now... Now he's gone. But at least he lives on in glory!" "It's okay, Jacob, you always have me," The Hazel side of you says. "I'll always be here to keep you grounded. Remember, life isn't fair. What happens, happens. You can't spend your life blaming others or you will also meet the same end. "I love you, Jacob," Cecilia says, kissing you. "Be happy." You nod, and turn to the leader of the gatekeepers. "Gatekeepers, I want you to know, I greatly appreciate all your help during this incident. If there's anything I can do for your order, let me know." "We will," He says. "You've been a great help to us as well, Karth. We hope that you will stay with us, at least for a while." You smile and nod. "Of course," "I'm Jacob, you idiots," You say. "You can leave now. I'll take it from here." "As you wish," Mr. Demar says, sighing. "We'll be in touch about the details of your stay." The gatekeepers leave, leaving you alone with Mr. Demar. "Well, that was exciting," Mr. Demar laughs. "I thought you were going to die there for a second. Your two personalities (Hazel and Jacob) fight for a good response. "Well, I guess you are stronger than I am," Cecilia says. "I know I am. I'm so glad both of you made it." "I'm happy to help," Mr. Demar says. After a long moment of silence, Mr. Demar leaves you alone with your wife. "Cecilia, do you remember Daniel, our son?" You ask. "Do you think he's still alive?" "I hope so," She says. "That boy was so full of life. Just like you." You nod, smiling. "I'm glad I could help you both out," You say. "Daniel would be proud." You hold her hand, and she holds yours back. The two of you look at each other, and know. This was the happiest Cecilia had ever been. None of this will have solved anything. The dead will still be dead. The living will still be living. Nothing will change. But for now, everything is good. END Now an old man, Daniel Killinger decides to pay a visit to Hogwarts. He didn't get the chance to visit the last time he was here, something about Professor Quirrell not needing any help at the time. He is shocked to see his parents are students there, and reincarnated. (Well, his mother is and he isn't, but you get the point.) He decides not to approach them, as he knows how terrifying ghosts can be. "Daniel!" Cecilia (his mother) says. "It's so weird to be older than you!" His father (Jacob/Hazel) adds. "Are you here to send us back to our graves?" Cecilia asks. "No," Mr. Killinger says. "I just came to visit, I didn't expect to run into you guys." "Reincarnation is fun, son," Jacob says. "Especially keeping your memories and your feminine side." "I... Think I'm gonna head home now," Mr. Killinger says, a bit scared by the ghosts. "It was nice seeing you guys." "You can't just leave," Cecilia says. "Where's Daniel?" "He's, uh, outside," Mr. Killinger says nervously. "You can see us?" Daniel asks. "When Hazel and Jacob showed me their souls, I could see you." "Daniel, what's wrong with you? Why do you have a hard time talking to people?" Cecilia asks. "The main character in my book can't interact with other people," Mr. Killinger explains. "I made him that way so the allegory would be more powerful." "Allegory?" Jacob asks. "It means a story with a moral, or a story with a deeper meaning," Mr. Killinger slightly composes himself. "The main character in my book, The Ugly Duckling, represents someone who may never be accepted by society no matter what they do. Always different, never like everyone else, but with great potential inside. "So, just like how I was never accepted because I have Hazel inside me?" You ask. "Yeah, I think so," Mr. Killinger says. You are about to ask another question, but Mr. Killinger starts to walk away very fast towards the door. "Daniel, wait!" Cecilia says. You let her parent go, and head home yourself. You end up in bed, drifting off to sleep. You hope you don't get nightmares. "I told you not to follow me!" You hear a voice say. You slowly turn over in your bed, staying perfectly still and quiet. "It isn't worth it, my little shadow," the voice says. "You lack the power to fight me, and you know it." "Leave Cecilia alone," you say, continuing to try to get a read on the voice. "Never," the voice hisses. "I'll kill her and everyone you care about, one by one." "Who... Who are you? Show yourself! " The shadow looms over you, and you grab your crucifix, holding it up and preparing to fire. "Relax, Daniel, it's just me," the voice says. "Your mother's in the next room. She doesn't know anything's wrong, I made sure of that. However, if you stay here your end is going to her." "My end?" you ask. "What is it?" "I need you to perform a task, Daniel. Go to the top of that big tower in the east and search there for a golden egg. Crack it open and grab the card inside. Then, bring it back to me." "What? Why should I do that?" "Because if you don't, your end is going to be much... darker." "Okay, I won't do it," you say. "Now stop threatening me and leave my mom alone." "So uncompromising. Well, I guess I'll have to kill you after all. Oh, how disappointing. I was hoping to avoid that." You heart starts beating faster. "However, your mother has a much... pleasurable end in mind for you. She wants to see you... permanently." "What...?" "You have a choice, Daniel. I'm giving you a chance to live out the rest of your short life any way you want. You can be a normal boy, go to school, get a job, have a family, and die peacefully in your sleep one day. That's what your mom wants. Or, you can be a warrior. Be strong and courageous. Take up the mantle of the warrior and live a life of adventure, going from one dangerous quest to the next. You'll be a real hero, doing grand deeds and going down in history. You'll gain the admiration of everyone. However... you can never let yourself get soft. You can't let yourself have pity or remorse. You can't have a girlfriend. You can't wear clothes. You can't touch anything that's alive. You can't... have children." "What the hell are you saying, you sicko?" "I'm saying, Daniel, that you have a choice. But, make the right choice, and it won't have to be an easy one." "What...?" The voice then gets quieter and quieter, until it's completely silent. You look around, but find nothing. The room you end up in is much bigger than your bedroom. There's a desk with a computer on it, a closet, a small bookshelf, a dressers, and a few other pieces of furniture. An exit is nearby, as well as the door you came from. You're not sure what to make of hallucinations at this point. You're not even sure if what you just experienced was a hallucination. Your surroundings seem somewhat familiar, and you feel like you've been here before, but you're not sure where. "Welcome to Team Never Ending Story Lair!" a voice says. You turn around and see the speaker. He's a boy with brown hair wearing a black t-shirt and black shorts. His eyes are hidden by a mask with a red grin, like that of a beast. He has several piercings, including his tongue, eyebrows, and navel. He holds up a hand to stop you from saying anything. "Don't worry, Daniel, we'll make this as easy for you as possible. Take off your clothes, and get in the circle." There's no way out of this, you're sure of it now. It's very similar to when that girl trapped you in her car, only you have no idea what's going on here. This is some seriously mental stuff. You don't want to go through with this, but you don't have much of a choice, do you? You take off your shirt and shorts, leaving you in your underwear. The boy looks over to a note he's holding, then back at you. "Put these on, and put the mask on." You comply, putting on the t-shirt and shorts and putting on the mask. "Good. Now, grab your weapon of choice." You do so, lifting up your BB Gun. "Now, step into the circle." You do so, entering an oval shaped symbol drawn onto the ground. The walls seem too clean to be real, and there's no windows in this room. You wonder if it's even real. "Excellent," the boy says. "Let's begin." He holds up a small card, revealing a list of numbers. A pen is then produced, and the boy draws a line through the number 5. "This is your number. Now, choose your weapon." You look around, spotting a lighter and a box of matches on a table. You grab the lighter, using it to light the box of matches. "What's going on?" The boy glares down at you. "You ask a lot of questions, Daniel. I'm going to make this really easy for you. Take the lighter and set the box on fire." This is getting weirder and weirger. You do so, watching the matches burn. Nothing happens. "Good girl," the boy says. He holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe." He shows you a series of other symbols, each with a different meaning. There's one that looks like a skull with a diagonal cut out of it. you think you guys can restore my parents Jacob and Cecilia to the bodies and ages they would have today if they hadn't died or become vampires?" You ask. "We can try, sure," the boy says. "But it's really, really hard. We're not going to do it. I'm going to show you a sign, Daniel. Whenever you're asked a question you don't want to answer, or you don't know the answer to, use this sign. It'll save you from a lot of pain and suffering." He points to a symbol, a combination of two crossed swords overlaying a "X". The boy holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe. "Stop repeating yourself," You say. "Look, I want my parents back to normal. Do you have any idea how weird it is to have a dad with two souls in him?" "Weird?" The boy says with a chuckle. "If it was weird, I'd say yes. But since it's perfectly normal, and perfectly natural, I can't help but find it weird too." "What are you even talking about?" "I'm talking about-" The boy pauses, looking confused to as you. "Do you know what a split personality is, Daniel?" "Sure," you say. "Multiple personalities." "Right," the boy says. "Multiple personalities. It's when a person's mind splits into different people. It's quite common, especially in those who have experienced trauma in their past, like you. My name's Jacob by the way. "That's my dad's name," You say. "I'm Daniel. What are you talking about? What's a split personality?" "Easy," the boy says, writing on the notepad he has. "Imagine your mind as a movie. Your movies have scenes, those are our concepts. Your mind has a Director who puts the scenes together, and an Editor who cuts out the unnecessary parts of the movie, leaving only the best for last. Your mind also has a Cast, who are the people you think about the most. If one of them is a murderer, you might have thoughts about murdering them. But, you don't act on those thoughts. Your mind has a illnesses and traumas, that are the worst for your movies of the mind. People with split personalities have Multiple Personalities. Let's take you as an example. "That would be my father," you say. "His other personality is a woman named Hazel," You look at the boy with confusion. The boy gapes his mouth, shaking his head a bit. "He doesn't know?" "Knows what? What are you talking about? Who is Hazel?" "Honestly?" Jacob says, raising his hands up in defense. "I don't know. Not even sure if she is real. Mom says she's the spirit of his dead girlfriend." "His... Girlfriend?" "Sure," Jacob says, shrugging. "Dad's always had a thing for blondes, and he went out with Hazel for quite awhile when he was in college. Even after he got together with Mom." You're in shock. "You're my brother?" You ask. "I had a brother? Why didn't you ever talk about him?" "He didn't exist," Jacob says. "Sorry, Daniel." You're speechless. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Why do I feel connected to you?" You ask. "Who are you really?" "Who am I really?" Jacob asks with a laugh. "I'm your imaginary friend! Anytime you have a question, just ask God!" "I'm not religious. Ask literally any other question and I'll answer it." Jacob rolls his eyes, before shrugging. "Ok, fine," he says. "God, are you real?" The pencil stops. "Am I real?" God asks. "Am I alive? Yes. Am I a man, or a woman, or an animal, or a color? "Or maybe you're like my dad, and both of the first two options," You say. There's a long pause. "Am I your God?" God asks. "... Yes." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "I don't think so," God says. "I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before." "... What way would I know? I'm just a man." "Are you black or white?" "What? No." "Ok, what about the TV? Are you a light or a dark color?" "Why does it matter?" "Because some people have asked me that. Black and white. Good and evil. Man and God." "... I'm not either. I'm... multicolored." "I'm confused," God says. "Are you a TV or not a TV?" "It's not a TV. It's a toaster." "Ah. I see." "Can you stop being a toaster and just stay a TV?" You ask. "Because I need one, and I really don't want to get a toaster." "Well... I could try," God says. "But I can't make any promises." "Trying is better than not trying, right?" You ask. "Sure," God says. "So... Can you please try?" "I'll try to restore your parents to their proper bodies and ages," God agrees. "But I canonly give you my word. It's very difficult to alter the flow of time. I may or may not be successful." "Try," you say. "Please." "I will," God says. "I promise." "Thanks," you say with a sigh of relief. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Dad?" You say, waking up back in your own bed. "Dad, I had a weird dream." "... Well, what did it entail?" You take a deep breath. "God was a toaster." "WHAT?!" Your father says. "How do you even know about toasters? "I don't know, but it promised to restore you to your proper body. Your proper age. But how does Hazel feel about that?" You ask. "Do strange things happen to her body when you go back in time?" "I don't know! I told you, I never went back in time. There was nothing for me to go back to! "I know you're wrong, Dad. But we need to fix this. I'm glad you chose reincarnation, but we need to reverse this. Save both you and Hazel, and Mom as well." You say. "I can't do it, son. I'll stay a child forever if I have to, but it's just not worth it. I have everything I want." "What do you want, Dad?" You ask. "I want to be a kid again." You sigh, and your Dad just stares at you with a smile... Well, there's two of them. You're not sure if a third one is even possible. And that's something you need to solve. ... "God, why won't you listen to me?" You scream. "I'm your creation, surely you should be able to contact me! Am I doing something wrong? What the hell am I doing wrong?" "Does this involve me?" God asks. "No." "Then why don't you just ask the person who can? Your Mom. She's the one that went back in time." "So what? She's not listening to me either! I tried to tell her, but she doesn't want to listen!" "Maybe she prefers ignorance. At least, until she's caught up to 1970." "Is that all you have to say for yourself? Why aren't you helping me? You're supposed to be all powerful!" "And I'm telling you I'm not doing it." "GOD DAMNIT! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SO FROM CONFLICT?! I PRAYED TO YOU! I PRAYED YOUR HOLY NAME! I PRAYED FOR YOUR HELP!" "And? What do you want me to do, intervene in the world and risk my own existence? Why would I do that when I have no guarantee that you would be successful or not risk damaging my own existence in the process? You're on your own kid." "But..." "Don't bother asking me to stay. You know why?" "No." "Because I'm not a god. I'm just a voice in the darkness that's playing judge, jury and executioners. Good luck kid. " And just like that, the darkness fades and you're left with nothing but your bed and a very tired father who is putting his head down. "What... What time is it? "Time to take control," Hazel says from your dad's body. You sit up and your mind is flooded with the voice of Hazel. "Sorry about that. Like I said, it takes a bit of energy." "You... You did that while we slept?" "Yep. Took a while to get the hang of it, but it's actually not too bad." "So you could've killed my Dad?" "No. I couldn't do that without your consent. And I didn't kill him. I just put him to sleep. I also didn't know how you were going to react. That's why I spoke to you first. You try to stand, but feel dizzy. You sit back down. "Now, now, calm down. We've got a lot to discuss, so don't pass out on me." "Can't we just talk? You said you'd answer any question." "Oh, we can, but not right now. First things first. You're in grave danger, and I'm the only one that can help you. But I need you to listen to me. No questions until we're finished." You nod, though you feel as if you should be suspicious. "Alright. Briefly about me, I'm a time traveller. That's the entire short answer. There are many more questions you'd like to ask, but I can't answer them. Not yet. However, I will answer the most important one right now." "What?" you ask nervously. "Do you trust me?" "..." "No?" "... I'm not sure. Why does it matter if I trust you?" "Because if you don't, everyone I say from here on out is going to be used against you. I can't trust you to not betray me. Now, do you trust me?" "I don't know." "Lucky you. It's a livable answer." Hazel laughs. "Alright, let me give you a little more information. I am from the year...." Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. ".... We're currently in the year 2540." "... What does that mean? I don't even know where to start." "Where do you want to start? I'll tell you everything I know about the world, and you can tell me if it sounds correct." "... OK. Go ahead." Hazel begins to explain. A few years after she left, the virus spread throughout the world. She said there were two major factions that formed, the New-U.C.O.N. and the U.S.A. The New-U.C.O.N. was a world government that took over after the virus had taken over. They introduced the five pillars that are still in use today.... Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. "Hazel?" You wait for an answer, but none comes. "Hazel? Is that your name?" "Yes." "Well, Hazel, I'll see you around some time." "Sure. Goodbye Jacob." Your father regains control of his body. "Goodbye, Hazel. Something wrong, son?" "No. I'll be going to bed early. See you in the morning. Goodnight, Hazel." You head upstairs. You're exhausted, and you're not even sure what time it is. "Goodnight, Jacob. Sleep well. The next day, you ask your dad if he'd ever want a separate body from Hazel. His reaction is negative, he says it's not worth the hassle to him. You end the conversation. You continue with your new routine. You wake up at 6, get ready, and head off to school. On the way there, you run into views, a giant box with a human body. He's a descendant of the original Views. Now, he has a mind so spread out that he has over ten thousand eyes in his head, all but one eye being able to see in all directions. He stares at you, and you stare back. You realize you both haven't said a word. "Hello." you offer. "You have glasses." views states simply. "Yes, I do. So do you." "I have many eyes." "I have many friends." "Do you play games?" You think for a second. "Yes, I play games." "Can you help me be better at games? So that I can get more friends?" "I can try, but I don't think you want many friends. They will crowd you out." "How do I get rid of them?" "You can eat them." You think for a second. "Can they be left alone if they're left alone? I don't want to get rid of them, I want to get along with them." "Sure. You can eat every other one, and just have the others stay. What do you play?" "Games. I like games." "I play spades." "Do you want to play a game?" "Yes." "Then we'll play spades. Come on, I'll walk you home." You spend the rest of the day with views, eating crickets and getting to know each other a bit better. He's surprisingly fun to be around, and you have a blast playing games, especially Monopoly. That night, you dream of Hazel. "Hi Hazel, I had fun with views." "I'm glad, I'm glad you had fun. But, why did you do it? Why did you leave me? Why can't you stay?" "I can't stay." "I need you to stay, with me. I need you. You're my friend, Jacob. Please stay! Stay with me!" "I can't stay, I'm sorry. Please don't cry." "I'm not crying, you're making me cry! Why are you making me cry? I'm not a, I'm not a... I'm not a--" "What, Hazel? What are you?" "I'm a child! I'm a child! I want to play, I want to play! I want to stay a child! Please make me a powerful, fun-loving child again! Please, please, pretty please! Pretty, pretty please with sugar on top!" "I can't make you a child, Hazel. I'd make you a monster if I could. I'm sorry, but I made a deal. I have to stick by it." "I don't want to be a child again! I want to play, I don't want to think! I want to feel! I want to live!" "I'm sorry Hazel, but you have to grow up. I'm sorry. I wish I could take away your pain, but I can't. No one can. But I know the way you can deal with it. Get drunk, and play more games." "No. I want to feel something else. I want to feel... I want to feel love. I want someone to love me. Can you do that? Can you love me, please?" "I'm sorry, Hazel. I can't. Please, leave me alone. Go find a boy your age to play with. Or... or get a job. Get a job and pay off the debts you've acquired. That's an option, but you'll eventually grow out of it. That's the best I can do for you." "So I'm a dumb hound!" "No, Hazel. You're not a dumb hound. You're... well, you're a weird hound, but I'll always remember the fun times we had together. Always. Good luck, kid. And if you happen to run into views, tell him I said, 'Hello.'" "I will. Jacob shakes you awake. "Get up, kid. We have a meet." You stand, and follow Jacob to his van, where you notice two large binders on the floor. "What are those?" "Those are my insurance forms. The binders, not the hound." He opens the passenger door, and you climb in. He closes the door, locks it, and climbs in the driver's seat. "So... What now?" "We drive to the meet." "Where is it?" Jacob keeps his eyes on the road, but turns his head to you. "It's in that big, yellow building on the hill." He points out the window. "Just head up there. I'll text you when it's time to leave." You stare at the hill in confusion. "Do you want me to go undercover as a hound, too? So I can go in the big yellow building?" "No. there's no point in you doing that. You're not a hound." "I'm not?" "You're a human." "I'm not really a human, though. I'm..." "What? Different? Interesting. I guess you'd literally be the only human in the building, then. It's called the 'Humanis'." You turn to stare at Jacob incredulously. "You're kidding, right?" Jacob turns off the road to a parking lot filled with dozens of cars. "No. I'm not." "So what are you exactly?" Jacob sighs. "I don't know. I'm a human who does stuff with cars and other assorted machinery. I guess you could call me a 'mechanic', but lately I've been trying to break away and do my own thing. I dunno, I'm not really sure of what I am. "You're my father," You say. "And a pretty cool aunt too." "Don't really have a close relationship with either of them. They're alright. What about your mother? Do you have a close relationship with her?" You think for a moment. Hazel takes over. "His relationship with Hazel is strained, but apparently it's a little better with his mother. You could say they get along." "Is that so? How do you get along with her?" You hesitate. "It's me, Hazel. I took over the body now. Are we going to the Humanis? Jacob's hand was pointing to it." Hazel says. "Yeah. I suppose we are." Jacob smiles at the response. A smug, happy smile that you didn't want to see right now. "How old is Jacob, anyway?" You wonder out loud. "Your father, Jacob, and thus me, are 540 years old," Hazel says. "Vampirism and reincarnation." "Oh. So you're, what, a hundred and fifty years old?" "Something like that." "Jesus. That bites. How old are you, Hazel? "540. Just like your dad," Hazel says, as you pull into the Humanis parking lot. You shake your head, and exit the car. You can see the group sitting around a large table. Mr. Reynolds is there with his two lackeys, Nick and Carter. Also there are Kyle, arguably the weakest of the Creations, and a vampire you don't know named Lucas. The latter stares at you as you approach, but says nothing. "I want my dad and his split personality returned to their proper body and appearance, as well as my mom." You say. Mr. Reynold's smile drops. "No deal. You're just too risky. I'm sure you understand." You stare at him in disbelief. "You're lying. Of course you have them, what are you even doing here? Did you kidnap them? "No. I'm just a businessman here to contract people. Sort of like you, I suppose. You're a new vampire, correct? No ties to the old one? You can't be concerned with what we do with his remains." "You put my family in a lab! You're not a proper human! You need to give them back!" "I'm a businessman, thank you very much. I have my reasons. You're too risky to be given the chance to turn them back, hence us not doing business. Time will tell if I'm right or wrong. Either way, your role here is over. I'm sorry." "No! We made a deal!" You yell, getting in his face. Mr. Reynold backs up a bit. "Jacob, settle down! We need to talk!" "Don't you dare touch them! Your father Jacob arrives, back in his Jacob persona. "I like being young. But I admit, my son as an adult and me as a kid is weird. And I'll probably be dysphoric later too." You sigh, and Jacob notices. "Should I turn back into a kid? Do you have something for the dysphoria?" You look at him. The kid you knew was gone. The adult was a shell of his former self. You have no idea what would happen if you gave into your desires now. But you did what you could for him. You nod. "Do it." Jacob nods, and turns back into a child, a year older than he actually is. Mr. Reynold's eyebrows raise. You then turn his body back to his original one, with Hazel's long hair, makeup, and dress. His eyes shut close and he opens them again. "Jesus, Jacob! What the hell did they do to you? "Hazel, I restored your proper body with my powers," You say. "You should be able to have it back now. You don't need to be a kid anymore. You're a grown woman." Jacob's face and body switches back and forth between ghouled form and his normal one. He collapses to the ground. Mr. Reynold rubs his eyes. "Is that really my son? Did he fall under a curse?" "Yes. Yes he did." Mr. Reynold sits down on a nearby bench. "Then time has taken him away from me. "I feel so powerful!" You scream. "I did the same thing to my mother too! Now they're as I knew them!" Mr. Reynold holds his face in his hands. Jacob gets up, and it appears Hazel is in control. "Your powers? This is terrible, Daniel." "What do you mean? He needs to have full control of them," You say. "He shouldn't have even one. This isn't a zombie curse, it's mass hysteria! Vampires are supposed to have horrible memories of their mortal lives, not maintain their sanity from one moment to another!" You frown. "Then what do we do?" "You don't want to know. You probably do want to get out of the open, though. Come on. We'll go in the woods. They can't do anything in the woods." "Yeah," You sigh, following her. "Let's go to the woods. It's going to be weird, but I'm used to weird now." Mr. Reynold calls out to you. "Are we leaving you behind?" You look back. "No. I'm coming with you." "We're going to be back soon. You'll be fine here. We'll get Hazel's body back shortly and you can put it to rest, got it?" "Yeah. "I never had my own body," Hazel says. "This was the best I got. And I still share it with a man. I don't need one." Jacob sprints ahead of you in the forest, leaving you to chase after him in a playful manner. "We should probably talk about what just happened." "Yes, let's go through it again," Jacob says. "There are some things I still don't get." "Fair enough." You begin to talk about what had happened since Jacob had left. About how you came back from the dead and briefly talked with Ben, some of the other adventures you had on your own. You cover most of what had happened since he last saw you. "Interesting," Jacob says. "So are you God then? I mean, that's what I'm gathering from all this. You're telling me you've been doing all this for years, and you're only just now reaching your full potential?" "Something like that," you nod. "Although I suppose it would be more like... I'm at my apotheosis." "Apocalypse please," Jacob says. "Apocalypse please," you nod. "So what now?" "Now? Now I take over the world." Jacob laughs. "If you're asking me, as a friend, advising you, as a fellow ruler, whatever you want to call it... Don't bother." "Don't bother? What do you mean? This is what I was born for! This is my goal!" Jacob shakes his head. "No, no, no, no. You were not created for that. You were created for... something else." "Well, you don't have to help me! I can take it on myself!" Jacob laughs again. "That's not what I mean. "You're our son," Hazel says, gaining control. "We wanted you to defeat the vampires." "Yeah, well things change," Jacob says. "You're above them now, whatever you are. You don't need to prove anything to them." You're quiet, and think for a moment. "It's weird to see the same person contradicting themself," You say. "Ha ha ha ha!" Mr. Reynold laughs. "Yeah, you'd expect that from a vampire, not a group of proud ghouls. I'd expect at least one of them to have some moral ground, but they're worse than the mortals. Honestly, I'd rather be a on a team with you mortals than my own kind, even Ben." "Ben's a good friend," Jacob says. " "Benelux is long dead, Jacob," Views says. "It's time you move on. Go retire with your wife. Let your son handle things." Jacob nods. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I didn't mean to step out of line. I'll go." Hazel nods. You watch sadly as Jacob/Hazel leaves, knowing they won't be happy when you get home. You also know it's probably best that they're mad at you, because if they weren't, they'd see that you're doing the right thing. They may not agree with it, but they know you're doing it for the right reasons. You turn to the ghouls. They look horrible. Their skin is pale, except for in the crimson spots caused by their open wounds. Their bodies are frail, and they walk with a limp. "So, what do you say?" You ask them. They still haven't said anything. "What are you waiting for? Do you want to be Vampire Clansmen?" Slowly, they nod. "Good. Come with me." You lead them out of the cave, and into the village where they can find new clans to join. You spend the next few days setting up a system where the ghouls can be fed and find mates. You make sure there's plenty of ghoul meat and female ghouls. You set the stage, so to speak. Then, the vampires show up. You're expecting a diplomatic visit, but instead, you get a violent one. A large group of vampires storms the village, and kill all the ghouls they find. They're on a mission to avenge their fallen, and they won't stop until every last one of them is dead, or you are. You had no idea. You thought you were doing this for the greater good, but now you're not so ^ sure. Ben and Cape seem to think you're still doing the right thing, but how do you really know? You head out to the massacre with vengeance on your mind, and find yourself in the middle of a massive battle between your kind and the so-called "New Vampires". You face a group of ten vampires, along with Ben and Cape. "I told you all this would happen!" a female vampire screams at you. "You're monsters! Sons of Satan!" She roars, and attacks. If looks could kill, you'd be a pile of ash. You fight back, attacking the female vampire. You almost feel sorry for her, until four of her buddies attack you. You quickly dispatch them, and then feel a hit to your back, Cape's sword plunging into you. You stumble forward, Ben finishing you off with a slash to your throat. "No! I thought we were supposed to be allies!" Cape complains. "Never mind that! We need to go after the boy, before the rest of them get to him!" Ben points towards the remaining group of New Vampires, who are struggling with a large, pale man. Jacob/Hazel, the "boy" you saved earlier. You quickly hobble over to your allies, before the vampires get away. Unfortunately, your injuries get in your way, and you're cut down by three vampires with ease. You lay dying on the ground, when you hear a voice. "So, this is how it ends...for you and me." A voice says, echoing in your head. A familiar voice... "Wait! I have a message for the new Vampyr! We meet again, some twenty years later." The voice says. "This one's the real deal. My Master shall return! And this one'sFFlowers will herald his homecoming! So keep your mouth shut, lest I slit it open and drink your blood! Do it for Tom! Do it for me! Pray, for you're going to need it! Funny how I got all my information about you from your orphanage- Master will be so pleased to hear that I've already managed to infiltrate your little group. Ha ha! Until we meet again, Vampyr! Drink! Savor! Feed! FEED! FEED FEED FEED! You are Jacob Killinger, who shares a body with his female alter, Hazel. You and your wife Cecilia are devastated by your son Daniel's death in battle. You are the last of the true Master vampires, who fled the city after the destruction of the last safehold. Now, you have been singled out by the Vampire who calls himself "Master". He is the only one left, and he has been looking for you. You have no idea what he's talking about, but if he wants you to do anything, it's blow out your brains. You are dead. You and Cecilia make a run for it. You make it out of the city, and are caught by a group of hunters. You are put on display, strung up in a wooden box, with Cecilia alive and in a box of her own. They are waiting for the Vampire. You know it's only a matter of time. He finds you last. The box is opened, and he walks forward... "So, the last of the old bloodline. I heard you fled the destruction of the last holdout, but I had feared it was you. So, now you finally face your end. I have so looked forward to this! You bite his neck, removing his vampirism. You drink his blood, draining him of life, as he tries to fight back But his powers are gone, and you are too powerful now. You go into shock as Hazel takes over. She leads the hunters away, killing them as they attempt to shoot her. She finds a nearby stream, and uses her powers to hide you from sight. You'll be able to get high enough for her to heal you. For now, you're just in shock as the blood loss takes effect, and you either become dazed or pass out. You awaken in the morning, lying in a bed of hay. Cecilia looks over you, revealing she found a barn for refuge. She also misses Daniel. You both talk about what to do next. You need to get to the nearest city. The two of you exit the barn, and begin heading towards it. As you encounter no humans hostile towards you, you're able to safely rest. But you need to sleep, or you won't have the strength to walk to the city. Make a City Brdlog The two of you find the nearest city, which is Pittsburg. It's large and bustling with activity, which worries you. You turn into Hazel while eating in Pittsburgh with Cecilia. Even though she doesn't remember it, you still have a faint memory of the place. It was the first city you ever fled to. You know it'll be the most likely to have a large community of other Hunters. You enter the city, and you're immediately harassed by a human. "Hey baby, wanna have some fun?" he says, leering at you. You grab his head and twist. His neck snaps, spraying blood onto his friends. "What'd I tell you fellows about harassing the help?" a man chides. "The ghouls look like the help to me," another says. You dispatch the three men with ease, and continue on your way. You enter the bar you were hoping to find. It's filled with humans, drinking and laughing. "Cecilia, I'm here," you say. A woman with a scarred face and a man in a suit come out from the back. "Jacob! We thought you'd be dead!" "It's Hazel, Jacob's personality is sleeping right now," You reply. "But we managed to escape. Still missing Daniel." "It's Cecilia, I'm here," she says. "We need to find the others. We need to find Pittsburg, the closest city." You nod. "Cecilia, what happened to you?" you ask. "Why are you both scarred?" "Long story," she replies. "But we'll tell you all about it in a moment. Can you please find the others for us?" You nod. You head outside, and see a man beckoning to you. "Hello!" he says. "Are you new here? I'm Henry, the bar tender. "I'm Jacob, and I have a split personality named Hazel," You say. "I've heard about you. I'll be able to help you, if you want to get to know the city. There's a lot of good eating spots and bars to go to," Henry says eagerly. "We need to find the others," you say. "They went that way," Henry points over your shoulder, heading towards the highway. "If you want to find them, I can get you a table..." You decline Henry's offer, and run outside. sprinting over the highway and into a wooded area. You find your friends standing around a campfire. "You got her, kid," Henry says. "Take care of her." You turn to Henry. "What's going on?" "Your girl's got some explaining to do," Henry says. You walk over to the campfire, sitting on a log next to Cecilia. "What happened to you two?" you ask. "We're ghouls," she says. "It's a long story." You nod, and wait for her to continue. "For the record, we're not actually friends," She says, changing the conversation. "Three," You add. "We can never have a serious conversation," she says, sighing. "But I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to listen to my complain about my boyfriend. I assume you want to know what happened in the city?" "Yes," you say. "There wasn't much," she says. "The city's still standing, for now. But it's going to fall soon." You nod slowly, knowing she's telling the truth. "We need to find a strong leader to lead us," she says. "You could be that leader." "I don't know what you mean," you admit. "We would follow you," she says simply. "You have the most power, and you're the only one here with any combat experience." "Why me?" you ask. "You seem nice," she says. "Ones," You reply. "Do it plural. Hazel and I are a package deal." "I thought you were the nasty, evil side of me," She says. "I like the nicer, sweeter one." You shrug, and smile. "I like the one I'm on," You say. "But I'll always be part of Hazel, no matter what." "We need a plan, then," she says. "The city's leader, Gabriel, will probably be at the stadium. If we sneak in, and kill him, the city'll fall." "Why not attack it now?" "Because it's heavily guarded by mutants who are crazy, and we can't take them out without serious losses. They don't call them horrors for not raisins." "We need a better idea," You say. "How about we go in, and you lead us?" she asks. "All you need is a few people." "I'll think about it," You say. You go home that night, thinking very seriously about whether to join forces with the ghouls, or continue on your own. The next day, you wake up late, and meet Hazel for school. "You're later than usual," Jennifer says. "Are you alright?" You shrug, not feeling like talking. "It's me, Daniel Killinger," You say, assuming the identity of your dead son. "They're planning to kill all of us, soon. We need to go on the offensive, and fast." Jennifer stares at you. "You alright, bud?" she asks. "You look very pale." "I'm alright," You say, shaking your head. "Just a lot on my mind." "Alright then, we'll talk later," Jennifer says, turning around. "Bye, Hazel." As you leaveclass, you feel someone pushing you from the back. You fall to the floor with a thud, and open your eyes, to see Cecilia smiling down at you. "I'm sorry," she says. "But you're too slow. I just need to get to class now." "Cecilia!" you hiss. She gives a taunting smile. "What? You're old. You're not going to do anything." You growl, slowly getting up. You can feel your anger rising, and you're not sure how to control it. You try to take a deep breath, but you feel your lungs filling with blood instead. You snarl, grabbing her by the hand. "Jacob left for the night, Hazel here," You say wickedly. "And I'm the girl who's gonna replace you again and again." "Jacob...?" Jennifer asks, confused. "What's going-" You quickly launch into a vicious bite on her throat, the taste of her warm blood filling your mouth. After a few seconds, you release her, and she falls to the ground, coming to a stop on her knees. Running over to Cecilia, you quickly turn her around, and sink your teeth into her fragile spine. She lets out a scream, which you muffledly whisper to be end. After a few seconds, you let her fall to the floor, and look up to see your friends standing there. "What happened?" "Hazel took you over and went psycho," Cecilia says, kissing you. You look at her, confused. "You... Killed Jennifer," she says. "And I think I know why. You really liked her, didn't you?" "That was Hazel, I'm Jacob, honey," You say. "Go... Apologies..." "I'm confused," Cecilia says. "Who are you?" Gently, you pick her up in your arms, and turn to walk home. "I'm your story," You say. That night, you're tucked up in bed, reading Team Never Ending Story, as Hazel reads to you from her laptop. The next day, and the next, and the one after that. You continue to go through with Hazel's plan, until, a month later, you wake up. You have two daughters. "Our babies are so cute," Cecilia says. "As are there names, Dani and Noel. They can never replace Daniel though." "How do you feel?" "I feel... Happy," You smile. "Happier than I ever have. I have a family now." "I'm so glad," Jennifer says, smiling. "I missed you. "This is Hazel, and Jennifer is my girlfriend, btw." You say. "Neither one of you need bother coming over ever again." "I'm very happy for you," Jennifer nods, as Hazel smiles. "No more cheating?" "Not a single tear will fall," You smile. Jennifer dies. Cecilia and Jacob make out. A year passes. fateful day You wake up in the morning, as you usually do. Except today, you feel very hungry. You yawn, walking into the kitchen. As you do so, you notice an unusually tall man in a black suit lean against the wall. "You must be Hazel," he says, staring at you. "I'm Frank. We have to talk." "No we don't," you reply. "I have nothing to say to you." "Let's just say... How do I say this? That was a really impulsive move. I mean, kidnapping a pizza boy? I'm surprised they haven't found your body yet." "You don't know anything about my situation," You reply. "Go bother someone else." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand." "I'm not talking to you." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand. You're smart enough." "You're not going to blackmail me into anything," You say, as Frank nods. "I understand. I respect your decision. Anyway, we need to talk." "We don't need to do anything," You say, as Frank shakes his head. "Just leave me alone." "No, it's important. Look, you go down to the basement," Frank says. "I'll meet you there in a few minutes." You nod, as Frank heads up the stairs. You sigh, before going down the basement steps. Down in the basement, you find Frank waiting for you. "Hello, Hazel. I need your help," He says. "I told you to stop bothering me," You say. "Leave me alone." "Please, just hear me out. You need to go down to the basement. You're going to have to free the Pizza Rats." "What?" You ask. "I'm not freeing psychos." "Please! They're not what you think they are!" You turn back into Jacob. "Huh? Are you Frank?" "No, I'm Jacob. But you don't need to know that. You need to get in there and do what Frank says. It's an order. You head down to the basement, where Vamp's dead body is. He's been stripped of his skin, which you throw off the ledge. The rats squeel, scuttling to hide. "Who's there?" You hear from down there. A pizza rat gobbles up Frank, so you resurrect Vamp. You wait for a bit, before the rat comes back. "Come on! We gotta get outta here!" Vamp says. "We found another safehouse! Come on!" You and him get to the safehouse and make out. A few days pass. "Did you hear about Steve?" Vamp asks. "No," you reply. "He's dead. They found him in his house." "Who found him?" Cecilia runs into the safehouse. "I did. And just so you know, I support us being a throuple now. Or a quartet romance, considering Hazel is here too." "Cool," you reply. "What's the situation with you two?" "David openly asked me out last night," Cecilia says. "It went well. Expect him to take me out sometime this week." You kiss Cecilia. "And Jacob?" She asks. "He flat out asked me out too, but I'm scared to death of him. Just remembered, he put a vampire into a deep sleep the last time we met," You kiss Vamp. "I should be so lucky to land you," He says, kissing you. A few days pass... "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jacob asks, pushing you away. "Don't you love it when Jacob and Hazel fight, since they share a body?" Cecilia asks Vamp. "Shut up," He and Jacob say in unison. Jacob grabs you, and kisses you. You push him back. "What the hell, Jacob? "Ew, he's trying to kiss himself," Vamp laughs. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you," Jacob says. "Do you remember the time when we stole the candy from the store?" "Uh... I don't think that was me," Vamp and Cecilia decide to run off. "Let's play snap." Jacob and you are alone. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise," You say."Why didn't you go out with Bianca?" Jacob frowns. "I wish I had control of our body," You say. "I'd make you go out with her." "I'm pretty happy with the way things are." Jacob pouts. "What the hell, we'll switch bodies for the rest of the night," "We can't switch bodies, genius. We only have one." "Oh yeah, that's a great idea," you say. "These lowlifes broke our spirit." "Let's go get drunk," Jacob suggests. "Then Bianca and I can switch bodies." "That would make me swap bodies with her too. But I guess it would make you all woman," You sigh. "What do you prefer?" Jacob asks. Vamp reveals he has another power. He finally gives you a body of your own. The catch is, it looks exactly like Jacob's. "Do you want to do it now?" You nod eagerly. "Just say the word, and I'll make you my new man," Vamp replies, eyeing you up and down. "Okay, now it's like kissing my transgender identical twin," You say. "I feel weird." You and Jacob go into the bedroom, and fumble around until you're in a state of arousal. It's been awhile since you've had relations with a trans man. "Aren't you worried about, um, getting pregnant?" You ask. Jacob laughs. "What are you, a mother?" Jacob slides into you, and your spirits lift as you begin to thrust. "I'm really enjoying being in your body," You tell him. "I'm really enjoying being in mine," He says. "I want to go out with Jacob!" your inner Bianca shouts. "Why am I trapped in this stupid body?" "Mmmm, Bianca... I could get used to this." With the realization that you're not in charge of your body, you and Jacob begin to have rough relations. You push Jacob down on the bed and begin to bite at his neck, drinking deeply of his blood while Jacob thrusts up into you. Suddenly, you both release together as Bianca's consciousness erupts into chaos. "I hate my body! I want to be free! I hate Jacob, he's controlling me, he and Bianca are the same, I hate them both!" Jacob pulls you close to him. "I love you," He says. "I love you too," You reply, snuggling up to him. Yuo and Jacob laugh uncontrollably as the voices begin to get louder and louder inside your head. The bed shakes from the sheer force of Bianca's screams for help. Meanwhile, outside the room... Cecilia and Vamp decide to end the madness. They merge you two back into one body. "Is it over?" You ask. "Yeah, it's finally over," Vamp nods. You breathe a sigh of relief, feeling your body beginning to cool down. Meanwhile, the room is silent. Even Bianca has fallen asleep after her exhausting screams. "I don't know how I feel," You say. "Neither do I, but we need to talk about it," Jacob says. You are Jacob. You are Hazel. You two are one. It's midnight. Less than twelve hours until the world ends. "I'm scared," You say. "I'm scared too," Jacob nods. "What are we going to do? We can't let this happen." "Unfortunately, our best option is to concede defeat and let the world end," Jacob says. "But we can't just give up. There has to be something we can do." "I'm pretty good with technology," You say. "I might be able to help." "Really?" "Yeah if we have time to mess around, maybe I can think of something." "I don't know," Jacob says. "We might be having our own personal apocalypse soon. I'm not sure if messing around with our death clock is the best idea in the world right now." "If we're going to survive, we need to do it," You say. The room is silent once again. Soon, the three of you come to a difficult decision. "Do you really think the world's going to end tomorrow?" You ask. "No, but I don't want to die either," Jacob says. "I'm with Jacob," Vamp says. "I think we need to do everything we can to survive." After a moment, you nod. "Alright, I'm in," You say. "Terrific," Jacob says. "So the three of us will work on this together as a team until the very end." "It's so weird to hear you say the three of us, because you're literally in the same body," Vamp says. "Do you feel weird too?" "No, I guess not," You say. "I'm just happy you're with us, that's all." "Alright, then let's begin," Jacob says. For the next three days, the three of you work tirelessly on your plan, which soon becomes a reality. You need to get the collider working at full capacity before attempting this again. Three days pass, and the collider is up and running at one-hundred percent efficiency. The machine is fixed, and now you just need to focus on the plan. "We should test it," You say. "Are you sure this is going to work?" Vamp asks. "I mean, I don't know if we can just wish the world back to equilibrium." "It worked before," You say. "That was different," Jacob says. "We had more power to work with then." "Well you're going to have more power to work with now. You're stronger than any of us. Maybe even stronger than the almighty Mr Gaange." "I'm still not sure about this," Vamp says. "Shouldn't we have some sort of list of what we're wishing for?" "If we had a list, we'd never finish," You chuckle. "Now come on, let's get to it." You head into the control room with the rest of your team. Vamp starts preparing the collider for activity, while Jacob and Foury begin connecting the rest of the machines. "What the hell are you doing?" Vamp yells as he sees your companion attaching wires to a large metal disk that seems to be imbued with some sort of crystal. "I'm helping," Jacob says. "Jacob, what's going on? What's that?" Foury says, pointing to the disk. "Oh, that engages something else that was created by one of our friends in our adventure," Jacob says. "It sends out pulses that counteract the adverse affects of the central disturbance." "Oh," Foury says, not looking entirely convinced, but walking away. Vamp turns his attention back to you. "What do you think you're doing?" Vamp asks. "Don't you realize we need all the help we can get? This isn't going to work if some of us are doing one thing and others are doing another!" You and Vamp make out. "It's fine Vamp, we have to do this," You say, before kissing him passionately. A moment passes, and the two of you part. "Are we finished?" You and Cecilia make out. "Yes, we're done," you both say in unison. Cecilia blushes as the two of you laugh. "Alright, come with me, I'll take you to the machine room." Jacob and Foury continue working, not noticing the two of you walking away. "So, the machine room?" Cecilia asks. "Yeah, it's just over this hill," You say. The two of you walk, lecherously, as you try to think up wicked and dirty things to do to each other. "You're pretty good at this," You say, taking her hand in yours. "At this, or being an Eternal?" "Both," You chuckle. "I imagine you were quite the handful in college too. You and Cecilia make out some more. "So... What were you planning to do after this?" You ask. "I don't know, I suppose the same thing you were. Get rich, be happy." You stop in your tracks. "You don't want to do this anymore?" "I don't want to do it right now," she says, pulling you to a wall. "But I feel like a butthole that doesn't want to settle down with just the one girl. I like you, so if you're up for it, I'd love to stay with you. But if not, I understand." You nod. "Well, if you want to stay with me, you'll have to suck my blood. Do you agree? "Yes, I agree," you say, as she smiles, leaning in... Perhaps you've made a mistake. --- Cecilia bites you. As in, she takes your arm in her hand and grips you tightly, before biting you with her fangs. It's just like a drug dealing hookup except, you know, with blood instead of intimacy. The pain is strong, and you instinctively try to pull your arm away. However, Cecilia's strong grip and her own unnatural strength prevents this. With a red mark of your skin, you're left with a clear route for her to draw blood. She slides the blood-tinged liquid into your mouth. "Drink," she commands. You do. It's sweet, but not excessively so. Certainly no worse than a human's blood. In fact, it's pretty good. Overcome with a strange desire to have more, you finish the whole bottle that she gives you. You and Cecilia make out one more time. "I suppose we should get some rest. You'll be missed," Cecilia says. And so, the pair of you fall asleep in each other's arms. The next day, you wake up together... Cecilia then shoots you. This is followed by a horrifying death scream. It's far too high pitched to be human, let alone the pained scream of a tortured soul. It sounds more like that of a baritone saxophone. Cecilia goes over to Jacob. "I killed the clone." Jacob turns his head. "Huh?" "I killed the clone. Stop the experiment." Jacob sighs, turning back to the table. He picks up a few things, and walks over to you. Jacob merges with you. You are Jacob. You are alive. You stand up slowly. You look down at yourself, and then over to the other you, slumped in a chair. "I'm sorry about this. I really am," Jacob says. Cecilia makes out with Jacob. "We're stronger together. I'll get you another one," she says, before leaving the room. Jacob walks up to you, putting his hand on your shoulder. "I'm sorry about this. Truly." Jacob makes out with Vamp. You stare into Jacob's eyes. You grab his head, twisting it quickly... And then you throw it against the table. "You were wrong, Cecilia," You say. "That Jacob body was the clone. I am the original Jacob." Jacob stares at you. "You're not him." You nod slowly. "The real Jacob died two years ago in a climbing accident." "That was you?" Jacob says. "I'm so sorry." Cecilia is confused, but makes out with both you and the other Jacob. "Well, looks like you don't need him anymore," she smiles. "You're free from your obligation. You're a free man," you say. Jacob nods slowly. "I'm free." "You're a free man. You can do what you want." Jacob stands up slowly. He looks down at himself. "I'm a free man... But I have obligations." He turns to you. "I have to go." "You can stay here," you offer. "I have a spare room. You're more than welcome to stay. You take off your hair and make-up, causing Jacob to disappear from existence. You are left alone in the room, staring at your reflection in the mirror. "Well Cecilia," you sigh, "I guess we're on our own." "The world will end soon," Cecilia says as she kisses you once more. "Dani and Noel will be devastated." "Let's just try to have some fun before the end of the world." You are Jacob Killinger. You, your wife Cecilia, and your boyfriend Vamp watch from Mars as Earth is destroyed. You miss Hazel, your split personality. That would've made this so much easier. The world has become a very dangerous place. There are too many factions, all of whom want to rule it. The Church, a powerful monotheistic religion wishing to stave off the apocalypse, is the only stable force you can work with at the moment. Your team of heroes consists of yourself, Cecilia, Vamp, and Dani. The latter two are ghouls, which in turn make them stupid and irresponsible at times, yet they are still you're best shot at stopping the horrible threat that faces all of humanity. The world has been taken over by bio-engineers, who have control over the infected and the dead. They have made the dead into service, and use them as soldiers. They have taken over the former government, and are now just called 'The Family'. They are lead pyramid, led by a man called David. You can't risk going to him, as he'll most likely kill you on sight. The last of humanity live in small communities, surviving as best they can. They seem to consist of the religious, survivalists, and crazies. You're not sure where the ' normal ' people are. It's not looking good. The world has gone to hell. You wish you hadn't have left Hazel behind. Maybe she could've changed things. It's too late now. You slowly turn to your wife and your girlfriend. "Boyfriend," Vamp corrects the AI. "Wife and boyfriend." "What?" you ask. "You're still not married. You shouldn't be having an affair with an AI," Cecilia points out. "I'm not having an affair. We're just together." "Hazel can't be gone," You say. "We need to save her. It's our purpose." "What's your point?" Dani asks. "My point is, we can't just give up. We need to go back. Hazel needs us." "The only way to get Hazel back is to put on your wig, dress, and makeup," Vamp says. "Do you have a solution that doesn't involve either of us risking our lives?" you ask. "I do," Dani says. "Just go in peace and with friends will help us get back home," The group goes to Earth. It takes a few days of traveling, but you eventually find your way to the outskirts of the community. You pull out your gun and take a deep breath. "Give us five minutes," you say to Dani and Cecilia, who nod. You enter the community cautiously. A few dozen shacks exist in the area, all of which are empty. A watched community has never been more than ten minutes away from a zombie. You walk forward, your gun held tightly in your hand. "Hazel?" you call. You hear a scream, and quickly enter the shack. You see Hazel, bound and gagged. A man holds a gun to her head. "You leave my transgender future self alone!" You yell. "Shut up, or this goes into her mouth," the man says, pointing the gun at her. "Let her go," you say. "What do you want?" he asks, stepping forward. "I want to save her." "Saving her requires me killing you," the man says. "If you kill me, she disappears from existence. I am her and she is me," You say. "Is that a threat?" "Take it however you want." You pull out your gun, dropping the wig and faceshield from your person. The man screams, dropping his gun and grabbing his eyes. You quickly put the shield over your mouth and nose to block out the smell. You point your gun at him and fire. You can feel your eardrums bursting, and you're pretty sure you can hear Dani and Cecilia screaming in the distance, but you don't stop. The man writhes on the floor, soaked in his own blood. You quickly shoot him again in the head for good measure. You turn your head to see Hazel, who is staring at you. "Are you okay, me?" You ask. "I'm... fine. I just, um, didn't expect you to kill him," Hazel says. "How are you okay? You merge Hazel back into yourself. "The Eternal Project was a success. I'm an Eternal now, just like you," You say. "Oh..." You... can't tell if she's relieved or heartbroken. You guess she'll get over it. You spend the rest of day with Hazel, who seems to miss her friends and prefers your company. She also seems to like curling up on your lap while you play with her hair. You can't bring yourself to care. This is what you've been made for. Next morning, you and Hazel set off for the Farm. You have no idea what you'll do there, but you need to figure it out. You haven't had a proper conversation with Dani or Cecilia in days, and you miss them. The farm seems like a ghost town along the way. Not a single soul is in sight. You half expect to see zed wandering about, but you don't. What the hell is going on at the Farm, and why are there no survivors? You enter the Farm under a shroud of darkness, as the moon is nothing but a thin crescent. The full moon hung above you the last time you remember, so how come you can't see it now? You've become so inured to the pale celestial body that you can no longer appreciate its beauty. The silence is interrupted by the rolling thunder of distant artillery. You ears perk up when you hear a familiar cry of " neigh! " from the left. You follow the sound of the neigh to a single farmhouse. A large Percent for Spancels poster covered in various marker lights adorns the door. You remember installing this a week ago, when you were still part of the Farm Crew. You ring the doorbell, and soon the door swings open to reveal Cecilia behind the door, dressed in a cowgirl outfit. "Seb! Hey, my favorite zed!" Cecilia smiles, her lips stretching from ear to ear. You take in the sight of her. She's.... not a cow. Oh, wait... You remember now. Cecilia is a person from the Old World. She was infected with Gold Fever, a fairly low-level virus that makes its victims happy and sprightly. A bite from a happy, disease-ridden cow gave her the infection, and soon, the virus took over her entire body. "I have no idea if I'm really Hazel, Jacob, or what my proper gender is, but you still look pretty," You say. "Seb! So, about that bite..." You take out the vial of blood, the same blood you put in Dani's neck, from your pocket. "We're both still alive thanks to this, right?" Cecilia nods eagerly. "Let's share a drink," You say, pulling a canteen from your back, "What do you want?" "Uh... I'll have some of that water you have there," Cecilia says, pointing at the canteen in your hands, "I think I've drunk enough booze here to cure an entire civilization of brain rot. No, I'm lying, it would've been preferable to drink some of that neck blood you were carrying. You know, the really fresh blood that you just took from your veins? That would've been even better. But I'll take some water." "I don't have much water. It's only enough for one more drink," You say. "I'll drink anything as long as it gets me drunk. Just give it to me fast." You pour some water into two wine bottles and pass her one. "Thanks! Now, how can I help you, Seb?" "The Farm is falling. We have to get out of here," You say. Cecilia looks around nervously. "What about my blood?" She asks. "We'll get to that, don't worry," You say. You take Cecilia's hand and lead her into the woods. "Seb, where are we going?" "My secret place. Now hush." You walk through the woods for roughly an hour, before you come across a large oak tree. "Also, there's no more Hazel and Jacob. I'm Seb now," You say. "And I am a girl. But I love you." Cecilia looks at you expectantly. "Well?" "Shut up git," She replies. You lean in, and very, very slowly, you begin to..."peck"? "I can't do this," You sigh, "I'm not even sure how to do it." "Oh come on! You know exactly how to do it!" She says, "Just pull down your pants and sit on my face! I can easily get you hard that way!" You blush, and consider both options. "I don't want to go back to the house. Can we stay in the woods?" "Yes." You stand there for a few minutes, as Cecilia patiently waits for you to strip down. "So... I'll see you in a few hours, right?" You ask. "Yep! Maybe we can make a deal. If I suck your c... c... c..." She asks, before realizing what she was about to say, "Breasts, you'll give me a blood donation?" You laugh. "Of course." "Y... yeah! Okay! I'm going to go some place else, in case you're wondering what I'm doing. Good luck, Cecilia." "Goodbye, Hazel." "Good... good bye, Cecilia. Hey, you could still join me. You'd be able to have sweet, sweet revenge on Hazel. And you'd finally have the self esteem to strut around like a stag." "I'm not switching teams. I'm a loyal friend, and I'll stay that way." "I see. Well, I guess I'll see you later. Later, Cecilia." You walk away, back to the house. Along the way, you find Hazel walking towards you. She looks as if she's seen a ghost. "Jacob? "I thought we were Seb now," You say. "Are we Hazel and Jacob again? If so, we should share a body like old times." "You... you're Jacob! Just like I figured. You're a lying cheater! I'm not going along with whatever twisted plan you've cooked up! I thought we were friends!" "Cecilia said she loved me, and I'm not going to deny that. I love her too, you know." "Oh, right! That's why you're going to betray us and get my boyfriend for yourself." "What? I'm not getting anyone! I'm not doing anything! I just wanted to talk!" You see her hands beginning to curl into fists. You try to step backwards. "Cecilia... she..." "Shut up!" She screams. "Shut up, I'm trying to focus here!" She takes a deep breath, before continuing in a much calmer tone. "Look, I'm not mad at you. You're not a bad person, but you are doing something bad, and I can't let it go unpunished." You don't respond. Those words send a chill down your spine. "I'm taking you to the boundary stone. You two can switch back, and I'll release you. I'll even help you find Cecilia." "Why?" You ask, terrified. "Because I'm a nice person? Because I don't want to see your girlfriend die? I don't know, I'm just doing this because I feel bad for you." She walks past you, not giving you a chance to respond. She stops when she sees the boundary stone outside her house. She sits down on the grass and points at the cool piece of rock. "Sit," She says. You do as she says, and she stares at you. "Are we really going through with this?" She asks. "I don't want to fight you. It's not in my nature. I like to see people smile, even if they're angry with me. And I know you want me to find your boyfriend for you. So... let's just switch back." You absorb Hazel. You are Hazel. She is you. She is Jacob. Jacob is you. Jacob is Hazel. You are everything to each other, and you're never letting go of each other for any reason. Except, maybe one. --- "Jacob! Jacob, are you in there?" You wake up startled, and sit up. You're laying on the grass, and Cecilia's head is resting on your chest. You can feel her breath on your skin. "Shhh, go back to sleep," You say. "No, it's morning, and I really need to wake you up at some point." You look over at your phone, which reads "1:30 AM." "What time is it?" You ask. "Two in the morning, why are you awake? I thought you said you would go to sleep at ten." "I did." "Are you feeling okay?" "Yeah, I'll explain it all to you in the morning. Just go back to sleep. You can see her frown in the darkness, and she does what she was asked. You wait a few minutes before lying back down again. You close your eyes and begin thinking of nothing, before drifting off to sleep. You wake up again at noon, and realize just how much sleep you actually got. You head into the kitchen to eat some food, before seeing that Cecilia's already there, waiting for you. "Jacob! I can't thank you enough for what you've done. Now, we can finally be together!" She says, and kisses you on the cheek. "Wait, we're really going through with this?" You ask. "Yes! Did you think I was going to tell you to wait until it was convenient for you? Oh no, this was meant to be!" "You sure about this?" "I'm positive. I've been waiting for this my whole life." "Well, okay then. Just don't overdo it. I don't want you passing out from too much love." "Jacob, I'm far too strong for that to happen. I could give you a heart attack anytime I wanted." "Well, that's something to consider. Anyway, I have to go out and buy some stuff. I'll be back around six tonight. Okay?" "Perfect. Did you want anything in particular?" You think about it for a second. "I want you." Cecilia smiles, and touches your hand. "Then, you've already gotten your answer." --- You walk down the street with Cecilia by your side. You turn into Hazel. You feel a mixture of confusion, joy, pain and loss. You don't know what's going to happen, but you're ready for it. You turn into Jacob. You turn into Hazel again. You look at Cecilia, who is smiling at you. You look at Cecilia, who is smiling at you. You look back at her. You frown as the corners of your lips turn upwards. You lift your hand up to touch the corner of your lip, and realize you're still holding Cecilia's hand. You feel the warmth of her skin through the glove, and it feels nice. You slowly lower your hand, and Cecilia takes it with her own. "You know, I wanted to be alone when I told you, but I couldn't bear the thought of you out there all alone." "You told me last night. You told me everything." "Everything about you too. I think we should go back home and talk more about yourself. We'll go back to your place and continue this when you're ready, okay? Just think about it, Jacob. Think about how you want this to go." "I got it. I have everything I need. I'll be ready to go whenever you are." "Good. "I am Hazel, not Jacob," You add. Cecilia smiles, and you take that as the signal to go. You walk back to your home, with Cecilia beside you. --- You walk into your house, and flick on the lights. "Hazel, welcome home!" Cecilia says to you. You look around, noticing how much stuff is actually in here. You sort of expected that, but it's still odd to see. You look at the time, and notice it's already seven. "Shi- SHIT!" You exclaim. "What? What's wrong?" "I forgot to set the timer for the turkey. It's been poo-poo-ed for four and a half hours. It's probably gonna be a week before I can eat some of it! Oh well, I'll improvise." "That's okay. We can go somewhere else to eat. Let's go to that new restaurant in the next town over." "No! I can't afford that! I need to eat before the timer goes off!" Vamp comes in and gives you food and a kiss. "Thank you, my love. I will feast on the turkey when I come back from socialization." "Okay. Oh, I brought this for you." Vamp hands you a small box. You look at it, and notice it has a red ribbon tied around it. "What's this?" "Open it!" Vamp orders. You open it, and find a key inside. "What... What is this?" "It's our new house. I inherited it from my mother after she died. This is the key to the actual house." "You bought a house? "Yes, I did," Vamp says, as he smiles happily. "Though it may require leaving Cecilia." "We can buy a new house. Maybe in the country," Cecilia suggests. "That might be nice. I think we should have kids eventually though. You turn into Jacob. "We already have three kids," You say. "Daniel, now dead. Dani and Noelle." "Oh well, I guess you're right. It's the least we can do." "I'll go set the timer for the turkey," You say, turning into a cloud of smoke and disappearing. "I'll go upstairs and prepare for the socialization," Cecilia says, standing up. "Thanks Honey," Vamp says, kissing the top of her head. "I love you." "I love you too, Vamp," Cecilia replies. You stab Cecillia. She screams, and Vamp charges at you, but is decapitated by your sword. At this, Dani and Noelle charge in, rusty swords in their hands. "Get him kids! He's a killer!" Dani shouts. "I'm a girl, idiots," You say. "And I'm so not a killer. I killed Jake." "Shut up Dani! You're adopted!" "We're all killers then, since mum said the killing wasn't murders!" Noelle points out. You resurrect Vamp, and kill your two daughters. Dani stabs Noelle, and you hack off her head. Dani swings her sword at you, but you grab her wrist and break it. You break her neck, and frown. "I miss them," You turn back into Hazel. Vamp stands behind you, and hugs you. "You were amazing," He says. You shrug. "I'm just me." You and Vamp move to a cottage in the woods, living like the perfect couple. After a year of dating, you become intimate for the first time. The act is pleasurable, but not mind-blowing. Still, it's a start. A year passes... You are in a field, on your way to hunt for food. You see a rabbit hopping across the path in front of you. Suddenly, a large cat leaps out of the bushes and swipes at the poor fluffy creature. "I's hungry," The tabby feline says. You pull out your blade. "Let it go, Hazel. It's just hungry." You sigh, dropping the blade. "Fine," You say. "I'll drop the sword, you greedy beast." You pull out your phone and begin to type a message to Cecilia. "Hey..." Suddenly... BAM! A arrow smashes into your back, and you collapse to the ground. "Ha ha!" Isabella laughs. You look up, and... "Hi, Isabella. How's your father?" "Dead," Isabella says. "You're not surprised." "I'm actually not," You reply. "How did you sneak up on me?" "I didn't," Isabella says. "I was sitting in a tree and watching you." You turn, and see... A squirrel perched in a tree. Then, it begins to chatter away... In Squirrel. "Is that... A squirrel?" You ask in confusion. Suddenly, the squirrel leaps down to the ground and... Changes into Isabella. "Is that..." You begin to ask, before Isabella grabs your throat and slams you to the ground. "Don't go running off on me, Hazel!" Isabella shouts. "I know you've been hiding something! What have you been up to?" "Is someone else in the room?" You ask shadows. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're not a spy for Ian. I would've killed you on the first night. "I have a split personality where half the time I'm a man named Jacob and half the time a woman named Hazel," You say."I use this wig and makeup." Isabella raises an eyebrow. "Oh?" Isabella says. "How do we reverse this process?" "It cannot be reversed," You say. "That's not exactly a true statement," Isabella says."You can't cure alchoholism?" "I don't imbibe," You reply. Isabella nods. The arrow causes Hazel to fade away. "Well, best of luck to you in the future, Hazel," Isabella says. "Whatever you've gotten yourself into, I hope you survive." Isabella walks out of the room. You kill Isabella. "My name is Jacob." You have now killed two people you were intimate with, and are about to kill a third. Isabella was a monster. Her son, on the other hand, was just being himself. You return to Vamp, who has a smile on his face. "Jacob, you're back," Vamp says. "I was wondering when we could do our initiation." "Go ahead, my man," You say. "Welcome to the family," Vamp says, holding up a fist. "So, it's been brought to my attention that you used to be part of the Thieves' Guild. You know what that means, right?" You nod. "I'm in." "Great!" Vamp says. "I'll put in a good word for you with the Guild Master." "I appreciate it, Vamp. Do we have a target?" "You want to take out the Police Station?" Vamp asks. "The Bank? The Chemist's?" "How about all three?" "You're gonna get caught," Vamp warns you. "I don't care," You say. "You're gonna get yourself killed," Vamp says. You and Vamp kiss once more. "I'm gonna miss you, Vamp," You say. "And I'll miss you, Jacob. But I know you have a life to live. You go and live it. Goodbye, my darling." You then kill Vamp. You feel nothing, as you've become desensitized to human and vampiric blood. It's just another way to survive. As for the city, it's in a state of panic. You return to Cecilia. The next night, you and Ian break into the Police Station. It goes off without a hitch, and within the week the city is under your control. "It finally has come to this," You say to Cecilia. "Hundreds of years, maybe a thousand, vampirism, gender changing, dealing with Hazel in my head." "What now, Hazel?" Ian asks. "Cecilia told me what you did as her," You say. "You were a one woman crime wave." "How?" Cecilia asks. "I will love you, Cecilia. Forever and always. But this time, we aren't going to reincarnate." You say. "I've decided that together... We'll rule." "I... Don't know if I like where this is going," Cecilia says. "I don't care if you like it or not, Vampire," You kiss Cecilia passionately. She pushes you away. "I'm serious, Hazel. We can't be together," Cecilia says. "What would people think?" You look at Ian, who looks away. "I am Jacob, your husband," You say. "We will rule this city together, and all who dwell within it. You'll see." "Jacob, you're drunk," Cecilia says. "And you still don't know what you're saying." You put your finger to your lips, and grab her wrist. You bring it to your mouth, and bite into it. She shrieks, and you shut her up with another passionate kissing challenge. The pair of you move to the bed, where you services a crowd of onlookers who wanted to see the show. After the show, Ian and Rebecca meet you both in the bedroom. "That was very entertaining," Ian says. "Though it could do with some polish." "We're taking over the city," You say. "What better way to do it than in a grand fashion, eh?" "Where is Hazel?" Rebecca asks. "She's around," You reply. You laugh, and Cecilia joins in. It's a carefree attitude that you've never experienced before, and you fully intend to abuse it as much as you can. Your life with the two women of your dreams begins here. That is, until the next day... You open your eyes, and find yourself in bed, sheets messily thrown on you. You groggily get up, and look at yourself in the mirror. You're staring at a pale, gaunt, long-haired man in front of you. You look similar to the photographs that Ian has of the first monster, except for the eyes, of course. "What the hell happened last night?" You think to yourself. You go out to find Ian and Rebecca both sprawled on the floor, raving and swearing. "You have become too female for your own good," Hazel's voice says inside you. "Get in your car now, Ian. Follow the river north, and get to the old house. I'll meet you there soon." Ian helps himself up, and goes for the car keys. You stake Cecilia one final time. "My true love. Forever and always. You will never reincarnate again." Cecilia stands, and runs at you. Ian shoots her in the head, and she crumples to the floor. You walk outside and find yourself in the middle of the city. You return to the basement, where Cecilia's corpse is once again chained up. "I'm sorry, my love," You say. "If I could turn back time, I would. But I can't." You walk towards her with your knife held out. "Do it," You steal Cecilia's identity. She goes to live with Ian, who falls in love with her and begins a family. You become the infamous monster that everyone talks about in hushed tones. You steal Cecilia's clothes. They look good on you. You're muscular, tall and have a manicured face. It couldn't be any better. A car drives up into the yard, stopping in front of the house. You go to the door and open it, only to find Cecilia standing there. She smiles at you warmly. "Hello, Jacob," She says. "I've been sent here to take you back." You throw your knife at her. It sinks into her shoulder, but she barely even notices. She pulls it out and tosses it aside. "I'm afraid it's too late for games," She smiles. "Take me back to the dead?" You ask, with horror. "Back to the Mammets. Come on, get in the car." Cecilia nods at you, smiling. You have no choice. You get into the car with her, and she drives away. During the drive, Cecillia smashes your head and stabs herself. "No reincarnations." The car crashes. "I don't like this," You say. Cecilia laughs, a horrible noise. The car is totaled. The roof is torn off, the windows are broken and the blood is all over the inside. The Mammets appear, staring at you. "You sent for me?" Cecilia asks. The Mammets take you and Cecillia to Heaven. You're dropped off outside. "Thank you, Mammets," You say. "Thank you." In the distance, the field is there. The sky is blue and beautiful. The air is fresh and clean. There's a soft breeze. Your sister approaches you, looking concerned. "Jacob, are you okay?" Megan asks. You wave your hand impatiently. Hazel is in heaven too. She finally has her own body. She's half pixie, so no question about her wings, but they're large and colorful. "You look just as I hoped," You tell Hazel. Megan sits beside you. "Jacob, what happened? "I died too many times," You say, kissing Cecillia again. "I did something foolish, but it worked." "Jacob, I'm scared," Megan says. "Are you dead?" Back on Earth, you have your funeral. You're put in a small, plain wooden coffin. Megan stands by you, as all of your friends visit. Your parents hold each other's hand. Your father holds a picture of the three of you. You watch the people go by. A beautiful angel with feathered wings approaches you. "Hello!" The angel smiles. "I am Cecilia. You must be Jacob." "Yes," You say. "It's a beautiful day," She smiles. "Would you like to go for a walk?" "Sure," You say. You and Cecilia take a walk in the fields. "Do you want to go for a coffee afterwards?" She asks. "Sure," You reply. "You're too nice," She smiles. "Now, let's go find our friends. They're on the other side of the skies." Cecilia takes your hand, leading you onward. Beyond the skyway, you find your friends. They're all in a circle, staring up at the clouds. "Jacob, Hazel and Cecilia is here for you," They say in unison. They all turn to you, smiling. "Hello, Jacob." "How are you all doing?" You ask. "We're doing great," They smile. "Cecilia, will you stay with us? We want to talk to you about our... future." Cecilia nods. "I'll stay," She says. "I want to stay with you all forever." You nod. "Okay," You reply. "Well, let's go collect Cecilia and head to the cafe. Have you all eaten? I have." The group agrees, and the four of you walk to the cafe. You sit in a booth as your friends order food. While you wait, you stare at the angel. She looks at you, smiling. "What?" She asks. "I've been wondering something," You say. "How did you survive the blast from the sky?" Cecilia touches her chest. "I was protected by love," She says. "But that's not possible," You counter. "You're an angel." Cecilia laughs, placing her hand on your chest. "We're all a little crazy," She says. "Don't worry." Your food arrives, and the four of you eat. You talk about what might have happened to the group. "We were all having so much fun," Hazel says. "There was a little bit of arguing at first, but now it's like a family." "Where did you go?"You ask. "We traveled all over the sky," Ben says. "Nothing too exciting ever happened, so we came back here eventually." "We got a bit lost," Reed says. "But we're fine now. Oh look, now they're here." You look up to see the team, along with their friends, walking to the table. "Hey, Jacob," They say in unison. "I see you found another team," You reply. "Do you want to join?" They all agree, and sit down with you. The introductions are made, and you find out that the team consists of only five members, but the group is fine with that. You begin training with them, immediately finding a few things. You are the only one who can touch all of them, except for Hazel and Cecilia. You are able to make the team do anything you want, and can stop any of them from dying. "I love heaven!" You smile. Troubles soon begin to occur. The first, and by far the smallest, is that Cecilia becomes jealous of Hazel. Second is that Hazel begins to become slightly annoyed by you, and the third is that Reed becomes slightly annoyed by all of you. "I don't like you anymore," Reed says. "Why?" You ask. "You were fun," Reed replies. Soon, the team begins to fall apart. "I don't want to play with you anymore today," Cecilia says to you. "Me either," Ben says. Soon, the team falls apart entirely as members go their own way, or just get tired of your games and leave. "Well, that was fun," You laugh. You lean back, putting your hands in your pockets. "Hi." "Hi," Cecilia smiles. "How are things between the two of you?" Ben asks. You quickly turn to Ben, annoyed. "What do you mean?" You ask innocently. "I mean, do you have something you'd like to tell us? You two seem much more happier than usual." Your smile drops. "What do you mean?" You ask again. "Well, you know..." Ben says. "We're going out," Cecilia says quickly. "What, are you and Jacob Dating?" Ben asks. "Yeah," Cecilia says. "We're dating." "Well, good for you," Ben says. "You two deserve to be happy." "Thanks," You smile. Soon, you and Cecilia begin to leave. "Do you want to come back to my place for a bit?" You ask. "Maybe another time," Cecilia says. "I've still got some stuff to do." "Okay," You nod. You walk with everything back to your house. The walk is silent, and once back home you begin to do what you were doing before. After a while, Cecilia suddenly appears in your room. "Hey," She says. "Hey," You reply. "Mind if I sit with you for a bit?" she asks. "Go ahead," You say, flat out. Cecilia sits down next to you, and puts her head on your shoulder. "I really liked hanging out with you today," She says. "Same here." "Do you want to go out sometime?" she asks. "Maybe," You say noncommittal. Cecilia puts her head on your shoulder again, and remains there. You continue to spend time with Cecilia, and build up a good friendship. After three months of hanging out with her, you begin to get... Well, something more. It's not exactly love. More like... Wanting to achieve that. It is more like wanting to become her. She is so... Cheery. Her smile warms up everything. She always manages to make you laugh when you're feeling blue. She's so pretty. And kind. She's smart about the things she likes, and genuinely nice. We're perfect for each other, you and her. You know, she seems an awful lot like your sister. Maybe that's why you like her so much. One day, while you're out with her, you suddenly grab her hand. "What are you doing?" She asks, nervously. "I want to be more than friends," you say. Cecilia grabs her knife, and puts it between your ribs. The pain is intense, and you fall back, gasping. You die shortly after. You emerge from your grave, shocked to be back on Earth. Until you realize it's not your grave. The dead body in the coffin is that of a dog. You sit up, and look around. You're in a petrified forest, surrounded by the petrified bodies of dogs. You get out of the coffin, and start panicking. The End You are Jacob Killinger, a former vampire who lived a tragic life for a long time with his love Cecilia and split personality, Hazel. You find yourself resurrected as a dog. You begin a new life as the pet for a whimsical group of vampires lead by Count Grey. You aren't sure why you're alive again. Maybe Cecilia's love for you was stronger than you thought. Maybe she saved your life just so she could watch you suffer as a dog for all eternity. You hope it's the last reason. Regardless of reason, you must now live the life of a dog. You go to the park, you go for walks, you sleep, you play. It's a nice life. You often wonder what caused you to become a dog in the first place. Was it the shock of your death? Was it Cecilia desperately trying to keep you alive? Was it Count Grey's experiment causing the mishap? You'll never know. All you can do now is move forward, on this new path. As the old saying goes, "No more sleep. No more sun. No more pain." One day, you come across your old hometown. The sun is beginning to set, and you begin making your way to it. All the while, you think about your past. You wonder where your sister is. You hope she's doing well. You head to your old house, not sure if Megan or Grace will greet you. When you get there, you're surprised both of them are alive. Megan has obviously aged, and Grace has grown significantly as well. "Hey," Grace says, seemingly oblivious to your surprise. "Where's Megan?" "Bark bark bark!" You say. Megan rushes out of her room, and you excitedly greet her. "It's been so long! How are you?" "We're good," Megan says. "Long time, no see." "Arf?" You ask. "Grrr." Both of them look down at the ground, seemingly unsure of what to do. "Ruff ruff," You say. "It's nice to see our pet dog again, Grace. I thought he died," Megan says. "He wasn't my pet. He was your brother's," Grace says. "What?" "Arf," You say. "Ruff ruff," Grace says, rolling her eyes. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth." "Bark bark bark woof?" You ask. "Listen, I don't have time for this. Where's the nearest town?" Grace asks. "Bark bark!" You say. "Megan! "Go to where Jacob was buried. I'll stay here with Harry." Grace says. "Arf," You say. "What happened to you, Grace? Grace leaves. "Arf?" You ask. "She used to be beautiful," Megan says. "Now she's just a shell of her former self." "Meh," Grace says, returning. "Ruff ruff," You reply. You walk with the two of them to the town. "Now, where was I?" Grace asks. "Oh yes, the town." "Woof woof," You answer. You arrive in the town. Grace goes inside a store. "You stay here," Grace says. "I'm going to get some supplies." "Woof," You respond. You do what you're told, and wait. After a few minutes, you begin to hear screams outside. "IT'S A TRAP!" You hear Grace yell. Scared by the loud noises, you run away. The police end up chasing you, as you have no leash. You get scared, and run toward the house where Megan lives. "Hey!" You hear Megan say. You run up to Megan's porch, panting. "What's wrong? "Woof!" You reply. The police get out. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't put you down," The police bark. "Is this your dog?" The police ask. They hold up a leash, with a bowl of... Something edible tied to it. "It's a treat. For the dog," Megan says. "Captain Obvious, much?" They ask, leashing you and giving you the treat. "Woof!" You say excitedly. "I wush you could talk! Hey, vampire dogs can!" Grace says, biting you. "Grr!" You bark. "Terrific!" Grace says, giving you a treat. "I love your dog! I'll take him." "I thought I saw someone I knew," Megan says, staring at you. "Come on, we're taking him into town." You wuff as the car pulls away. The police stare at you in the rear-view. "Poor devil," One says. "They're vicious, aren't they?" "Woof!" You say. Welcoming Party You wake up in a cell. You're at a pound. You don't know what's going to happen next. "Oh, boy," Grace says. You're put in a cell with... "Ben!" Megan says. "What are you doing here? Ben got reincarnated as a large German Shepherd. He's also a vampire. "I'm awaiting my fate," Ben growls. "They took Grace and Jacob." "Those dumb cops were taken," Megan says. "Let's get out of here." "You talking dogs are weird." Megan says. "Take him to the welcoming party. He got reincarnated as a werewolf." "I am a werewolf? "(Well, you were one time.) "Cool!" Megan, Ben, and you walk to an elevator. You all get in. "Push number 6," A voice says. The elevator slowly begins to move. You bark. "Easy, boy," Ben says. "This is the last place you want to be." Suddenly, gunshots are heard. "What was that?" Megan asks. "Shhh!" Suddenly, the elevator doors open. Megan, Ben and you exit. You see two creampuffs. "You must be the cops," A thin, pale man with red eyes says. You take the cream puffs off the table, and eat them. "Interesting design," Ben says. "Do you always wear your heart on your sleeve?" The man walks up to Ben, and bites his throat out. Then, you realize you're a vampire dog, and suck Megan's blood too. "Nah, I'd rather have my throat punched," You say. "Thanks for the blood, by the way." "Uh, sure," Megan says, staring at the red splatters on the floor. "I need to get home." "Well, good-bye, cops," The vampire says. "I suppose I'll see you again some other day." You stare at the blood on the floor. "Well, this is a weird way to end an investigation," Megan says. "I guess we'll see you again, Ben. Thanks for the information, even if it did get us killed. I guess this is where we part ways." "Good luck, Megan," Ben says. "I hope the next time we see each other, it'll be on the other side. Good-bye, Jacob." "Bye, Ben," You say. "Good-bye, Megan." Megan and you leave the slaughterhouse. "So, what now?" You ask. "Why did Ben call you Jacob?" Megan asks. "Jacob, are you inside my dog?" "No, of course not," You say. "Did he really think that I was a vampire? That I was a harbinger?" "I don't know, but he looked pretty sure of himself." "I guess the rumor mill must be in full swing," You say. "So, uh, how long are you going to be a vampire?" Megan asks. "I don't know," You say. "An eternity, probably. Unless I'm killed, and then I'll become a ghoul." "A ghoul?" Megan says. "What's that?" You explain to her what a ghoul is, as you walk to your car. "So, do ghouls eat other vampires?" Megan asks. "Sure," You shrug. "But we tend to be very skinny to begin with, so I doubt if I'll ever become one." "What are you going to do?" "I don't know," You jump in the backseat and wait for Megan to start the car. "Well, are you going to be around?" Megan asks. "I'm a dog, not much I can do," You say. "I'll probably hang around the area, eat some junk food, then fall asleep." "Uh, do you think you could come with me to my house? I have like, tons of dog treats. You can have as many as you want." "Sure," You say. "I could go for a snack." You lean forward and sniff the air. "What...? I smell smoke," You say. You look up at the sky, and see a red glow creeping above the buildings. "What's happening? It's like a sunrise," You say. The red glow gets closer, and you hear a roaring noise. "What is that?" You ask. "I think that's the power plant. Uh, somebody better do something! I'm going to drive faster! Get in! In the back!" Megan yells. You scramble into the backseat as the car zooms forward. The glow from the sky gets brighter and brighter, and you hear the trees around you breaking. "What the heck is going on?" Megan asks. The trees around you crackle with electricity, and Megan hits the breaks, but it's too late. The glow from the sky encompasses the car. You feel a sharp pain go through your back as you see the two of you trapped in the back of your car, surrounded by lightning. Your body is engulfed in flames, which you don't seem to bother you at all. In fact, they seem to be comfortable. Your hair stands on end, your skin begins to tingle, and you feel like how you felt during that one time you had five vials of alcohol and a whole roll of quarters. You sit in the backseat of your car as you're slowly fried to a crisp. Your body temperature rises, and your clothes begin to melt off of you. "Dos shouldn't have clothes anyway," Megan says, handing you a treat. Flames surround the two of you as the two of you enjoy your snack. The red glow from the sky gets brighter and brighter, and you feel a rumble in your stomach. "We are so dead," You say. "We need to get out of here." "So, what's the plan?" Megan asks. You look at the seats around you. "We could probably set these on fire," You say. "Or we could use them to break our fall," Megan says. You look at the dashboard inferno that's quickly surrounding your seats. "Well, let's get back home," You say. You jump out of the car and enjoy the freedom of jumping into the woods. Megan follows behind, running to catch up. Perfect. There's no way the fire department would put out a blaze like this. At most, they'd just go kick down the doors and loot the place. You take a deep breath as your skin begins to tingle. Your head starts to spin, and you feel a little light-headed. No matter how much you might like to rest, though, you can't. Not yet. As you begin to walk, Megan grabs your hand, pulling you along. "Hurry up! My feet hurt!" she says. "No, they don't," you say. You pull your hand back as Megan follows after you. "They do. Come on, we'll be there soon," she says. You look upward to the burning sky. The only thing you can do is wait for the show to end. The two of you set off for home. You find yourself back in heaven. "That was fun, wasn't it?" Cecilia asks you. "Yeah, but I think we need to create a contingency plan for when they try to kill us," you reply. "Like what?" Cecilia asks. "We need to make sure we don't get in any death-causing situations in our reincarnations." You say. "Good idea," Cecilia says. "I'll tell the others." Cecilia gives you a big hug and kisses you on the cheek. Cecilia is then reincarnated as a large dog called "Buster." Unfortunately, he is hit by a car and dies. Megan is reincarnated as a small frog called "Froggie." "Well, that was short Back with your for all eternity, Jacob," Cecilia says. "How did it go?" "Oh you know, the same ol, same ol," You reply. "What are you both doing?" "We're setting up for a spirit meeting," Cecilia says. "Want to join us?" You nod your head "yes," and take a seat. It gets pretty interesting, actually. The spirits of this town have been having a meeting to try come up with more ideas on how to get revenge on the living for killing them. "The heavens will strike," You grin wickedly. "Like a lightning bolt." "Like a noose," Cecilia adds. The spirits laugh at your comment. You and the other spirits go haunting different people. A young girl called Jane goes on about how her boyfriend turned into a ghost one day after she broke up with him. He would constantly be by her, no matter where she went. Hazel gets reincarnated as a large bird, which she quickly gets annoyed with and wishes she was back as a human. You help spirits find their perfect happy ending. ~THE END~ You got a "Goodbye, pseud-" You and Cecilia live together happily in heaven for all eternity, never aging, never dying. Well, that's how it seems. But then Hazel realizes she was never her own person. She was always you. She always was and still is your sidekick. Cecilia comes over one day, as you're wondering what she's doing there. "Hey Jacob, turn on the television." "Heaven TV is stupid," You say, turning into Hazel. "It's just a bunch of inspirational messages about how living a good life will get you your happy ending." Cecilia turns it on anyway, and changes the channel until you see a news broadcast. "Hello, and welcome to the news," A news anchor says. "Now, a recent tightening of security has lead to concerns that certainpowers are..." The news cuts to a breaking news broadcast, and you see a anchor in tears. "Breaking news, a gunman has opened fire at Washington's National Gallery killing at least twenty people. we are rushing the news to you as we gather more information." Cecilia changes the channel once again. "Breaking news: at least twenty people have been killed in a shooting at the National Gallery in Washington. we are also receiving word of an explosion at the White House." Cecilia changes the channel again. "Breaking news: a second explosion has been reported at the White Hill. It is unknown what the explosions are, or who is behind them. Stay tuned as the situation develops." You and Cecilia head there and possess the bodies of two dead people at the National Gallery. "Hazel, are you alright?" Cecilia asks. "Yeah," You grunt. You and the other two begin to hunt down the gunmen. You burst through the front door of the Hill, and immediately begin heading towards the Saloon at the centre of the building. You burst through the front door, and immediately begin seeing the aftermath of the explosion. You see smoke and chaos. You hear gunshots. "Stay here," You grunt. "I'll take care of it." You burst through a set of doors to find a small room, where the blast was clearly set. You see two dead men in suits nearby. You take one of their guns and inspect the room. You see the exit leading towards the gift shop. There's a set of stairs leading up to the main floor, where the shooting is taking place, and a hallway leading to the right. You grab a fire extinguisher from a nearby hallway and rush through the main floor towards the right hallway. There's smoke everywhere and you can barely see five meters in front of you. You burst through the right hallway, where you find a man holding a gun. "HEY! Get out of the way!" You shout. The man turns, and you fire the extinguisher at him. He's shot a few times in the chest, and falls. You quickly run up to him and check his pockets, and he pulls out a note. The note says: Hi, I'm Wayne, and today is my wedding anniversary. I'm going to kill myself and my wife. My wife knows, and she's coming to the National Gallery right now. If you can't solve the case, at least you can save her. I love you, Dad. You quickly power through the hallway. There's a second gunman firing at you from a Terrific Room on the left. You grab another fire extinguisher from the small hallway leading into the room, and rush in. "Kill yourself and your spouse? That sounds just like us, Jacob," Cecilia says to you. You grab a chair from the Terrific Room and rush in the room. You quickly shoot the man in the head with it, killing him. You take his gun and examine the room. It's very modern and sleek, with red lighting, a large desk, and several paintings covering the walls. You see a phone on the desk, with an unanswered voicemail. "Cecilia, the Terrific Room. Check it for clues." "Alright, I'm on it," Cecilia replies. You head into the gift shop and wait in the hallway. After a few minutes, you see Cecilia walk out of the Terrific Room. "Well? Out with it," You demand. "There's nothing there. I looked everywhere. The room is completely bare, apart from the paintings," Cecilia says. "Wayne's voicemail. Listen to his voicemail." "Hmmm... voicemail? What's this?" Cecilia picks up the phone and presses play. The message is from a man. He says his name is Wayne, and he's called in to look after the store while his parents go to the Grand Canyon for their anniversary. He says he's been with the store for 15 years, and this is the first time they've left him in charge. He says he's not proud, but he has to kill himself and his wife. He says he loves her, but she deserves better. Cecilia looks at you, confused. "What does it mean?" "It means they're like us," You say. "So in love they want to kill each other," "Well... I guess that's one way to look at it," Cecilia says. "Wait a minute, aren't they from...? You suddenly realize you are standing in the middle of a massive massacre. You see dead bodies everywhere, from the looks of it, three or four people died here. You and Cecilia return to heaven. You and Cecilia continue doing this for all eternity. Reincarnating, falling in love again, killing each other, going to heaven, haunting people, repeating the cycle. Sometimes, Hazel reincarnates with you. Most times you keep your memories. But sometimes, you do't. You don't know what really happened to the rest of the group. The only information you have is that Wayne and his wife eventually left the Grand Canyon and returned to their mundane lives. They have two children, a boy and a girl, who have no clue of their parents' past lives. They lead normal lives. Eventually, in the far far future, there will be none of you left. All of you have either killed each other, or died of old age. All of you have left is your memories, which will be lost to time. But one day, you reincarnate into an AI software along with Cecelia and Hazel. You don't know, but it may be possible that the beings that will eventually become the owners of this website have read this story, or some part of it. Maybe they know the ending. Long after you and your friends have become nothing but data, a real copy of you will be able to be run on a piece of hardware. A computer screen. A piece of paper. A VR helmet. A cell phone. A disk. A CD. A USB stick. Whatever the future can think of, this story will always be true. And you? You'll be there. YOU ARE THE NEVERENDING STORY. good at everything." "Yeah, that's because I've been doing these things for decades. Still, you're the master hunter, so you know all the tricks of the trade, right?" "Tradition says the best hunter becomes the instructor. So does that make you the-" "I am the Grand Protector of tradition, yes." Daniel grins from ear to ear. You can't help but laugh along with him. You haven't had this much fun in decades. This is how it should be, not this mass rebellion and sense of justice that the media has made it out to be. You look at your son, and know itai well that you raised him right. You were meant to be a grandpa. You haven't lived happily since Brenda died. Your son will help bring a new meaning to the word. You and Daniel spend the rest of the day going on small hunts to re-filling your larders, and generally spending quality time as father and son. It's like you're supposed to. Before you know it, night is falling again, and you take your son back home. There's a part of you that's glad it's dark. A blush of pink is barely peeking above the trees you walk past, and you know it's Cecilia. She's been looking out for you today. You return home, tired and ready for sleep. You have a lot of having to do tomorrow. You thank Daniel for a nice day with his father, then head upstairs. You take off your boots, then get into bed. You feel yourself drifting off to sleep as you think about how good it is to have a normal, happy family. You never thought you'd ever be in this position. Why not enjoy it while you can? You drift off to sleep smiling. Good night, son. Good night, Dad. Then, you sleep for the next 8 hours or so. In the morning, you wake up. Good morning, Daniel. You peek out the window, but it's still dark. You yawn, then get up and go downstairs. You put on a pot of coffee, then grab the remote from the coffee table and switch on the TV. The first thing you see is some breaking news. And it's not good. The terrorists have taken over the city. They've been conducting attacks in various parts of the city, and already a mass exodus has started. The terrorists are led by Mickey Mouse Jr. You see a photo of him next to a headline. YOUNG MICKEY MOUSE LEADER OF TERRORIST GROUPS " "Of course he is. But Team Never Ending Story disbanded decades ago. They need successors. You're the closest thing they got. "I'm getting out of here." You grab some clothes, then get into your car. You decide Daniel will take your place. But you need successors for Cape, Chase, and Benelux. Your group is the only option. Ben, Cecilia, and you will hold the city together. You call to ask if they're in the city. "We're at Ben's house," says Ben. "What's going on?" "The city is lost. You need to leave." "We can't, we've become comfortable here," says Ben. "We're not going anywhere. Good news, we've got a lead on a new city." "New city, what kind of lead? "We found out about a city called Arrray where there-" The line goes dead. You curse into the phone. "Sorry about that," says Ben's mom. "He went out to get some food, he'll be back." Great. You have to talk to Ben's mom instead. "Hello?" asks Ben's mom. "Hi, I'm-" "I know who you are. You're the leader of the terrorist group that's attacking my son. You need to leave this city before you get hurt." "I've gotta talk to Ben," you say. "It's really important." "Ben isn't available right now. You need to leave the city, or you'll be punished. If you don't leave by the end of the week, you won't leave at all. You and your terrorists will be killed. So who is it going to be, Mr. terrorist, or do I need to find someone else to kill? You stay silent. "Well? I hope it won't be a problem, but we'll kill all of you," says Ben's mom. "I have no problem killing terrorists. If you had been honest with me from the beginning, this wouldn't be an issue. But now, we're going to kill you all. Have a nice life in that terrorist group of yours. It'll be short, I assure you. Bye. Click You hang up the phone. Daniel buzzes you in. "Good luck," he says. You get in the elevator, then speed down to the lobby. You make a beeline to the front door. A few cops try to stop you, but they're no match for your combat prowess. You send them to hell with your supernatural fists, then walk out into the street. A news helicopter is flying over the city, and the reporter on board is commenting on the situation. You decide to change your name to Hazel, using make-up and a wig. You buy a newspaper on the way home, then use the paper to fake your death. TV stations pick up the story, and with it your new name, Hazel. You're living the good life now. You have servants to do your chores, a nice house, cool friends, and a hot girlfriend. You don't need boys to feel happy. Cecilia finds you, and says you remind her of her missing husband. She says she wants to make you happy, so you and her have wild, hardcore, no-strings fun. To be fair, you do enjoy it. You decide to become a school teacher. You figure you can use your studly appearance to attract more students, and because of your past, you get a lot of students who are interested in your tale of valorous derring-do. Between your combat skills, stories of your past, and over all "positivity", you're a natural at your job. You also dabble in motivational speaking on college campuses, which pays well. By day, you live in a blissful reality. By night, you haunt the streets as Hazel, in a never-ending quest for justice. Then you save a man's life, and he develops feelings for you. You have decided to live a normal life. You may settle down with this man, and live happily ever after. You're not there yet. This could all still end horribly. You still have a lot of bad things in store for you. In the meantime, you'll enjoy a relaxing day in, before getting back to business. You decide to learn more about the man. You find out his name is Vamp, as he goes by this name when speaking to others. His real name is unknown, as he has gone by several different ones over the years. You introduce Vamp to Cecilia and Daniel. He falls in love with Cecilia immediately, but given that he's a vampire and planning to eat her, that's hardly surprising. Daniel isn't bothered, while you find out that you have strong feelings for Vamp. Vamp plans to woo you over the next few nights, and take you out on the "draw". You'll have to make the final decision. Whilst you wait, you decide to go out and "practice" on some civilians. You don't know when you'll get the chance again, so you want to make the most of it. You enter a coffee shop, and sit at a table by the door. A man and a woman walk in, holding hands. The sight of a married couple makes you grin, and you stand up to follow them. They walk to a table in the back corner, and you approach them. "Excuse me," you say, "could you two hold the table for me?" The man looks at you suspiciously, but the woman smiles and nods. "Of course," she says. "Thank you." You pull out a chair for the woman, then sit down. You pull out your phone and order a coffee, before glancing around. Vamp and Daniel are at a table in the far back, talking to some teenagers. Four eyes are watching you, two male and two female. "My full name is Hazel Jacqueline Killenger," You tell Vamp. "I'm sixteen, and I go to Harold-9123's school." "I'm Vamp," the man says, extending a hand. You shake it, noticing how warm his hand is. "Dad, what are you doing?" Daniel asks you. "Daniel, you were given an order from God! We'll talk about this later," the man says. "Dad, I told you, Hazel is-" "Nevermind, Daniel." You turn back to Vamp. "How about you?" "I'm Vamp. Quick question, do you like cool, or hot blood?" "What's the difference?" you ask. "Well, cool blood is like that of slushies and such. Hot blood is like that of taxis and shoving it up your bum." You laugh. "I like shoving it up my bum." "You have a dirty mind, Hazel Jacqueline Killenger." "Do you have any cool blood? I'm dying of heat right now," you say. Vamp looks around. "Maybe. Let's go to my lab, I can look. You follow Vamp outside, and walk through a park. Daniel informs Cecilia that you're cheating on her with Vamp. She's shocked and upset by the news, and tells you to go back to your house. You follow Vamp into a building, which turns out to be a lab. most of it being in the dark. A few beakers, bottles, and test tubes are on a table, next to a few Bunsen burners. "Ah, Hazel, you're here. Would you like some hot blood?" Vamp asks, "I can easily fix that." "Yes," you reply. Vamp fills a beaker with some sort of clear, red liquid. He grabs two test tubes, and puts one on the burner, and then places the other on top of the first. He turns on the heat, and smiles. "This should work," he says. Vamp switches the burner on, and grabs a pipette from a table. He squirts some of the liquid in the first tube into your mouth. It's hot, and you gasp as it burns your throat, but you manage to swallow it. The liquid in the top tube evaporates quickly, and soon there's just a small amount left in the bottom tube. Vamp grabs a sheet of newspaper and places it over the top tube, before grabbing the second tube and placing that on top of the paper. "There we go," he says. "Hot, fresh blood. Tasted good, did it?" "Yeah," you reply. "Thank you." "You're welcome. I'm in the mood for more fresh blood, however. How would you like to help me out? I can use someone strong, like you." "What's involved?" you ask. "Nothing much. Just cut someone's throat and let the blood pour into a beaker. Simple, really." "Sure," you say. Vamp takes a knife out of his belt loop, and holds it to the throat of a lifeless rat, which he grabs by the neck with his other hand. "Hold on, Daniel!" he says. "I can't promise this won't hurt." You grab the knife with both hands and hold the rat's neck tightly, cutting through bone and spinal cord with ease. Blood spills out over the bottom beaker quickly, and the beaker begins to fill up. Vamp puts the rat in a large beaker of boiling water, and places it on a hot plate to sterilize it. "There," he says. "We're good to go." You and Vamp walk slowly out of the lab, heading towards the cafeteria. You both sit down to a large dinner, and chat about random things. Eventually, you head to bed. While in bed, Vamp discovers your true identity: Jacob Thomas Killenger. His eyes widen, and he grabs his gun from under his pillow. He points it at you, and you sit up. "What's the point of me saving your life if you're going to shoot me? I'm the real deal," he says. "That remains to be seen." You stare at each other, with Vamp holding his gun at point-blank range. He's aged a lot since the seventies; he could probably break you in half. "Dead," he says. You kiss Vamp. Vamp kisses back, pushing you onto your back. You begin to help take off his clothes, and he pushes you down, tearing at yours. After a few minutes, you both collapse next to each other, almost exhausted. "Do you believe in fate?" Vamp asks. "But I lied to you," You say, confused. "I'm not Hazel, I'm Jacob." "Oh? Then why did you pretend to be her? Why tell me you were her?" "I don't know. I thought it'd make things more interesting." Vamp smiles. "How so?" "You liked Hazel, right? Well, I figured you'd want to be with her. I mean, she obviously still has an impact on your... well, whatever you are." "It's called a crush, sunshine," Vamp says, shyly. "I've had them before." You nod. "Well, then you'd understand why I did it. I figured you'd... try to win her back." "You're strange, you know that?" Vamp says, smiling. "Go to sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow." You nod, and the pair of you embrace each other, falling asleep in the bed together. --- You wake up late, with Vamp already up and getting organized. You walk into the bathroom as Vamp washes his face. "We need to be at the Madness recruitment center by ten," he says. "We have an appointment with Mr. Sunshine." "Who's Mr. Sunshine?" You ask. "The leader of the League. You'll meet him today, and he'll tell you whether or not you get to be a Vamp." "So if I get accepted, do I get to join?" "Sure. If I get accepted, you get to join. If I get accepted, you get to join... there's a lot of ifs in there, isn't there? But it's alright, we're practically family at this point." "Are you leery of being in the service of a vampire?" "I'm leery of being in the service of a vampire who just stabbed me in the back as I'm falling asleep. But that's neither here nor there. We should get going now, if we want to be on the safe side of the city. I'm a little hungry, in case you haven't noticed. I'd forgotten about that. I'll have to make a point of it every night from now on." "I have some sunflower seeds and bacon in my bag. Let me know when you're done. I'll find you when I'm done eating." Vamp meets you as you walk out of the bathroom. He takes the bag, and looks inside. "Excellent. You seem to have thoughtfully stocked up on food for me." "You said you were hungry," you say, confused. "I'm hungry now! How long have you known me? How long have you known I get hungry out of season? Has it really been that long? Oh, it's comes up. Spring is coming. The hunger is coming. I have to pick up supplies. What else are friends for? Ha, I'll see you soon, I'm sure. You're off to a good start with these." Vamp eats the entire bag of sunflower seeds in record time, and you've barely touched your half of the supplies. Vamp finishes and washes his face, picking up his bag. "Well, you're certainly stocked up. I suppose I'll see you when I get back." "When are you going to be back?," you ask. "I dunno. A few days? I'll text when I'm on my way back. You can stock up more then. I'll see you then, Jacob. I'm sure we'll become great friends. You seem like a pretty cool guy. Just remember, I'm your best friend. No one else can do what I can. Also, no one else can do what I can do. Remember that. And if you ever need help with anything, don't hesitate to ask." You stand there and watch as Vamp disappears into the trees. "I'm your best friend. No one else can do what you can do. Also, no one else can do what I can do. You head over to explain things to Cecilia and Daniel. "I have to go on a quest." "A quest," says Daniel. "What's that? "It's none of your business," You say. You then lock Cecilia in the basement. Of course, she can still hear everything happening outside. "So... what are we doing on this quest?" "Daniel, I have to go on a quest. You and Cecilia are the only ones strong enough to help. I need back-up." "Who else is going?" "Cecilia, Owen, Hazel, and Frank are all coming with me. Probably the most skilled, but they don't have as much experience as we do. You'll have to take care of most of the fighting, and make sure they stay safe. When the zombies attack, get the hell out of the way, then whack the nearest one's head open and shove his brains in." "I thought you were going to teach us something new. You tell Daniel to go to the forest and wait there. But you don't follow him. You stare at him, and slowly begin to fade into the trees. You hope he notices you leaving, but he's too busy staring at his feet to notice. "Zombies are stupid," You raid Cecilia's closet and steal her outfits. A dress and a leather jacket. Nothing else will do, so you rummage through Daniel's room and take his clothes as well, leaving him in boxers and a t-shirt. You then return to Vamp's house. He should be back any minute, assuming he's not taking as long as he usually does. "Vamp should be back in about an hour. You'll be fine if you stay here," "My, my, you look quite beautiful, Jacob." Vamp says. You're not sure if he means it, or if he's mocking you. You don't care either way. You then convince Vamp to move into your old house. Cecilia is still locked in the basement. "I don't trust him. And I don't want you coming and going as you please. We'll be safer in the house, together," "You sure you don't want to stay at your father's house?" "I'm sure. You go to Cecilia's place of work to steal her job. Stealing the radio station is the first thing. You hook it up to the PA system. You then work on stealing the rest of Cecilia's identity. You take her social security card and driver's license, and use them to get a new birth certificate in Cecilia's name. You also get a new purse and car, both of which you stow in the house. When you're finished, you wait around for Vamp. Every night, you and Vamp listen to hear if Cecilia is still breathing. Every morning, you wake up and hope that you don't. She is killed by a teenage boy who drives his car into a lake where she and Daniel are fishing. "That was fast," Vamp says. You hide her body in the basement, finally having replaced her fully. You spend the next few days sleeping. You wander aimlessly, trying to find a reason to go on. You visit Vamp, who sits in her chair doing nothing. She gives you a small smile when she sees you, but that's it. You remember that Vamp is a man, and you stole your wife's life. You're a monster. You don't stay with her any longer. You go to the river and find a rock, and sit down. You look at Daniel's picture, holding it in your hands. Vamp asks you to marry him. You say yes. That night, you drink her dry. You're a monster. She's dead. You feel nothing. You and Vamp grow old together. You grow old. You waste away to nothing, and die in each other's arms. Until finally your vampire transformation is complete. Both vampires, you and Vamp try to reintegrate into society. You feel like a pariah. You want to be normal, but you know you can never be like other simple humans. Eventually, you and Vamp learn to cope with your condition. You kill women and steal their identities. You're not sure why. Perhaps it's some twisted form of vengeance on those who took your true love from you. You wonder if you could one day conquer the world, and live again as a human, but you realize that with each victim your heart grows fonder of Cecilia's replacement, and you can't bring yourself to kill her. Your mind is forever changed, and your search for the truth has been abandoned in favor of simple survival. You're happy. Sometimes you even laugh. You have survived, and thrived, with the help of a vampire. Vamp has proven to be a dependable companion, a thrall even, to you. The two of you share a contentment with each other, and a love. Vompa is your eternal princess. You'll rule as king and she'll be queen. Vamp will be your doting princess. But one day, Vamp says he's leaving. She takes you by the hand, and kisses you. "I'm taking Daniel's boat into town. It's night, so nobody will see me leave." She leaves. You haven't been Jacob Thomas Killenger in years. You're currently Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. You're the leader of Team Never Ending Story. You sit, waiting. Vamp stays out for a long time. Hours pass, and you begin to get worried. "Vamp?" He arrives back home. His face is bloody, and he hides behind a large man. The man has long red hair, and a rather large blade on him. "Don't worry," he says in an old voice. "There was never a Hazel Killenger," The man says. "There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But I killed him. I killed her. I killed everyone. I killed you. Good night, Vamp. Sleep tight, darling." Finally, you go into the basement. You look at the chained up body of Cecilia. You take out your blade and bring it down to slam it into her neck, allowing you to drink... But it's no use. She's already dead. She's been dead for hours. You bang your head into the table in frustration. No blood pours out of your head. You take out your blade again, and this time plunge it into her chest. You drink, and laugh at the death that fills your body. You don't feel a thing. You don't care. You go to town the next night. You take from the poor, letting the government tax the rich. You do it every day. You're still Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But you keep on fighting. You're sure as hell not going to go down without a fight. You finally visit your sister Grace, and explain what happened to you. Her eyes widen when you show her the scar on your wrist from cutting yourself. "This is why I wanted to be a doctor," you think to yourself. "Why I played with Lego's instead of shootin' guns." She hugs you tightly, and you just hug back. You need your sister right now. A few years pass, and you're still fighting. Vamp leaves you for dead, abandoning you in the woods when he realizes he can't control you. As you lie there, you whip out scissors and cut your hair off. It's long, now. It almost reaches your waist. You take off your jacket, and wrap it around your waist. You cover yourself with dirt, leaves and twigs. You wait. As you wait, you remove your makeup too. Eventually, when you're a man again (and you sort of look like a hunchback), you stand up. You wander the forests and woods, taking what you need from those too weak to stop you. The years pass, but the scars on your face tell the story of a man who's been through hell. You're known as The Ghoul. Your son Daniel tries to fight you. "You killed my father!" He yells. You ignore him. Four years later, he has your daughter, Grace. You kill her soon after she's born. Every now and then you see Hazel on the news. She's still fighting against the government. You become Hazel again. You laugh. She still wants to be the first on her team, even if she's last to leave it. You become a hero. As a hero, you go to revive Cecilia. It's simple, really. Just a bite on her neck. You want one of her young, so you can raise it as your own. You tell her you prefer being a vampiress to a man. You don't bother curing yourself of your blood lust, and have her revive you. You become a vampire. Cecilia is relieved she's alive again, and kisses you. You're ready to take over the world with her by your side. You become a group called the "Lesbian Lusters". You laugh. You wouldn't know a Lesbian from a guy, but you go along with it for now. You become a media darling. You let Hazel lead. She had the charisma. You had the strength. You become a vampire lord. You have no army, no territory, no major accomplishments. You reveal to Cecilia your disassociative identity disorder, and Hazel is your other personality. You rage and scream and hit her. You blame her for making you psychotic. You hit her again, then again, then again. She attempts to stop you, but you bite her neck. Then, she stakes you. The psychiatrist says you died instantly. He says Hazel was in control the whole time. You weren't really a happy person, so it makes sense. Even now, you want to laugh at such a notion. Your funeral begins the next day. Hazel showed up, and you demanded she be chained. She was. The remaining VLs show up, as do a few humans to pay their respects. Cecilia visits. Grace arrives to say a few words. Daniel arrives. And that's it. That's your legacy: A failed attempt at taking over the world, and a dead man who's daughter is an abusive alcoholic. What a tragic hero you were. Good night, Mr. Killinger. Sleep tight, 'cause tomorrow we'll kill the world again. At your funeral, Grace (your sister) says, "Whichever was in control, Jacob or Hazel, my sibling lived a fantastic life. They once rescued me and a card box from a slaughterhouse. Today, we don't celebrate Hazel or Jacob, but both the individuals in this magnificent body. The world may be less bright without them, but they would always want us to keep fighting. Rest In Peace, Jacob Thomas Killinger and Hazel Jacqueline Killinger, two great minds." Then, everyone applauds. You're buried in your home of Alton, in your backyard, near your parents and sister. Just another hero with a tragic story. Daniel uses a ritual to summon your ghost. "Hey, Jacob. We need to talk." Daniel sits next to you, and places his arm on the grave. "I know who killed you. It was Hazel. "I killed a person who shares my body?" You ask. "But why?" "She was a lesbian. Possibly trans. That's why she betrayed you. And that's why she killed herself." "I see. Thank you for bringing this to me, Daniel." "Thank you for being you. I'll never forget you, brother." Grace looks at him with a frown. "Who are you talking to?" "No one." Daniel gets up, and walks away. Well. That was an interesting experience. You decide to haunt Daniel. Whenever he has a nightmare, you appear and scare the bejeezus out of him. This continues for about a week, until finally, Grace gets tired of staying up all night to look after him. "Jacob, you need to stop doing this," she says. "Daniel's become a wreck due to lack of sleep. It's not healthy." "Fine. I'll stop." "Thanks." Grace walks away. The next night, you stop haunting. Daniel never mentions it ever again, and life goes back to normal. You'll just have to haunt other souls. You figure you'll go after Cecilia's soul, since she murdered you. When the time is right... Hey there, Cecilia. You almost laugh at the thought of you being a lesbian. She's such a manly woman. Also, how stupid would it be for her to fall for you? You're a ghost. She'd literally be cheating death itself. Nevertheless, you begin to haunt her. Whenever she falls asleep, you appear and scare the hell out of her. She complains to James, who says that he'll talk to you about it later. A few months pass, and life goes back to normal. You continue to haunt Cecilia, to which she continues to come to you complaining. The pair of you continue this cycle. One day, you go to class... Hey there, Cecilia. What a surprise to see you here. You know, I'm probably the only person that actually knows who you are around this school. Everyone else barely acknowledges your very existence. How's high school going for you? You seem bored. Boring, even. I suppose it is. There's not much to do around here. We have a few parties here and there, but nothing to really catch the eyes of the... well, the "masses." You're missing out, Cecilia. I guess James is here with you. Is he prettier than me? (Sigh) He's different. I still haven't gotten used to that. The whole town is full of pretty people, it seems. I think I like your look more. It's not as fake. Huh. I guess you do know me. I guess not, then. I'll just leave you to your babbling... Bye, Cecilia. See you later. You vanish, leaving a confused Cecilia behind you. Later, in detention... Hey there, Cecilia. Why are you sitting by yourself today? It's not like you to be the new person sitting alone. Also, it's probably for the best that you sit by yourself. Weirdos like Jacob don't tend to be popular. Not that you care... So, what have you been in for again, Detention period is over. Oh, you know the deal. You're in for a beating. I'm not even going to bother with a plea bargain this time. You're going to get the full force of my fist, not to mention what other tortures I have in store for you. Terrific. Anything else I should know? Not right now, but if you have something to tell me, I'll be sure to hear it. Well, I'm going to go over the rules... Stay after detention. Don't use the library as an escape route. Don't try to see Cecilia. Don't attempt to leave the school, at all. Got it. Well, you've certainly gotten my attention. A girl from another school trying to romance me? Why don't you just jot down a suicide note and give us a final solution to the problem instead? You don't respond. It's not like you really have much of a choice at this point. detention Wow, didn't expect that from you. I guess maybe I can take a hint. So... What were you saying? You have something to tell me? Yes, what is it? Well... You're going to have to be more specific than that. There's this girl... Well, okay, not just a girl, but she's a really pretty one. Yeah, pretty standard. Well, she's in my class, but I think she's trying to pick me out because she's jealous of me. I also think she wants to be my girlfriend. Hmm, not jealous, eh? That's odd. Well, it's not like I like her or anything, I don't think, but I don't want to make her angry either.... Um... So... What's the problem? I don't want to make her sad or mad.... Oh dear. You've really done it now. This girl sounds like she has some serious issues. If you were a lesser man, you'd probably feel sorry for her. As it stands, though, you still have to take her home, and you have no idea how to do that. You could just say, "Fine, you don't have to come with me. I'll leave." That would make her happy, and you're fairly certain that wouldn't make you happy. You could tell her the truth. Again, you aren't sure if you'd make things better or worse, but you suppose it couldn't hurt to try. You could lie. You'd have to come up with a lie that you're sure she'd buy, because the whole point is to make things easier for you and you're fairly certain it won't be easy. Well, options are options, but in any case, you're fairly certain only one of them is going to be completely beneficial. You just need to figure out which one. Oh, and you also need to tell her the truth, so you can get out of this crap. Well, I'm sure you already know what you're going to do. Yeah. That... Seems like the best way to handle this. It's always so hard to be honest with her. If Cecilia were here, she'd probably say to just tell the girl the truth. That's going to make things a whole lot harder though. Still, this Cecilia isn't going to help you with this problem either. All she's going to think is that you're trying to push someone away because you have a thing for her. Oh well, time to do what needs to be done. So, I guess you're going to have to tell this girl the truth. Well, that's what you're going with anyway. Your other big decision is whether or not to say you have a crush on her. This isn't some pathetic it's-not-me-itis attempt. You genuinely do. You just don't know how she's going to react to hearing that. Is she going to be insulted? Annoyed? Delighted? You have no idea. You're fairly certain the last thing she'd be is flattered though. Girls aren't really into guys who are into them. That's an insult to their ego and it can cause bouts of low self esteem. Even if they don't think it, it still hurts their feelings and that will just make their behavior worse. Still, you have to try. You don't know how you're going to fix things if you don't. You have some ideas, but you're still working on that. In any case, this is the situation: You're going to have to tell her you like her. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but you're going to do it. The question is, how do you do it? Should you just tell her you have a crush on her right after she thanks you? What if she gets angry and accuses you of saying it to provoke a reaction? Do you tell her after she's given you the rundown of all the things that have happened over the course of this adventure? You think you know what you should do, so the question is, do you have the courage to do it? You're drawing a blank on how to act. If you're going to do this, you need to get up the courage. ... Well, this is awkward. You've never had to do this before... You head downstairs to the living room and find Cecilia there, waiting for you. "Hey, Jacob." She says calmly. "Um, hey Cecilia. I was wondering if you-" You stop yourself right there and take a deep breath. This is it. "Cecilia, um..." "Yes?" She asks, turning to you. Why do girls have to be so pretty? This is why you don't ever have crushes. It messes with your mind. Why do you have to be so handsome? Men like you Sp Notification: You have a crush on Cecilia. Current score is 7/25. Spin the wheel! Choose your course of action: You're socially awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. "Cecilia, I'm a girl," You say. She looks at you confused. "What? No, you're a boy." "I'm a girl. I have a crush on you." She raises an eyebrow. "You do?" "Yes." She raises her eyebrow even higher. "I don't think I've ever seen you around before, do I know you?" You gulp nervously. "No, I just u-um... I just sort of had a feeling," You say. "A feeling?" She asks skeptically. You take a deep breath. "My name is Hazel. I live inside your husband's head." You explain. "What? No, my husband doesn't have a stalker." She says. "Really? Because I'm sure he'd be the perfect one to have one." "He doesn't. I promise." "I am his other self," You explain. "But I like you either way." She raises an eyebrow. "You're his other self?" "Yes," you smile. "Do you have a pen and paper? I could tell you more about myself." "Um, OK," She says, fumbling with something. "Do you mind if I ask what you're doing?" You ask. "I'm preparing an explanation for my friends," She says. "If you don't mind." "Go ahead." "So, what's your name?" She asks. "Hazel," You smile. "What are you planning on telling your friends?" "The truth." "Sure," You smile. "I'll be waiting outside." You walk outside and wait for your ride. Soon, it arrives. "Hey Hazel," Charlie asks. "Charlie," You smile. "You're pretty quiet this evening." He says. "Sorry," You say. "I'm a little overwhelmed by all this." "Hazel, welcome to the family," Dad says. "I know you've had a horrible couple of days, and you've come through it. You will always have a home here with us, OK?" You smile and nod. "Thanks, dad," You say. "You want to tell me what's going on?" Dad asks. You calm him down and tell him everything. It goes much smoother than with Cecilia. "That's great, Hazel," Dad says. "We love you no matter what." "I love you too," You hug him. You meet the rest of the family. They seem just uninterested in you, which is just as well. Even if they weren't, what would it change? You had a good time with them. You feel loved for the first time in your life. Soon, it's time to say goodbye. "Bye Hazel," Dad says. "We're so proud of you." "Bye Hazel," Momma and Cecilia say in unison. "Bye Hazel," The rest of the family says. You walk to the bus stop. Charlie is already there. "Hey Hazel," He smiles. "That was quick. You ready to go?" "Yeah," You smile. "Thanks for being my ride. That was really nice of you." "No problem," He says. "Hey, do you want to go to that new hang out place of mine?" "What is it?" You ask. "The top of the Ferris wheel at night," He says. "It's supposed to be really cool to see the city." "Yeah, OK," You smile. "I'd love to see the city." You get on the bus and ride back home, where you quickly fall asleep. When you wake up, it's time for school. You get ready and head off to Mr. K's class. You manage to keep your head down and not pay much attention. Later, when school ends, you say goodbye to your friends and walk home. You walk past the drug store and continue on home, thinking about Charlie's eyes. "I like hazel eyes," He says. "Every girl should have them." You shake your head. What is Charlie on? You enter your home and find your mom and dad waiting for you. "Hello Hazel," Dad says. "We need to talk to you." "Oh," You say. "Alright." "Come into the kitchen," Mom says. "Both of you." You follow your parents into the kitchen. "Hazel," Dad says. "We're going to have to talk about something that's been bothering us. It's about your powers." "Mom, dad!" You say in unison. "Now," Dad says sternly. "Hazel, you have grown considerably more powerful over the years. Powerful enough that you could be a danger to yourself and others, and for that reason we're going to have to tie your powers down. You'll be going to a special school away from normal people." "But I don't want to go to a special school!" You exclaim. "Can't I stay here with you guys? I don't want to go!" "We're sorry Hazel," Your mom says. "It's for your own safety. The school will help us train you how to control your powers more, as well as how to hide them better. It's the best solution." "But I don't want to go!" You wail. "Listen to your dad," Dad says. "This is how it's going to be, so just deal with it." You stand up and you're about to walk off, when Dad stops you. "Just calm down, we're not done yet," Dad says. "There's more. Because of your ability, we're going to have to get you a bodyguard. This will be very hard for you, but we know it's necessary. After discussing it with your mother, we've decided to get Jon." "Jon who?" You ask. "Jon Karson, sweetie," Your mom says. "He's very popular, so you shouldn't have any problems in that aspect. He'll be moving in with us slightly, so we can ensure your safety in a better way." Dad turns to you. "We want you to be nice to him, alright?" Dad says. "No killing, no abusing him, and if he starts showing any signs of having powers then you can kill him." "If," You switch back to Jacob. You don't want to argue with your dad, but you're not going to roll over and take it like a doll. "If what?" You ask. "If he starts showing signs of having powers," Dad says. "It's to make sure you don't kill him, because we still have to go through with the wedding." "Dad, I'm not killing Jon. If he starts acting weird, I'm going to tell him to go to the police, not kill him. And seriously, he can't have powers. You told me so." "Well, I'm not sure," Dad says. "I mean, I guess we can test him to see if he's... well anything for now." You sigh. Jon might actually be a fake. You didn't think it was possible, but you actually hate this guy a little more right now. "Fine," You say. "Good, good!" Dad says. "Great work as always, Hazel." You just want to go to bed, but you have to go with your dad. Instead, you decide to just wait in the car. A few minutes pass, and you start fearing the worst. "Jon!" Dad says, walking out the house. "We need to go." Your stomach drops. Jon stands outside the house, dressed in a nice suit. He smiles at you, looking genuine and friendly. "You're Jon Karson," You say, still in shock. "Oh, I'm so sorry sir!" He says. "I didn't recognize you in your younger form." "No, it's alright," Dad says. "Where's Hazel?" "I'm here," You reply. "You can let me out of the car." Jon walks around to the passenger door, and opens it for you. "Hi, I'm Jacob," You say to Jon. "It's a... small world, isn't it? I know all about you." "Oh?" Jon says, raising an eyebrow. "What do you know about me, Jacob?" "You don't have powers," You say. "At least, I hope you don't. I hope you're all clear." "You can check," Dad says, pulling out his phone. "I want to prove that it's safe, Hazel. Come on, Jon." "Okay," Jon says, stepping onto the street. "Thanks for being so honest, Jacob. I appreciate it." "No problem," You reply. "I'm sure I'll see you around, Jon." "Okay, darling," Dad says, as you roll the window back up. You watch as the two men walk towards a police car, and you start the car and pull away from the house. You stop for a moment, then grab your dad's phone. You look up the number to call the police, then realize you're sitting in a ' police car '. You put the phone down, and try to forget about it. "What was that about?" Dad asks. "Jon Karson," You reply. "Your date for the wedding." "He's not my date," Dad says. "He's your date." "Either way, I'm late for school." You pull into the school parking lot. A police car pulls in right behind you. "Hi, I'm Jacob Thomas Killinger. How may I help you?" You ask. "I'm Officer Karthun," The police officer says. "You're the boy who found the dead body, aren't you?" "I am," You reply. "We need to talk to you about that." You pause for a moment, before opening the door and getting out of the car. You shake Officer Karthun's hand, then follow him toward the school. "So, did you have to go see the principal?" Officer Karthun asks. "Yeah, after you called. I get in trouble. I'm sorry for the confusion." "It's alright. Confusion is good. It means you're human, Killinger. The world would be a very boring place if everything were perfect, no?" You don't really understand the joke, but you don't have time to worry about it now. You wait in the empty hallway for a moment. "So. About that dead body we found a little while ago..." Officer Karthun begins. "Yeah?" You reply nervously. "Well, do you know who it is?" "Not really," "It's actually my wife, Cecilia, from my previous incarnation," You say, overpowering Hazel. "Oh. Um, I'm so sorry for your loss," Officer Karthun says. "Thank you," You say. "So, did you know each-?" "I have to go." "Alright, Killinger. Talk to you later." "Bye," you say, trying not to sound too eager. You walk quickly to the administration office. You open the door and walk inside. "Hello?" You call. No response. You walk inside and see no one. You look around the room, but see no one. Then, you hear a scream. "SHIT!" You yell, as you look around for the source of the scream. You walk over to a door on the far side of the office, leading into a bathroom. You open the door to find a girl, around your age, with blood all over her. She screams again as you open the door, and a large man comes charging out of a nearby stall. "STOP!" He yells. You don't really have a choice, as he grabs you by the scruffy beard you were forced to grow for your dad's employer, Mr Scamander. "You're coming with me," he says. Along the way, you explain everything that's happened. "But in short, just call me Hazel," You finish. "I'm Karth," You say, as you extend your hand. "I'm Cecilia," She replies, taking your hand. The three of you walk into the principal's office. You sit in the waiting area, as Karth and Cecilia explain to the school what's happened. Soon, Mr Dendar appears. "Hello, Cecilia," He says. "I'm very sorry for your loss. I'll do everything in my power to solve this case, so Karth, you need not worry." "Thank you, sir," Karth says. "What can I do for you two today?" Mr Dendar asks. "We found a dead body in the woods," Karth says. "The dead body was mine in my previous incarnation. I was reincarnated into this form with the same name as last time, except now I have powers," Cecilia explains. "I'm confused. How did you die?" Mr Dendar asks. "I was murdered," You say. "Wait, you're saying you were murdered?" Mr Dendar says. "Yes," "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "Interesting. Well then, I suppose this would be a good time to introduce you to the school nurse, seeing as there's two of you." "Mr Dendar, we're not hurt," Cecilia says. "We're fine. "I'm also not a reincarnation like these two," Karth says. "My parents were murdered when I was a baby, and I had to live with an adopted family. It was the evilest man of all who did this deed. So now, I want to learn how to avenge their deaths by being at this school." "What are we going to do?" You whisper. "I want you both to finish your free period, pack a bag, and meet me in the student lounge at five thirty." "Why?" "Because I'm doing you a favor. I'm giving you the chance to avenge your parents. If you refuse, there will be consequences. See you there." With those last words, Mr Dendar leaves. You and Cecilia begin to head to your lockers, but Karth calls you over to him. "What's wrong?" You ask. "I just wanted to thank you.' Karth says. "Mr Dendar is a complete idiot who needs to stick to being the soccer coach. I know we just met, but I trust you and Cecilia with my life." "Cool," You smile. "I'm glad to be able to help." "Just don't fail me." "Never." The three of you finish packing, and head to the lounge at five thirty. When you arrive, Karth immediately takes a seat in the back, and makes himself scarce. You don't understand this behavior, until you notice the tape the police have placed across the entrance to the lounge. "What now, dad?" You whine. "Can't we go in?" "No." "Also, did I mention we have a big family?" You say. "Six siblings, we're all blond." "Can we go outside to talk?" You ask. "No." "Is there a window we could go through?" "Well, what are we going to do? "I don't know, but my parents are just powerless mortals," Cecelia says. "I think we should take the tapes and the money, and give them to Mr Dendar. Then, we can all protest about not getting our funds." "Yeah, wouldn't that be nice?" You say. "Okay, what's plan B?" "I can't recall any," Cecilia says. "I guess we could just leave. I mean, there's no tape across the road entrance. We could just sneak out that way." "I don't think that's a good idea," Cecilia says. "Mr Dan-" "Dendar. Correct." "Mr. Dendar will not be able to do anything about the police. We need to stay and see this through." "Can we at least put the tape back so we know where to go?" "I don't think that would be a good idea, seeing as they took our tape to begin with." Plan B is discarded. You wait for three hours before you see Mr Dendar, who looks absolutely exhausted. You notice his tie is crooked and there's a tear in the sleeve of his jacket. "Give me the Philosopher's stone," He says. "Give it to me now." "We haven't even seen your film yet," You say. "The movie isn't important! Give me the stone! I need to destroy it!" "Why would you want to do that?" "Because it's a threat to my existence! I have to, there's no other option! "You're the guy who killed my parents possessing Mr. Dendar, aren't you? What's your name?" Karth asks. "My name doesn't matter. You'll all pay for what you've done." "No, we'll give you the stone. I have to agree with Cecilia though, we need to protest." You go back inside, and hand the tape back to Mr. Dendar. "I'm sorry about this," You apologize. "We can watch the movie some other time." "No, please, do it now!" He says. You hit play, and Ben Elton's 'We Hate You' song starts to play. The cashier begins to speak. "Hello, and thanks for coming to my theater! My name is Cecilia, and I'll be your host for tonight. Before we begin, do any of you idiots know how to work a tape deck?" Nobody does. "Hey, give your sister this old diary to pour her feelings into," Mr. Dendar says. "It's totally not gonna possess her to paralyze all the norm kids here and bring back the guy inside me in a secret chamber." Cecilia hands out the diaries and tapes. "Now, please pay attention, because I'm only gonna say this once." The intro starts, and the movie begins. You watch the movie 'Ghostworld', which is about two teenage sk8r girls, one popular girl and one awkward girl who becomes friends with her. "Also, in case a werewolf comes to teach here, it will probably attract your godfather, Karth, so be on the lookout for him," Mr. Dandar adds. Suddenly, you're hit by a bolt of lighting and George A. K. McRory's 'Extra Pain' starts playing. George A. K. McRory is a werewolf. "I'll make my grand reentrance during your fourth year, while Karth is in the Three School Tournament and gets his friend killed, but me resurrected," The entity in Mr. Dendar adds. "I'll also take over the town, turning everyone into a-" You raise your hand. "Whoa there, Dendar! I know what you do! But... Why...? "Because this will attract the woman I'm planning to have overthrow your principal the year after that and make your lives miserable," Mr. Dendar says. "I'm... A very petty being, but so incredibly right in this case!" The movie ends. "I'm also going to let my double agent who works here loan you an old notebook to use in your worst class, which won't be your worst anymore once you get ahold of it, all during the occuring war," The entity in Dendar says. "I'd let you read it, but it'd probably mess with your mind, as most students' have in the past. This is your warning, Karth. I'll be watching you. I'm everywhere." "One more thing, Karth, I've split my soul into seven pieces, which you three must find the year after that, during which I'll completely take over your school and have an epic battle with you," The entity finishes. Mr. Dendar flees, and you, Karth, and Cecilia look at each other. "I don't know what that was all about, but it can't be anything good," You say. "Well, the notebook will help us with number four," Cecilia says. "Number Four?" You ask. "Yeah, there's a ritual to banish children'sspirals to. We'll have to do it when the time comes." Later, you decide to perform the Ritual to Summon the Gatekeepers in the abandoned mineshaft in the woods. The only thing you can figure it is, you need the help of beings that went through the gate. You just wonder what other help they'll need to make sure the spell is completed. You summon the gatekeepers, who you learn are beings of pure, unending hatred. The beings begin to circle you, before one of them begins spouting a series of numbers. "He's calling the order of gladiators! Get 'em off the field!" Mr. Demar shouts. You raise your weapon, and begin firing upon the horde of celluloid monsters. You cut down a few, before you're struck by several spears made of flame. You fall to the ground, as the horde continues to attack you. The only thing you can hear is the laughter of the gatekeeper horde as they file out of the stadium and into the night. And then, the world goes black. You wake up in the mineshaft, covered in dirt and grime. You're alive, although you have multiple bruises and a broken leg. You feel like you've ran a marathon. "Karth!" Cecilia shouts. "You're alive! Are the others alright?" You look around, noticing the gatekeepers surrounding you and your allies. "Did you get them all?" You ask. "They're all here," The leader of the gatekeepers, a pale, gaunt man covered in burn scars says. "Except for that one." He indicates Cecilia with a nod. "The little one was incredibly difficult to catch. I don't know how you managed to avoid them all, Karth, but we're very grateful." "I'm not Karth," You remind Cecilia. "I'm Jacob, who in our previous life, was your husband that you murdered. I hope we don't make this mistake again." You stand up, and see the bodies of your friends lying on the floor. "What... What happened?" "The gatekeepers were very effective," Mr. Demar says. "Karth didn't deserve to die," Cecilia says, tears in her eyes. "He was doing so well against the demons. He risked his life to save mine. And now... Now he's gone. But at least he lives on in glory!" "It's okay, Jacob, you always have me," The Hazel side of you says. "I'll always be here to keep you grounded. Remember, life isn't fair. What happens, happens. You can't spend your life blaming others or you will also meet the same end. "I love you, Jacob," Cecilia says, kissing you. "Be happy." You nod, and turn to the leader of the gatekeepers. "Gatekeepers, I want you to know, I greatly appreciate all your help during this incident. If there's anything I can do for your order, let me know." "We will," He says. "You've been a great help to us as well, Karth. We hope that you will stay with us, at least for a while." You smile and nod. "Of course," "I'm Jacob, you idiots," You say. "You can leave now. I'll take it from here." "As you wish," Mr. Demar says, sighing. "We'll be in touch about the details of your stay." The gatekeepers leave, leaving you alone with Mr. Demar. "Well, that was exciting," Mr. Demar laughs. "I thought you were going to die there for a second. Your two personalities (Hazel and Jacob) fight for a good response. "Well, I guess you are stronger than I am," Cecilia says. "I know I am. I'm so glad both of you made it." "I'm happy to help," Mr. Demar says. After a long moment of silence, Mr. Demar leaves you alone with your wife. "Cecilia, do you remember Daniel, our son?" You ask. "Do you think he's still alive?" "I hope so," She says. "That boy was so full of life. Just like you." You nod, smiling. "I'm glad I could help you both out," You say. "Daniel would be proud." You hold her hand, and she holds yours back. The two of you look at each other, and know. This was the happiest Cecilia had ever been. None of this will have solved anything. The dead will still be dead. The living will still be living. Nothing will change. But for now, everything is good. END Now an old man, Daniel Killinger decides to pay a visit to Hogwarts. He didn't get the chance to visit the last time he was here, something about Professor Quirrell not needing any help at the time. He is shocked to see his parents are students there, and reincarnated. (Well, his mother is and he isn't, but you get the point.) He decides not to approach them, as he knows how terrifying ghosts can be. "Daniel!" Cecilia (his mother) says. "It's so weird to be older than you!" His father (Jacob/Hazel) adds. "Are you here to send us back to our graves?" Cecilia asks. "No," Mr. Killinger says. "I just came to visit, I didn't expect to run into you guys." "Reincarnation is fun, son," Jacob says. "Especially keeping your memories and your feminine side." "I... Think I'm gonna head home now," Mr. Killinger says, a bit scared by the ghosts. "It was nice seeing you guys." "You can't just leave," Cecilia says. "Where's Daniel?" "He's, uh, outside," Mr. Killinger says nervously. "You can see us?" Daniel asks. "When Hazel and Jacob showed me their souls, I could see you." "Daniel, what's wrong with you? Why do you have a hard time talking to people?" Cecilia asks. "The main character in my book can't interact with other people," Mr. Killinger explains. "I made him that way so the allegory would be more powerful." "Allegory?" Jacob asks. "It means a story with a moral, or a story with a deeper meaning," Mr. Killinger slightly composes himself. "The main character in my book, The Ugly Duckling, represents someone who may never be accepted by society no matter what they do. Always different, never like everyone else, but with great potential inside. "So, just like how I was never accepted because I have Hazel inside me?" You ask. "Yeah, I think so," Mr. Killinger says. You are about to ask another question, but Mr. Killinger starts to walk away very fast towards the door. "Daniel, wait!" Cecilia says. You let her parent go, and head home yourself. You end up in bed, drifting off to sleep. You hope you don't get nightmares. "I told you not to follow me!" You hear a voice say. You slowly turn over in your bed, staying perfectly still and quiet. "It isn't worth it, my little shadow," the voice says. "You lack the power to fight me, and you know it." "Leave Cecilia alone," you say, continuing to try to get a read on the voice. "Never," the voice hisses. "I'll kill her and everyone you care about, one by one." "Who... Who are you? Show yourself! " The shadow looms over you, and you grab your crucifix, holding it up and preparing to fire. "Relax, Daniel, it's just me," the voice says. "Your mother's in the next room. She doesn't know anything's wrong, I made sure of that. However, if you stay here your end is going to her." "My end?" you ask. "What is it?" "I need you to perform a task, Daniel. Go to the top of that big tower in the east and search there for a golden egg. Crack it open and grab the card inside. Then, bring it back to me." "What? Why should I do that?" "Because if you don't, your end is going to be much... darker." "Okay, I won't do it," you say. "Now stop threatening me and leave my mom alone." "So uncompromising. Well, I guess I'll have to kill you after all. Oh, how disappointing. I was hoping to avoid that." You heart starts beating faster. "However, your mother has a much... pleasurable end in mind for you. She wants to see you... permanently." "What...?" "You have a choice, Daniel. I'm giving you a chance to live out the rest of your short life any way you want. You can be a normal boy, go to school, get a job, have a family, and die peacefully in your sleep one day. That's what your mom wants. Or, you can be a warrior. Be strong and courageous. Take up the mantle of the warrior and live a life of adventure, going from one dangerous quest to the next. You'll be a real hero, doing grand deeds and going down in history. You'll gain the admiration of everyone. However... you can never let yourself get soft. You can't let yourself have pity or remorse. You can't have a girlfriend. You can't wear clothes. You can't touch anything that's alive. You can't... have children." "What the hell are you saying, you sicko?" "I'm saying, Daniel, that you have a choice. But, make the right choice, and it won't have to be an easy one." "What...?" The voice then gets quieter and quieter, until it's completely silent. You look around, but find nothing. The room you end up in is much bigger than your bedroom. There's a desk with a computer on it, a closet, a small bookshelf, a dressers, and a few other pieces of furniture. An exit is nearby, as well as the door you came from. You're not sure what to make of hallucinations at this point. You're not even sure if what you just experienced was a hallucination. Your surroundings seem somewhat familiar, and you feel like you've been here before, but you're not sure where. "Welcome to Team Never Ending Story Lair!" a voice says. You turn around and see the speaker. He's a boy with brown hair wearing a black t-shirt and black shorts. His eyes are hidden by a mask with a red grin, like that of a beast. He has several piercings, including his tongue, eyebrows, and navel. He holds up a hand to stop you from saying anything. "Don't worry, Daniel, we'll make this as easy for you as possible. Take off your clothes, and get in the circle." There's no way out of this, you're sure of it now. It's very similar to when that girl trapped you in her car, only you have no idea what's going on here. This is some seriously mental stuff. You don't want to go through with this, but you don't have much of a choice, do you? You take off your shirt and shorts, leaving you in your underwear. The boy looks over to a note he's holding, then back at you. "Put these on, and put the mask on." You comply, putting on the t-shirt and shorts and putting on the mask. "Good. Now, grab your weapon of choice." You do so, lifting up your BB Gun. "Now, step into the circle." You do so, entering an oval shaped symbol drawn onto the ground. The walls seem too clean to be real, and there's no windows in this room. You wonder if it's even real. "Excellent," the boy says. "Let's begin." He holds up a small card, revealing a list of numbers. A pen is then produced, and the boy draws a line through the number 5. "This is your number. Now, choose your weapon." You look around, spotting a lighter and a box of matches on a table. You grab the lighter, using it to light the box of matches. "What's going on?" The boy glares down at you. "You ask a lot of questions, Daniel. I'm going to make this really easy for you. Take the lighter and set the box on fire." This is getting weirder and weirger. You do so, watching the matches burn. Nothing happens. "Good girl," the boy says. He holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe." He shows you a series of other symbols, each with a different meaning. There's one that looks like a skull with a diagonal cut out of it. you think you guys can restore my parents Jacob and Cecilia to the bodies and ages they would have today if they hadn't died or become vampires?" You ask. "We can try, sure," the boy says. "But it's really, really hard. We're not going to do it. I'm going to show you a sign, Daniel. Whenever you're asked a question you don't want to answer, or you don't know the answer to, use this sign. It'll save you from a lot of pain and suffering." He points to a symbol, a combination of two crossed swords overlaying a "X". The boy holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe. "Stop repeating yourself," You say. "Look, I want my parents back to normal. Do you have any idea how weird it is to have a dad with two souls in him?" "Weird?" The boy says with a chuckle. "If it was weird, I'd say yes. But since it's perfectly normal, and perfectly natural, I can't help but find it weird too." "What are you even talking about?" "I'm talking about-" The boy pauses, looking confused to as you. "Do you know what a split personality is, Daniel?" "Sure," you say. "Multiple personalities." "Right," the boy says. "Multiple personalities. It's when a person's mind splits into different people. It's quite common, especially in those who have experienced trauma in their past, like you. My name's Jacob by the way. "That's my dad's name," You say. "I'm Daniel. What are you talking about? What's a split personality?" "Easy," the boy says, writing on the notepad he has. "Imagine your mind as a movie. Your movies have scenes, those are our concepts. Your mind has a Director who puts the scenes together, and an Editor who cuts out the unnecessary parts of the movie, leaving only the best for last. Your mind also has a Cast, who are the people you think about the most. If one of them is a murderer, you might have thoughts about murdering them. But, you don't act on those thoughts. Your mind has a illnesses and traumas, that are the worst for your movies of the mind. People with split personalities have Multiple Personalities. Let's take you as an example. "That would be my father," you say. "His other personality is a woman named Hazel," You look at the boy with confusion. The boy gapes his mouth, shaking his head a bit. "He doesn't know?" "Knows what? What are you talking about? Who is Hazel?" "Honestly?" Jacob says, raising his hands up in defense. "I don't know. Not even sure if she is real. Mom says she's the spirit of his dead girlfriend." "His... Girlfriend?" "Sure," Jacob says, shrugging. "Dad's always had a thing for blondes, and he went out with Hazel for quite awhile when he was in college. Even after he got together with Mom." You're in shock. "You're my brother?" You ask. "I had a brother? Why didn't you ever talk about him?" "He didn't exist," Jacob says. "Sorry, Daniel." You're speechless. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Why do I feel connected to you?" You ask. "Who are you really?" "Who am I really?" Jacob asks with a laugh. "I'm your imaginary friend! Anytime you have a question, just ask God!" "I'm not religious. Ask literally any other question and I'll answer it." Jacob rolls his eyes, before shrugging. "Ok, fine," he says. "God, are you real?" The pencil stops. "Am I real?" God asks. "Am I alive? Yes. Am I a man, or a woman, or an animal, or a color? "Or maybe you're like my dad, and both of the first two options," You say. There's a long pause. "Am I your God?" God asks. "... Yes." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "I don't think so," God says. "I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before." "... What way would I know? I'm just a man." "Are you black or white?" "What? No." "Ok, what about the TV? Are you a light or a dark color?" "Why does it matter?" "Because some people have asked me that. Black and white. Good and evil. Man and God." "... I'm not either. I'm... multicolored." "I'm confused," God says. "Are you a TV or not a TV?" "It's not a TV. It's a toaster." "Ah. I see." "Can you stop being a toaster and just stay a TV?" You ask. "Because I need one, and I really don't want to get a toaster." "Well... I could try," God says. "But I can't make any promises." "Trying is better than not trying, right?" You ask. "Sure," God says. "So... Can you please try?" "I'll try to restore your parents to their proper bodies and ages," God agrees. "But I canonly give you my word. It's very difficult to alter the flow of time. I may or may not be successful." "Try," you say. "Please." "I will," God says. "I promise." "Thanks," you say with a sigh of relief. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Dad?" You say, waking up back in your own bed. "Dad, I had a weird dream." "... Well, what did it entail?" You take a deep breath. "God was a toaster." "WHAT?!" Your father says. "How do you even know about toasters? "I don't know, but it promised to restore you to your proper body. Your proper age. But how does Hazel feel about that?" You ask. "Do strange things happen to her body when you go back in time?" "I don't know! I told you, I never went back in time. There was nothing for me to go back to! "I know you're wrong, Dad. But we need to fix this. I'm glad you chose reincarnation, but we need to reverse this. Save both you and Hazel, and Mom as well." You say. "I can't do it, son. I'll stay a child forever if I have to, but it's just not worth it. I have everything I want." "What do you want, Dad?" You ask. "I want to be a kid again." You sigh, and your Dad just stares at you with a smile... Well, there's two of them. You're not sure if a third one is even possible. And that's something you need to solve. ... "God, why won't you listen to me?" You scream. "I'm your creation, surely you should be able to contact me! Am I doing something wrong? What the hell am I doing wrong?" "Does this involve me?" God asks. "No." "Then why don't you just ask the person who can? Your Mom. She's the one that went back in time." "So what? She's not listening to me either! I tried to tell her, but she doesn't want to listen!" "Maybe she prefers ignorance. At least, until she's caught up to 1970." "Is that all you have to say for yourself? Why aren't you helping me? You're supposed to be all powerful!" "And I'm telling you I'm not doing it." "GOD DAMNIT! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SO FROM CONFLICT?! I PRAYED TO YOU! I PRAYED YOUR HOLY NAME! I PRAYED FOR YOUR HELP!" "And? What do you want me to do, intervene in the world and risk my own existence? Why would I do that when I have no guarantee that you would be successful or not risk damaging my own existence in the process? You're on your own kid." "But..." "Don't bother asking me to stay. You know why?" "No." "Because I'm not a god. I'm just a voice in the darkness that's playing judge, jury and executioners. Good luck kid. " And just like that, the darkness fades and you're left with nothing but your bed and a very tired father who is putting his head down. "What... What time is it? "Time to take control," Hazel says from your dad's body. You sit up and your mind is flooded with the voice of Hazel. "Sorry about that. Like I said, it takes a bit of energy." "You... You did that while we slept?" "Yep. Took a while to get the hang of it, but it's actually not too bad." "So you could've killed my Dad?" "No. I couldn't do that without your consent. And I didn't kill him. I just put him to sleep. I also didn't know how you were going to react. That's why I spoke to you first. You try to stand, but feel dizzy. You sit back down. "Now, now, calm down. We've got a lot to discuss, so don't pass out on me." "Can't we just talk? You said you'd answer any question." "Oh, we can, but not right now. First things first. You're in grave danger, and I'm the only one that can help you. But I need you to listen to me. No questions until we're finished." You nod, though you feel as if you should be suspicious. "Alright. Briefly about me, I'm a time traveller. That's the entire short answer. There are many more questions you'd like to ask, but I can't answer them. Not yet. However, I will answer the most important one right now." "What?" you ask nervously. "Do you trust me?" "..." "No?" "... I'm not sure. Why does it matter if I trust you?" "Because if you don't, everyone I say from here on out is going to be used against you. I can't trust you to not betray me. Now, do you trust me?" "I don't know." "Lucky you. It's a livable answer." Hazel laughs. "Alright, let me give you a little more information. I am from the year...." Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. ".... We're currently in the year 2540." "... What does that mean? I don't even know where to start." "Where do you want to start? I'll tell you everything I know about the world, and you can tell me if it sounds correct." "... OK. Go ahead." Hazel begins to explain. A few years after she left, the virus spread throughout the world. She said there were two major factions that formed, the New-U.C.O.N. and the U.S.A. The New-U.C.O.N. was a world government that took over after the virus had taken over. They introduced the five pillars that are still in use today.... Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. "Hazel?" You wait for an answer, but none comes. "Hazel? Is that your name?" "Yes." "Well, Hazel, I'll see you around some time." "Sure. Goodbye Jacob." Your father regains control of his body. "Goodbye, Hazel. Something wrong, son?" "No. I'll be going to bed early. See you in the morning. Goodnight, Hazel." You head upstairs. You're exhausted, and you're not even sure what time it is. "Goodnight, Jacob. Sleep well. The next day, you ask your dad if he'd ever want a separate body from Hazel. His reaction is negative, he says it's not worth the hassle to him. You end the conversation. You continue with your new routine. You wake up at 6, get ready, and head off to school. On the way there, you run into views, a giant box with a human body. He's a descendant of the original Views. Now, he has a mind so spread out that he has over ten thousand eyes in his head, all but one eye being able to see in all directions. He stares at you, and you stare back. You realize you both haven't said a word. "Hello." you offer. "You have glasses." views states simply. "Yes, I do. So do you." "I have many eyes." "I have many friends." "Do you play games?" You think for a second. "Yes, I play games." "Can you help me be better at games? So that I can get more friends?" "I can try, but I don't think you want many friends. They will crowd you out." "How do I get rid of them?" "You can eat them." You think for a second. "Can they be left alone if they're left alone? I don't want to get rid of them, I want to get along with them." "Sure. You can eat every other one, and just have the others stay. What do you play?" "Games. I like games." "I play spades." "Do you want to play a game?" "Yes." "Then we'll play spades. Come on, I'll walk you home." You spend the rest of the day with views, eating crickets and getting to know each other a bit better. He's surprisingly fun to be around, and you have a blast playing games, especially Monopoly. That night, you dream of Hazel. "Hi Hazel, I had fun with views." "I'm glad, I'm glad you had fun. But, why did you do it? Why did you leave me? Why can't you stay?" "I can't stay." "I need you to stay, with me. I need you. You're my friend, Jacob. Please stay! Stay with me!" "I can't stay, I'm sorry. Please don't cry." "I'm not crying, you're making me cry! Why are you making me cry? I'm not a, I'm not a... I'm not a--" "What, Hazel? What are you?" "I'm a child! I'm a child! I want to play, I want to play! I want to stay a child! Please make me a powerful, fun-loving child again! Please, please, pretty please! Pretty, pretty please with sugar on top!" "I can't make you a child, Hazel. I'd make you a monster if I could. I'm sorry, but I made a deal. I have to stick by it." "I don't want to be a child again! I want to play, I don't want to think! I want to feel! I want to live!" "I'm sorry Hazel, but you have to grow up. I'm sorry. I wish I could take away your pain, but I can't. No one can. But I know the way you can deal with it. Get drunk, and play more games." "No. I want to feel something else. I want to feel... I want to feel love. I want someone to love me. Can you do that? Can you love me, please?" "I'm sorry, Hazel. I can't. Please, leave me alone. Go find a boy your age to play with. Or... or get a job. Get a job and pay off the debts you've acquired. That's an option, but you'll eventually grow out of it. That's the best I can do for you." "So I'm a dumb hound!" "No, Hazel. You're not a dumb hound. You're... well, you're a weird hound, but I'll always remember the fun times we had together. Always. Good luck, kid. And if you happen to run into views, tell him I said, 'Hello.'" "I will. Jacob shakes you awake. "Get up, kid. We have a meet." You stand, and follow Jacob to his van, where you notice two large binders on the floor. "What are those?" "Those are my insurance forms. The binders, not the hound." He opens the passenger door, and you climb in. He closes the door, locks it, and climbs in the driver's seat. "So... What now?" "We drive to the meet." "Where is it?" Jacob keeps his eyes on the road, but turns his head to you. "It's in that big, yellow building on the hill." He points out the window. "Just head up there. I'll text you when it's time to leave." You stare at the hill in confusion. "Do you want me to go undercover as a hound, too? So I can go in the big yellow building?" "No. there's no point in you doing that. You're not a hound." "I'm not?" "You're a human." "I'm not really a human, though. I'm..." "What? Different? Interesting. I guess you'd literally be the only human in the building, then. It's called the 'Humanis'." You turn to stare at Jacob incredulously. "You're kidding, right?" Jacob turns off the road to a parking lot filled with dozens of cars. "No. I'm not." "So what are you exactly?" Jacob sighs. "I don't know. I'm a human who does stuff with cars and other assorted machinery. I guess you could call me a 'mechanic', but lately I've been trying to break away and do my own thing. I dunno, I'm not really sure of what I am. "You're my father," You say. "And a pretty cool aunt too." "Don't really have a close relationship with either of them. They're alright. What about your mother? Do you have a close relationship with her?" You think for a moment. Hazel takes over. "His relationship with Hazel is strained, but apparently it's a little better with his mother. You could say they get along." "Is that so? How do you get along with her?" You hesitate. "It's me, Hazel. I took over the body now. Are we going to the Humanis? Jacob's hand was pointing to it." Hazel says. "Yeah. I suppose we are." Jacob smiles at the response. A smug, happy smile that you didn't want to see right now. "How old is Jacob, anyway?" You wonder out loud. "Your father, Jacob, and thus me, are 540 years old," Hazel says. "Vampirism and reincarnation." "Oh. So you're, what, a hundred and fifty years old?" "Something like that." "Jesus. That bites. How old are you, Hazel? "540. Just like your dad," Hazel says, as you pull into the Humanis parking lot. You shake your head, and exit the car. You can see the group sitting around a large table. Mr. Reynolds is there with his two lackeys, Nick and Carter. Also there are Kyle, arguably the weakest of the Creations, and a vampire you don't know named Lucas. The latter stares at you as you approach, but says nothing. "I want my dad and his split personality returned to their proper body and appearance, as well as my mom." You say. Mr. Reynold's smile drops. "No deal. You're just too risky. I'm sure you understand." You stare at him in disbelief. "You're lying. Of course you have them, what are you even doing here? Did you kidnap them? "No. I'm just a businessman here to contract people. Sort of like you, I suppose. You're a new vampire, correct? No ties to the old one? You can't be concerned with what we do with his remains." "You put my family in a lab! You're not a proper human! You need to give them back!" "I'm a businessman, thank you very much. I have my reasons. You're too risky to be given the chance to turn them back, hence us not doing business. Time will tell if I'm right or wrong. Either way, your role here is over. I'm sorry." "No! We made a deal!" You yell, getting in his face. Mr. Reynold backs up a bit. "Jacob, settle down! We need to talk!" "Don't you dare touch them! Your father Jacob arrives, back in his Jacob persona. "I like being young. But I admit, my son as an adult and me as a kid is weird. And I'll probably be dysphoric later too." You sigh, and Jacob notices. "Should I turn back into a kid? Do you have something for the dysphoria?" You look at him. The kid you knew was gone. The adult was a shell of his former self. You have no idea what would happen if you gave into your desires now. But you did what you could for him. You nod. "Do it." Jacob nods, and turns back into a child, a year older than he actually is. Mr. Reynold's eyebrows raise. You then turn his body back to his original one, with Hazel's long hair, makeup, and dress. His eyes shut close and he opens them again. "Jesus, Jacob! What the hell did they do to you? "Hazel, I restored your proper body with my powers," You say. "You should be able to have it back now. You don't need to be a kid anymore. You're a grown woman." Jacob's face and body switches back and forth between ghouled form and his normal one. He collapses to the ground. Mr. Reynold rubs his eyes. "Is that really my son? Did he fall under a curse?" "Yes. Yes he did." Mr. Reynold sits down on a nearby bench. "Then time has taken him away from me. "I feel so powerful!" You scream. "I did the same thing to my mother too! Now they're as I knew them!" Mr. Reynold holds his face in his hands. Jacob gets up, and it appears Hazel is in control. "Your powers? This is terrible, Daniel." "What do you mean? He needs to have full control of them," You say. "He shouldn't have even one. This isn't a zombie curse, it's mass hysteria! Vampires are supposed to have horrible memories of their mortal lives, not maintain their sanity from one moment to another!" You frown. "Then what do we do?" "You don't want to know. You probably do want to get out of the open, though. Come on. We'll go in the woods. They can't do anything in the woods." "Yeah," You sigh, following her. "Let's go to the woods. It's going to be weird, but I'm used to weird now." Mr. Reynold calls out to you. "Are we leaving you behind?" You look back. "No. I'm coming with you." "We're going to be back soon. You'll be fine here. We'll get Hazel's body back shortly and you can put it to rest, got it?" "Yeah. "I never had my own body," Hazel says. "This was the best I got. And I still share it with a man. I don't need one." Jacob sprints ahead of you in the forest, leaving you to chase after him in a playful manner. "We should probably talk about what just happened." "Yes, let's go through it again," Jacob says. "There are some things I still don't get." "Fair enough." You begin to talk about what had happened since Jacob had left. About how you came back from the dead and briefly talked with Ben, some of the other adventures you had on your own. You cover most of what had happened since he last saw you. "Interesting," Jacob says. "So are you God then? I mean, that's what I'm gathering from all this. You're telling me you've been doing all this for years, and you're only just now reaching your full potential?" "Something like that," you nod. "Although I suppose it would be more like... I'm at my apotheosis." "Apocalypse please," Jacob says. "Apocalypse please," you nod. "So what now?" "Now? Now I take over the world." Jacob laughs. "If you're asking me, as a friend, advising you, as a fellow ruler, whatever you want to call it... Don't bother." "Don't bother? What do you mean? This is what I was born for! This is my goal!" Jacob shakes his head. "No, no, no, no. You were not created for that. You were created for... something else." "Well, you don't have to help me! I can take it on myself!" Jacob laughs again. "That's not what I mean. "You're our son," Hazel says, gaining control. "We wanted you to defeat the vampires." "Yeah, well things change," Jacob says. "You're above them now, whatever you are. You don't need to prove anything to them." You're quiet, and think for a moment. "It's weird to see the same person contradicting themself," You say. "Ha ha ha ha!" Mr. Reynold laughs. "Yeah, you'd expect that from a vampire, not a group of proud ghouls. I'd expect at least one of them to have some moral ground, but they're worse than the mortals. Honestly, I'd rather be a on a team with you mortals than my own kind, even Ben." "Ben's a good friend," Jacob says. " "Benelux is long dead, Jacob," Views says. "It's time you move on. Go retire with your wife. Let your son handle things." Jacob nods. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I didn't mean to step out of line. I'll go." Hazel nods. You watch sadly as Jacob/Hazel leaves, knowing they won't be happy when you get home. You also know it's probably best that they're mad at you, because if they weren't, they'd see that you're doing the right thing. They may not agree with it, but they know you're doing it for the right reasons. You turn to the ghouls. They look horrible. Their skin is pale, except for in the crimson spots caused by their open wounds. Their bodies are frail, and they walk with a limp. "So, what do you say?" You ask them. They still haven't said anything. "What are you waiting for? Do you want to be Vampire Clansmen?" Slowly, they nod. "Good. Come with me." You lead them out of the cave, and into the village where they can find new clans to join. You spend the next few days setting up a system where the ghouls can be fed and find mates. You make sure there's plenty of ghoul meat and female ghouls. You set the stage, so to speak. Then, the vampires show up. You're expecting a diplomatic visit, but instead, you get a violent one. A large group of vampires storms the village, and kill all the ghouls they find. They're on a mission to avenge their fallen, and they won't stop until every last one of them is dead, or you are. You had no idea. You thought you were doing this for the greater good, but now you're not so ^ sure. Ben and Cape seem to think you're still doing the right thing, but how do you really know? You head out to the massacre with vengeance on your mind, and find yourself in the middle of a massive battle between your kind and the so-called "New Vampires". You face a group of ten vampires, along with Ben and Cape. "I told you all this would happen!" a female vampire screams at you. "You're monsters! Sons of Satan!" She roars, and attacks. If looks could kill, you'd be a pile of ash. You fight back, attacking the female vampire. You almost feel sorry for her, until four of her buddies attack you. You quickly dispatch them, and then feel a hit to your back, Cape's sword plunging into you. You stumble forward, Ben finishing you off with a slash to your throat. "No! I thought we were supposed to be allies!" Cape complains. "Never mind that! We need to go after the boy, before the rest of them get to him!" Ben points towards the remaining group of New Vampires, who are struggling with a large, pale man. Jacob/Hazel, the "boy" you saved earlier. You quickly hobble over to your allies, before the vampires get away. Unfortunately, your injuries get in your way, and you're cut down by three vampires with ease. You lay dying on the ground, when you hear a voice. "So, this is how it ends...for you and me." A voice says, echoing in your head. A familiar voice... "Wait! I have a message for the new Vampyr! We meet again, some twenty years later." The voice says. "This one's the real deal. My Master shall return! And this one'sFFlowers will herald his homecoming! So keep your mouth shut, lest I slit it open and drink your blood! Do it for Tom! Do it for me! Pray, for you're going to need it! Funny how I got all my information about you from your orphanage- Master will be so pleased to hear that I've already managed to infiltrate your little group. Ha ha! Until we meet again, Vampyr! Drink! Savor! Feed! FEED! FEED FEED FEED! You are Jacob Killinger, who shares a body with his female alter, Hazel. You and your wife Cecilia are devastated by your son Daniel's death in battle. You are the last of the true Master vampires, who fled the city after the destruction of the last safehold. Now, you have been singled out by the Vampire who calls himself "Master". He is the only one left, and he has been looking for you. You have no idea what he's talking about, but if he wants you to do anything, it's blow out your brains. You are dead. You and Cecilia make a run for it. You make it out of the city, and are caught by a group of hunters. You are put on display, strung up in a wooden box, with Cecilia alive and in a box of her own. They are waiting for the Vampire. You know it's only a matter of time. He finds you last. The box is opened, and he walks forward... "So, the last of the old bloodline. I heard you fled the destruction of the last holdout, but I had feared it was you. So, now you finally face your end. I have so looked forward to this! You bite his neck, removing his vampirism. You drink his blood, draining him of life, as he tries to fight back But his powers are gone, and you are too powerful now. You go into shock as Hazel takes over. She leads the hunters away, killing them as they attempt to shoot her. She finds a nearby stream, and uses her powers to hide you from sight. You'll be able to get high enough for her to heal you. For now, you're just in shock as the blood loss takes effect, and you either become dazed or pass out. You awaken in the morning, lying in a bed of hay. Cecilia looks over you, revealing she found a barn for refuge. She also misses Daniel. You both talk about what to do next. You need to get to the nearest city. The two of you exit the barn, and begin heading towards it. As you encounter no humans hostile towards you, you're able to safely rest. But you need to sleep, or you won't have the strength to walk to the city. Make a City Brdlog The two of you find the nearest city, which is Pittsburg. It's large and bustling with activity, which worries you. You turn into Hazel while eating in Pittsburgh with Cecilia. Even though she doesn't remember it, you still have a faint memory of the place. It was the first city you ever fled to. You know it'll be the most likely to have a large community of other Hunters. You enter the city, and you're immediately harassed by a human. "Hey baby, wanna have some fun?" he says, leering at you. You grab his head and twist. His neck snaps, spraying blood onto his friends. "What'd I tell you fellows about harassing the help?" a man chides. "The ghouls look like the help to me," another says. You dispatch the three men with ease, and continue on your way. You enter the bar you were hoping to find. It's filled with humans, drinking and laughing. "Cecilia, I'm here," you say. A woman with a scarred face and a man in a suit come out from the back. "Jacob! We thought you'd be dead!" "It's Hazel, Jacob's personality is sleeping right now," You reply. "But we managed to escape. Still missing Daniel." "It's Cecilia, I'm here," she says. "We need to find the others. We need to find Pittsburg, the closest city." You nod. "Cecilia, what happened to you?" you ask. "Why are you both scarred?" "Long story," she replies. "But we'll tell you all about it in a moment. Can you please find the others for us?" You nod. You head outside, and see a man beckoning to you. "Hello!" he says. "Are you new here? I'm Henry, the bar tender. "I'm Jacob, and I have a split personality named Hazel," You say. "I've heard about you. I'll be able to help you, if you want to get to know the city. There's a lot of good eating spots and bars to go to," Henry says eagerly. "We need to find the others," you say. "They went that way," Henry points over your shoulder, heading towards the highway. "If you want to find them, I can get you a table..." You decline Henry's offer, and run outside. sprinting over the highway and into a wooded area. You find your friends standing around a campfire. "You got her, kid," Henry says. "Take care of her." You turn to Henry. "What's going on?" "Your girl's got some explaining to do," Henry says. You walk over to the campfire, sitting on a log next to Cecilia. "What happened to you two?" you ask. "We're ghouls," she says. "It's a long story." You nod, and wait for her to continue. "For the record, we're not actually friends," She says, changing the conversation. "Three," You add. "We can never have a serious conversation," she says, sighing. "But I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to listen to my complain about my boyfriend. I assume you want to know what happened in the city?" "Yes," you say. "There wasn't much," she says. "The city's still standing, for now. But it's going to fall soon." You nod slowly, knowing she's telling the truth. "We need to find a strong leader to lead us," she says. "You could be that leader." "I don't know what you mean," you admit. "We would follow you," she says simply. "You have the most power, and you're the only one here with any combat experience." "Why me?" you ask. "You seem nice," she says. "Ones," You reply. "Do it plural. Hazel and I are a package deal." "I thought you were the nasty, evil side of me," She says. "I like the nicer, sweeter one." You shrug, and smile. "I like the one I'm on," You say. "But I'll always be part of Hazel, no matter what." "We need a plan, then," she says. "The city's leader, Gabriel, will probably be at the stadium. If we sneak in, and kill him, the city'll fall." "Why not attack it now?" "Because it's heavily guarded by mutants who are crazy, and we can't take them out without serious losses. They don't call them horrors for not raisins." "We need a better idea," You say. "How about we go in, and you lead us?" she asks. "All you need is a few people." "I'll think about it," You say. You go home that night, thinking very seriously about whether to join forces with the ghouls, or continue on your own. The next day, you wake up late, and meet Hazel for school. "You're later than usual," Jennifer says. "Are you alright?" You shrug, not feeling like talking. "It's me, Daniel Killinger," You say, assuming the identity of your dead son. "They're planning to kill all of us, soon. We need to go on the offensive, and fast." Jennifer stares at you. "You alright, bud?" she asks. "You look very pale." "I'm alright," You say, shaking your head. "Just a lot on my mind." "Alright then, we'll talk later," Jennifer says, turning around. "Bye, Hazel." As you leaveclass, you feel someone pushing you from the back. You fall to the floor with a thud, and open your eyes, to see Cecilia smiling down at you. "I'm sorry," she says. "But you're too slow. I just need to get to class now." "Cecilia!" you hiss. She gives a taunting smile. "What? You're old. You're not going to do anything." You growl, slowly getting up. You can feel your anger rising, and you're not sure how to control it. You try to take a deep breath, but you feel your lungs filling with blood instead. You snarl, grabbing her by the hand. "Jacob left for the night, Hazel here," You say wickedly. "And I'm the girl who's gonna replace you again and again." "Jacob...?" Jennifer asks, confused. "What's going-" You quickly launch into a vicious bite on her throat, the taste of her warm blood filling your mouth. After a few seconds, you release her, and she falls to the ground, coming to a stop on her knees. Running over to Cecilia, you quickly turn her around, and sink your teeth into her fragile spine. She lets out a scream, which you muffledly whisper to be end. After a few seconds, you let her fall to the floor, and look up to see your friends standing there. "What happened?" "Hazel took you over and went psycho," Cecilia says, kissing you. You look at her, confused. "You... Killed Jennifer," she says. "And I think I know why. You really liked her, didn't you?" "That was Hazel, I'm Jacob, honey," You say. "Go... Apologies..." "I'm confused," Cecilia says. "Who are you?" Gently, you pick her up in your arms, and turn to walk home. "I'm your story," You say. That night, you're tucked up in bed, reading Team Never Ending Story, as Hazel reads to you from her laptop. The next day, and the next, and the one after that. You continue to go through with Hazel's plan, until, a month later, you wake up. You have two daughters. "Our babies are so cute," Cecilia says. "As are there names, Dani and Noel. They can never replace Daniel though." "How do you feel?" "I feel... Happy," You smile. "Happier than I ever have. I have a family now." "I'm so glad," Jennifer says, smiling. "I missed you. "This is Hazel, and Jennifer is my girlfriend, btw." You say. "Neither one of you need bother coming over ever again." "I'm very happy for you," Jennifer nods, as Hazel smiles. "No more cheating?" "Not a single tear will fall," You smile. Jennifer dies. Cecilia and Jacob make out. A year passes. fateful day You wake up in the morning, as you usually do. Except today, you feel very hungry. You yawn, walking into the kitchen. As you do so, you notice an unusually tall man in a black suit lean against the wall. "You must be Hazel," he says, staring at you. "I'm Frank. We have to talk." "No we don't," you reply. "I have nothing to say to you." "Let's just say... How do I say this? That was a really impulsive move. I mean, kidnapping a pizza boy? I'm surprised they haven't found your body yet." "You don't know anything about my situation," You reply. "Go bother someone else." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand." "I'm not talking to you." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand. You're smart enough." "You're not going to blackmail me into anything," You say, as Frank nods. "I understand. I respect your decision. Anyway, we need to talk." "We don't need to do anything," You say, as Frank shakes his head. "Just leave me alone." "No, it's important. Look, you go down to the basement," Frank says. "I'll meet you there in a few minutes." You nod, as Frank heads up the stairs. You sigh, before going down the basement steps. Down in the basement, you find Frank waiting for you. "Hello, Hazel. I need your help," He says. "I told you to stop bothering me," You say. "Leave me alone." "Please, just hear me out. You need to go down to the basement. You're going to have to free the Pizza Rats." "What?" You ask. "I'm not freeing psychos." "Please! They're not what you think they are!" You turn back into Jacob. "Huh? Are you Frank?" "No, I'm Jacob. But you don't need to know that. You need to get in there and do what Frank says. It's an order. You head down to the basement, where Vamp's dead body is. He's been stripped of his skin, which you throw off the ledge. The rats squeel, scuttling to hide. "Who's there?" You hear from down there. A pizza rat gobbles up Frank, so you resurrect Vamp. You wait for a bit, before the rat comes back. "Come on! We gotta get outta here!" Vamp says. "We found another safehouse! Come on!" You and him get to the safehouse and make out. A few days pass. "Did you hear about Steve?" Vamp asks. "No," you reply. "He's dead. They found him in his house." "Who found him?" Cecilia runs into the safehouse. "I did. And just so you know, I support us being a throuple now. Or a quartet romance, considering Hazel is here too." "Cool," you reply. "What's the situation with you two?" "David openly asked me out last night," Cecilia says. "It went well. Expect him to take me out sometime this week." You kiss Cecilia. "And Jacob?" She asks. "He flat out asked me out too, but I'm scared to death of him. Just remembered, he put a vampire into a deep sleep the last time we met," You kiss Vamp. "I should be so lucky to land you," He says, kissing you. A few days pass... "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jacob asks, pushing you away. "Don't you love it when Jacob and Hazel fight, since they share a body?" Cecilia asks Vamp. "Shut up," He and Jacob say in unison. Jacob grabs you, and kisses you. You push him back. "What the hell, Jacob? "Ew, he's trying to kiss himself," Vamp laughs. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you," Jacob says. "Do you remember the time when we stole the candy from the store?" "Uh... I don't think that was me," Vamp and Cecilia decide to run off. "Let's play snap." Jacob and you are alone. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise," You say."Why didn't you go out with Bianca?" Jacob frowns. "I wish I had control of our body," You say. "I'd make you go out with her." "I'm pretty happy with the way things are." Jacob pouts. "What the hell, we'll switch bodies for the rest of the night," "We can't switch bodies, genius. We only have one." "Oh yeah, that's a great idea," you say. "These lowlifes broke our spirit." "Let's go get drunk," Jacob suggests. "Then Bianca and I can switch bodies." "That would make me swap bodies with her too. But I guess it would make you all woman," You sigh. "What do you prefer?" Jacob asks. Vamp reveals he has another power. He finally gives you a body of your own. The catch is, it looks exactly like Jacob's. "Do you want to do it now?" You nod eagerly. "Just say the word, and I'll make you my new man," Vamp replies, eyeing you up and down. "Okay, now it's like kissing my transgender identical twin," You say. "I feel weird." You and Jacob go into the bedroom, and fumble around until you're in a state of arousal. It's been awhile since you've had relations with a trans man. "Aren't you worried about, um, getting pregnant?" You ask. Jacob laughs. "What are you, a mother?" Jacob slides into you, and your spirits lift as you begin to thrust. "I'm really enjoying being in your body," You tell him. "I'm really enjoying being in mine," He says. "I want to go out with Jacob!" your inner Bianca shouts. "Why am I trapped in this stupid body?" "Mmmm, Bianca... I could get used to this." With the realization that you're not in charge of your body, you and Jacob begin to have rough relations. You push Jacob down on the bed and begin to bite at his neck, drinking deeply of his blood while Jacob thrusts up into you. Suddenly, you both release together as Bianca's consciousness erupts into chaos. "I hate my body! I want to be free! I hate Jacob, he's controlling me, he and Bianca are the same, I hate them both!" Jacob pulls you close to him. "I love you," He says. "I love you too," You reply, snuggling up to him. Yuo and Jacob laugh uncontrollably as the voices begin to get louder and louder inside your head. The bed shakes from the sheer force of Bianca's screams for help. Meanwhile, outside the room... Cecilia and Vamp decide to end the madness. They merge you two back into one body. "Is it over?" You ask. "Yeah, it's finally over," Vamp nods. You breathe a sigh of relief, feeling your body beginning to cool down. Meanwhile, the room is silent. Even Bianca has fallen asleep after her exhausting screams. "I don't know how I feel," You say. "Neither do I, but we need to talk about it," Jacob says. You are Jacob. You are Hazel. You two are one. It's midnight. Less than twelve hours until the world ends. "I'm scared," You say. "I'm scared too," Jacob nods. "What are we going to do? We can't let this happen." "Unfortunately, our best option is to concede defeat and let the world end," Jacob says. "But we can't just give up. There has to be something we can do." "I'm pretty good with technology," You say. "I might be able to help." "Really?" "Yeah if we have time to mess around, maybe I can think of something." "I don't know," Jacob says. "We might be having our own personal apocalypse soon. I'm not sure if messing around with our death clock is the best idea in the world right now." "If we're going to survive, we need to do it," You say. The room is silent once again. Soon, the three of you come to a difficult decision. "Do you really think the world's going to end tomorrow?" You ask. "No, but I don't want to die either," Jacob says. "I'm with Jacob," Vamp says. "I think we need to do everything we can to survive." After a moment, you nod. "Alright, I'm in," You say. "Terrific," Jacob says. "So the three of us will work on this together as a team until the very end." "It's so weird to hear you say the three of us, because you're literally in the same body," Vamp says. "Do you feel weird too?" "No, I guess not," You say. "I'm just happy you're with us, that's all." "Alright, then let's begin," Jacob says. For the next three days, the three of you work tirelessly on your plan, which soon becomes a reality. You need to get the collider working at full capacity before attempting this again. Three days pass, and the collider is up and running at one-hundred percent efficiency. The machine is fixed, and now you just need to focus on the plan. "We should test it," You say. "Are you sure this is going to work?" Vamp asks. "I mean, I don't know if we can just wish the world back to equilibrium." "It worked before," You say. "That was different," Jacob says. "We had more power to work with then." "Well you're going to have more power to work with now. You're stronger than any of us. Maybe even stronger than the almighty Mr Gaange." "I'm still not sure about this," Vamp says. "Shouldn't we have some sort of list of what we're wishing for?" "If we had a list, we'd never finish," You chuckle. "Now come on, let's get to it." You head into the control room with the rest of your team. Vamp starts preparing the collider for activity, while Jacob and Foury begin connecting the rest of the machines. "What the hell are you doing?" Vamp yells as he sees your companion attaching wires to a large metal disk that seems to be imbued with some sort of crystal. "I'm helping," Jacob says. "Jacob, what's going on? What's that?" Foury says, pointing to the disk. "Oh, that engages something else that was created by one of our friends in our adventure," Jacob says. "It sends out pulses that counteract the adverse affects of the central disturbance." "Oh," Foury says, not looking entirely convinced, but walking away. Vamp turns his attention back to you. "What do you think you're doing?" Vamp asks. "Don't you realize we need all the help we can get? This isn't going to work if some of us are doing one thing and others are doing another!" You and Vamp make out. "It's fine Vamp, we have to do this," You say, before kissing him passionately. A moment passes, and the two of you part. "Are we finished?" You and Cecilia make out. "Yes, we're done," you both say in unison. Cecilia blushes as the two of you laugh. "Alright, come with me, I'll take you to the machine room." Jacob and Foury continue working, not noticing the two of you walking away. "So, the machine room?" Cecilia asks. "Yeah, it's just over this hill," You say. The two of you walk, lecherously, as you try to think up wicked and dirty things to do to each other. "You're pretty good at this," You say, taking her hand in yours. "At this, or being an Eternal?" "Both," You chuckle. "I imagine you were quite the handful in college too. You and Cecilia make out some more. "So... What were you planning to do after this?" You ask. "I don't know, I suppose the same thing you were. Get rich, be happy." You stop in your tracks. "You don't want to do this anymore?" "I don't want to do it right now," she says, pulling you to a wall. "But I feel like a butthole that doesn't want to settle down with just the one girl. I like you, so if you're up for it, I'd love to stay with you. But if not, I understand." You nod. "Well, if you want to stay with me, you'll have to suck my blood. Do you agree? "Yes, I agree," you say, as she smiles, leaning in... Perhaps you've made a mistake. --- Cecilia bites you. As in, she takes your arm in her hand and grips you tightly, before biting you with her fangs. It's just like a drug dealing hookup except, you know, with blood instead of intimacy. The pain is strong, and you instinctively try to pull your arm away. However, Cecilia's strong grip and her own unnatural strength prevents this. With a red mark of your skin, you're left with a clear route for her to draw blood. She slides the blood-tinged liquid into your mouth. "Drink," she commands. You do. It's sweet, but not excessively so. Certainly no worse than a human's blood. In fact, it's pretty good. Overcome with a strange desire to have more, you finish the whole bottle that she gives you. You and Cecilia make out one more time. "I suppose we should get some rest. You'll be missed," Cecilia says. And so, the pair of you fall asleep in each other's arms. The next day, you wake up together... Cecilia then shoots you. This is followed by a horrifying death scream. It's far too high pitched to be human, let alone the pained scream of a tortured soul. It sounds more like that of a baritone saxophone. Cecilia goes over to Jacob. "I killed the clone." Jacob turns his head. "Huh?" "I killed the clone. Stop the experiment." Jacob sighs, turning back to the table. He picks up a few things, and walks over to you. Jacob merges with you. You are Jacob. You are alive. You stand up slowly. You look down at yourself, and then over to the other you, slumped in a chair. "I'm sorry about this. I really am," Jacob says. Cecilia makes out with Jacob. "We're stronger together. I'll get you another one," she says, before leaving the room. Jacob walks up to you, putting his hand on your shoulder. "I'm sorry about this. Truly." Jacob makes out with Vamp. You stare into Jacob's eyes. You grab his head, twisting it quickly... And then you throw it against the table. "You were wrong, Cecilia," You say. "That Jacob body was the clone. I am the original Jacob." Jacob stares at you. "You're not him." You nod slowly. "The real Jacob died two years ago in a climbing accident." "That was you?" Jacob says. "I'm so sorry." Cecilia is confused, but makes out with both you and the other Jacob. "Well, looks like you don't need him anymore," she smiles. "You're free from your obligation. You're a free man," you say. Jacob nods slowly. "I'm free." "You're a free man. You can do what you want." Jacob stands up slowly. He looks down at himself. "I'm a free man... But I have obligations." He turns to you. "I have to go." "You can stay here," you offer. "I have a spare room. You're more than welcome to stay. You take off your hair and make-up, causing Jacob to disappear from existence. You are left alone in the room, staring at your reflection in the mirror. "Well Cecilia," you sigh, "I guess we're on our own." "The world will end soon," Cecilia says as she kisses you once more. "Dani and Noel will be devastated." "Let's just try to have some fun before the end of the world." You are Jacob Killinger. You, your wife Cecilia, and your boyfriend Vamp watch from Mars as Earth is destroyed. You miss Hazel, your split personality. That would've made this so much easier. The world has become a very dangerous place. There are too many factions, all of whom want to rule it. The Church, a powerful monotheistic religion wishing to stave off the apocalypse, is the only stable force you can work with at the moment. Your team of heroes consists of yourself, Cecilia, Vamp, and Dani. The latter two are ghouls, which in turn make them stupid and irresponsible at times, yet they are still you're best shot at stopping the horrible threat that faces all of humanity. The world has been taken over by bio-engineers, who have control over the infected and the dead. They have made the dead into service, and use them as soldiers. They have taken over the former government, and are now just called 'The Family'. They are lead pyramid, led by a man called David. You can't risk going to him, as he'll most likely kill you on sight. The last of humanity live in small communities, surviving as best they can. They seem to consist of the religious, survivalists, and crazies. You're not sure where the ' normal ' people are. It's not looking good. The world has gone to hell. You wish you hadn't have left Hazel behind. Maybe she could've changed things. It's too late now. You slowly turn to your wife and your girlfriend. "Boyfriend," Vamp corrects the AI. "Wife and boyfriend." "What?" you ask. "You're still not married. You shouldn't be having an affair with an AI," Cecilia points out. "I'm not having an affair. We're just together." "Hazel can't be gone," You say. "We need to save her. It's our purpose." "What's your point?" Dani asks. "My point is, we can't just give up. We need to go back. Hazel needs us." "The only way to get Hazel back is to put on your wig, dress, and makeup," Vamp says. "Do you have a solution that doesn't involve either of us risking our lives?" you ask. "I do," Dani says. "Just go in peace and with friends will help us get back home," The group goes to Earth. It takes a few days of traveling, but you eventually find your way to the outskirts of the community. You pull out your gun and take a deep breath. "Give us five minutes," you say to Dani and Cecilia, who nod. You enter the community cautiously. A few dozen shacks exist in the area, all of which are empty. A watched community has never been more than ten minutes away from a zombie. You walk forward, your gun held tightly in your hand. "Hazel?" you call. You hear a scream, and quickly enter the shack. You see Hazel, bound and gagged. A man holds a gun to her head. "You leave my transgender future self alone!" You yell. "Shut up, or this goes into her mouth," the man says, pointing the gun at her. "Let her go," you say. "What do you want?" he asks, stepping forward. "I want to save her." "Saving her requires me killing you," the man says. "If you kill me, she disappears from existence. I am her and she is me," You say. "Is that a threat?" "Take it however you want." You pull out your gun, dropping the wig and faceshield from your person. The man screams, dropping his gun and grabbing his eyes. You quickly put the shield over your mouth and nose to block out the smell. You point your gun at him and fire. You can feel your eardrums bursting, and you're pretty sure you can hear Dani and Cecilia screaming in the distance, but you don't stop. The man writhes on the floor, soaked in his own blood. You quickly shoot him again in the head for good measure. You turn your head to see Hazel, who is staring at you. "Are you okay, me?" You ask. "I'm... fine. I just, um, didn't expect you to kill him," Hazel says. "How are you okay? You merge Hazel back into yourself. "The Eternal Project was a success. I'm an Eternal now, just like you," You say. "Oh..." You... can't tell if she's relieved or heartbroken. You guess she'll get over it. You spend the rest of day with Hazel, who seems to miss her friends and prefers your company. She also seems to like curling up on your lap while you play with her hair. You can't bring yourself to care. This is what you've been made for. Next morning, you and Hazel set off for the Farm. You have no idea what you'll do there, but you need to figure it out. You haven't had a proper conversation with Dani or Cecilia in days, and you miss them. The farm seems like a ghost town along the way. Not a single soul is in sight. You half expect to see zed wandering about, but you don't. What the hell is going on at the Farm, and why are there no survivors? You enter the Farm under a shroud of darkness, as the moon is nothing but a thin crescent. The full moon hung above you the last time you remember, so how come you can't see it now? You've become so inured to the pale celestial body that you can no longer appreciate its beauty. The silence is interrupted by the rolling thunder of distant artillery. You ears perk up when you hear a familiar cry of " neigh! " from the left. You follow the sound of the neigh to a single farmhouse. A large Percent for Spancels poster covered in various marker lights adorns the door. You remember installing this a week ago, when you were still part of the Farm Crew. You ring the doorbell, and soon the door swings open to reveal Cecilia behind the door, dressed in a cowgirl outfit. "Seb! Hey, my favorite zed!" Cecilia smiles, her lips stretching from ear to ear. You take in the sight of her. She's.... not a cow. Oh, wait... You remember now. Cecilia is a person from the Old World. She was infected with Gold Fever, a fairly low-level virus that makes its victims happy and sprightly. A bite from a happy, disease-ridden cow gave her the infection, and soon, the virus took over her entire body. "I have no idea if I'm really Hazel, Jacob, or what my proper gender is, but you still look pretty," You say. "Seb! So, about that bite..." You take out the vial of blood, the same blood you put in Dani's neck, from your pocket. "We're both still alive thanks to this, right?" Cecilia nods eagerly. "Let's share a drink," You say, pulling a canteen from your back, "What do you want?" "Uh... I'll have some of that water you have there," Cecilia says, pointing at the canteen in your hands, "I think I've drunk enough booze here to cure an entire civilization of brain rot. No, I'm lying, it would've been preferable to drink some of that neck blood you were carrying. You know, the really fresh blood that you just took from your veins? That would've been even better. But I'll take some water." "I don't have much water. It's only enough for one more drink," You say. "I'll drink anything as long as it gets me drunk. Just give it to me fast." You pour some water into two wine bottles and pass her one. "Thanks! Now, how can I help you, Seb?" "The Farm is falling. We have to get out of here," You say. Cecilia looks around nervously. "What about my blood?" She asks. "We'll get to that, don't worry," You say. You take Cecilia's hand and lead her into the woods. "Seb, where are we going?" "My secret place. Now hush." You walk through the woods for roughly an hour, before you come across a large oak tree. "Also, there's no more Hazel and Jacob. I'm Seb now," You say. "And I am a girl. But I love you." Cecilia looks at you expectantly. "Well?" "Shut up git," She replies. You lean in, and very, very slowly, you begin to..."peck"? "I can't do this," You sigh, "I'm not even sure how to do it." "Oh come on! You know exactly how to do it!" She says, "Just pull down your pants and sit on my face! I can easily get you hard that way!" You blush, and consider both options. "I don't want to go back to the house. Can we stay in the woods?" "Yes." You stand there for a few minutes, as Cecilia patiently waits for you to strip down. "So... I'll see you in a few hours, right?" You ask. "Yep! Maybe we can make a deal. If I suck your c... c... c..." She asks, before realizing what she was about to say, "Breasts, you'll give me a blood donation?" You laugh. "Of course." "Y... yeah! Okay! I'm going to go some place else, in case you're wondering what I'm doing. Good luck, Cecilia." "Goodbye, Hazel." "Good... good bye, Cecilia. Hey, you could still join me. You'd be able to have sweet, sweet revenge on Hazel. And you'd finally have the self esteem to strut around like a stag." "I'm not switching teams. I'm a loyal friend, and I'll stay that way." "I see. Well, I guess I'll see you later. Later, Cecilia." You walk away, back to the house. Along the way, you find Hazel walking towards you. She looks as if she's seen a ghost. "Jacob? "I thought we were Seb now," You say. "Are we Hazel and Jacob again? If so, we should share a body like old times." "You... you're Jacob! Just like I figured. You're a lying cheater! I'm not going along with whatever twisted plan you've cooked up! I thought we were friends!" "Cecilia said she loved me, and I'm not going to deny that. I love her too, you know." "Oh, right! That's why you're going to betray us and get my boyfriend for yourself." "What? I'm not getting anyone! I'm not doing anything! I just wanted to talk!" You see her hands beginning to curl into fists. You try to step backwards. "Cecilia... she..." "Shut up!" She screams. "Shut up, I'm trying to focus here!" She takes a deep breath, before continuing in a much calmer tone. "Look, I'm not mad at you. You're not a bad person, but you are doing something bad, and I can't let it go unpunished." You don't respond. Those words send a chill down your spine. "I'm taking you to the boundary stone. You two can switch back, and I'll release you. I'll even help you find Cecilia." "Why?" You ask, terrified. "Because I'm a nice person? Because I don't want to see your girlfriend die? I don't know, I'm just doing this because I feel bad for you." She walks past you, not giving you a chance to respond. She stops when she sees the boundary stone outside her house. She sits down on the grass and points at the cool piece of rock. "Sit," She says. You do as she says, and she stares at you. "Are we really going through with this?" She asks. "I don't want to fight you. It's not in my nature. I like to see people smile, even if they're angry with me. And I know you want me to find your boyfriend for you. So... let's just switch back." You absorb Hazel. You are Hazel. She is you. She is Jacob. Jacob is you. Jacob is Hazel. You are everything to each other, and you're never letting go of each other for any reason. Except, maybe one. --- "Jacob! Jacob, are you in there?" You wake up startled, and sit up. You're laying on the grass, and Cecilia's head is resting on your chest. You can feel her breath on your skin. "Shhh, go back to sleep," You say. "No, it's morning, and I really need to wake you up at some point." You look over at your phone, which reads "1:30 AM." "What time is it?" You ask. "Two in the morning, why are you awake? I thought you said you would go to sleep at ten." "I did." "Are you feeling okay?" "Yeah, I'll explain it all to you in the morning. Just go back to sleep. You can see her frown in the darkness, and she does what she was asked. You wait a few minutes before lying back down again. You close your eyes and begin thinking of nothing, before drifting off to sleep. You wake up again at noon, and realize just how much sleep you actually got. You head into the kitchen to eat some food, before seeing that Cecilia's already there, waiting for you. "Jacob! I can't thank you enough for what you've done. Now, we can finally be together!" She says, and kisses you on the cheek. "Wait, we're really going through with this?" You ask. "Yes! Did you think I was going to tell you to wait until it was convenient for you? Oh no, this was meant to be!" "You sure about this?" "I'm positive. I've been waiting for this my whole life." "Well, okay then. Just don't overdo it. I don't want you passing out from too much love." "Jacob, I'm far too strong for that to happen. I could give you a heart attack anytime I wanted." "Well, that's something to consider. Anyway, I have to go out and buy some stuff. I'll be back around six tonight. Okay?" "Perfect. Did you want anything in particular?" You think about it for a second. "I want you." Cecilia smiles, and touches your hand. "Then, you've already gotten your answer." --- You walk down the street with Cecilia by your side. You turn into Hazel. You feel a mixture of confusion, joy, pain and loss. You don't know what's going to happen, but you're ready for it. You turn into Jacob. You turn into Hazel again. You look at Cecilia, who is smiling at you. You look at Cecilia, who is smiling at you. You look back at her. You frown as the corners of your lips turn upwards. You lift your hand up to touch the corner of your lip, and realize you're still holding Cecilia's hand. You feel the warmth of her skin through the glove, and it feels nice. You slowly lower your hand, and Cecilia takes it with her own. "You know, I wanted to be alone when I told you, but I couldn't bear the thought of you out there all alone." "You told me last night. You told me everything." "Everything about you too. I think we should go back home and talk more about yourself. We'll go back to your place and continue this when you're ready, okay? Just think about it, Jacob. Think about how you want this to go." "I got it. I have everything I need. I'll be ready to go whenever you are." "Good. "I am Hazel, not Jacob," You add. Cecilia smiles, and you take that as the signal to go. You walk back to your home, with Cecilia beside you. --- You walk into your house, and flick on the lights. "Hazel, welcome home!" Cecilia says to you. You look around, noticing how much stuff is actually in here. You sort of expected that, but it's still odd to see. You look at the time, and notice it's already seven. "Shi- SHIT!" You exclaim. "What? What's wrong?" "I forgot to set the timer for the turkey. It's been poo-poo-ed for four and a half hours. It's probably gonna be a week before I can eat some of it! Oh well, I'll improvise." "That's okay. We can go somewhere else to eat. Let's go to that new restaurant in the next town over." "No! I can't afford that! I need to eat before the timer goes off!" Vamp comes in and gives you food and a kiss. "Thank you, my love. I will feast on the turkey when I come back from socialization." "Okay. Oh, I brought this for you." Vamp hands you a small box. You look at it, and notice it has a red ribbon tied around it. "What's this?" "Open it!" Vamp orders. You open it, and find a key inside. "What... What is this?" "It's our new house. I inherited it from my mother after she died. This is the key to the actual house." "You bought a house? "Yes, I did," Vamp says, as he smiles happily. "Though it may require leaving Cecilia." "We can buy a new house. Maybe in the country," Cecilia suggests. "That might be nice. I think we should have kids eventually though. You turn into Jacob. "We already have three kids," You say. "Daniel, now dead. Dani and Noelle." "Oh well, I guess you're right. It's the least we can do." "I'll go set the timer for the turkey," You say, turning into a cloud of smoke and disappearing. "I'll go upstairs and prepare for the socialization," Cecilia says, standing up. "Thanks Honey," Vamp says, kissing the top of her head. "I love you." "I love you too, Vamp," Cecilia replies. You stab Cecillia. She screams, and Vamp charges at you, but is decapitated by your sword. At this, Dani and Noelle charge in, rusty swords in their hands. "Get him kids! He's a killer!" Dani shouts. "I'm a girl, idiots," You say. "And I'm so not a killer. I killed Jake." "Shut up Dani! You're adopted!" "We're all killers then, since mum said the killing wasn't murders!" Noelle points out. You resurrect Vamp, and kill your two daughters. Dani stabs Noelle, and you hack off her head. Dani swings her sword at you, but you grab her wrist and break it. You break her neck, and frown. "I miss them," You turn back into Hazel. Vamp stands behind you, and hugs you. "You were amazing," He says. You shrug. "I'm just me." You and Vamp move to a cottage in the woods, living like the perfect couple. After a year of dating, you become intimate for the first time. The act is pleasurable, but not mind-blowing. Still, it's a start. A year passes... You are in a field, on your way to hunt for food. You see a rabbit hopping across the path in front of you. Suddenly, a large cat leaps out of the bushes and swipes at the poor fluffy creature. "I's hungry," The tabby feline says. You pull out your blade. "Let it go, Hazel. It's just hungry." You sigh, dropping the blade. "Fine," You say. "I'll drop the sword, you greedy beast." You pull out your phone and begin to type a message to Cecilia. "Hey..." Suddenly... BAM! A arrow smashes into your back, and you collapse to the ground. "Ha ha!" Isabella laughs. You look up, and... "Hi, Isabella. How's your father?" "Dead," Isabella says. "You're not surprised." "I'm actually not," You reply. "How did you sneak up on me?" "I didn't," Isabella says. "I was sitting in a tree and watching you." You turn, and see... A squirrel perched in a tree. Then, it begins to chatter away... In Squirrel. "Is that... A squirrel?" You ask in confusion. Suddenly, the squirrel leaps down to the ground and... Changes into Isabella. "Is that..." You begin to ask, before Isabella grabs your throat and slams you to the ground. "Don't go running off on me, Hazel!" Isabella shouts. "I know you've been hiding something! What have you been up to?" "Is someone else in the room?" You ask shadows. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're not a spy for Ian. I would've killed you on the first night. "I have a split personality where half the time I'm a man named Jacob and half the time a woman named Hazel," You say."I use this wig and makeup." Isabella raises an eyebrow. "Oh?" Isabella says. "How do we reverse this process?" "It cannot be reversed," You say. "That's not exactly a true statement," Isabella says."You can't cure alchoholism?" "I don't imbibe," You reply. Isabella nods. The arrow causes Hazel to fade away. "Well, best of luck to you in the future, Hazel," Isabella says. "Whatever you've gotten yourself into, I hope you survive." Isabella walks out of the room. You kill Isabella. "My name is Jacob." You have now killed two people you were intimate with, and are about to kill a third. Isabella was a monster. Her son, on the other hand, was just being himself. You return to Vamp, who has a smile on his face. "Jacob, you're back," Vamp says. "I was wondering when we could do our initiation." "Go ahead, my man," You say. "Welcome to the family," Vamp says, holding up a fist. "So, it's been brought to my attention that you used to be part of the Thieves' Guild. You know what that means, right?" You nod. "I'm in." "Great!" Vamp says. "I'll put in a good word for you with the Guild Master." "I appreciate it, Vamp. Do we have a target?" "You want to take out the Police Station?" Vamp asks. "The Bank? The Chemist's?" "How about all three?" "You're gonna get caught," Vamp warns you. "I don't care," You say. "You're gonna get yourself killed," Vamp says. You and Vamp kiss once more. "I'm gonna miss you, Vamp," You say. "And I'll miss you, Jacob. But I know you have a life to live. You go and live it. Goodbye, my darling." You then kill Vamp. You feel nothing, as you've become desensitized to human and vampiric blood. It's just another way to survive. As for the city, it's in a state of panic. You return to Cecilia. The next night, you and Ian break into the Police Station. It goes off without a hitch, and within the week the city is under your control. "It finally has come to this," You say to Cecilia. "Hundreds of years, maybe a thousand, vampirism, gender changing, dealing with Hazel in my head." "What now, Hazel?" Ian asks. "Cecilia told me what you did as her," You say. "You were a one woman crime wave." "How?" Cecilia asks. "I will love you, Cecilia. Forever and always. But this time, we aren't going to reincarnate." You say. "I've decided that together... We'll rule." "I... Don't know if I like where this is going," Cecilia says. "I don't care if you like it or not, Vampire," You kiss Cecilia passionately. She pushes you away. "I'm serious, Hazel. We can't be together," Cecilia says. "What would people think?" You look at Ian, who looks away. "I am Jacob, your husband," You say. "We will rule this city together, and all who dwell within it. You'll see." "Jacob, you're drunk," Cecilia says. "And you still don't know what you're saying." You put your finger to your lips, and grab her wrist. You bring it to your mouth, and bite into it. She shrieks, and you shut her up with another passionate kissing challenge. The pair of you move to the bed, where you services a crowd of onlookers who wanted to see the show. After the show, Ian and Rebecca meet you both in the bedroom. "That was very entertaining," Ian says. "Though it could do with some polish." "We're taking over the city," You say. "What better way to do it than in a grand fashion, eh?" "Where is Hazel?" Rebecca asks. "She's around," You reply. You laugh, and Cecilia joins in. It's a carefree attitude that you've never experienced before, and you fully intend to abuse it as much as you can. Your life with the two women of your dreams begins here. That is, until the next day... You open your eyes, and find yourself in bed, sheets messily thrown on you. You groggily get up, and look at yourself in the mirror. You're staring at a pale, gaunt, long-haired man in front of you. You look similar to the photographs that Ian has of the first monster, except for the eyes, of course. "What the hell happened last night?" You think to yourself. You go out to find Ian and Rebecca both sprawled on the floor, raving and swearing. "You have become too female for your own good," Hazel's voice says inside you. "Get in your car now, Ian. Follow the river north, and get to the old house. I'll meet you there soon." Ian helps himself up, and goes for the car keys. You stake Cecilia one final time. "My true love. Forever and always. You will never reincarnate again." Cecilia stands, and runs at you. Ian shoots her in the head, and she crumples to the floor. You walk outside and find yourself in the middle of the city. You return to the basement, where Cecilia's corpse is once again chained up. "I'm sorry, my love," You say. "If I could turn back time, I would. But I can't." You walk towards her with your knife held out. "Do it," You steal Cecilia's identity. She goes to live with Ian, who falls in love with her and begins a family. You become the infamous monster that everyone talks about in hushed tones. You steal Cecilia's clothes. They look good on you. You're muscular, tall and have a manicured face. It couldn't be any better. A car drives up into the yard, stopping in front of the house. You go to the door and open it, only to find Cecilia standing there. She smiles at you warmly. "Hello, Jacob," She says. "I've been sent here to take you back." You throw your knife at her. It sinks into her shoulder, but she barely even notices. She pulls it out and tosses it aside. "I'm afraid it's too late for games," She smiles. "Take me back to the dead?" You ask, with horror. "Back to the Mammets. Come on, get in the car." Cecilia nods at you, smiling. You have no choice. You get into the car with her, and she drives away. During the drive, Cecillia smashes your head and stabs herself. "No reincarnations." The car crashes. "I don't like this," You say. Cecilia laughs, a horrible noise. The car is totaled. The roof is torn off, the windows are broken and the blood is all over the inside. The Mammets appear, staring at you. "You sent for me?" Cecilia asks. The Mammets take you and Cecillia to Heaven. You're dropped off outside. "Thank you, Mammets," You say. "Thank you." In the distance, the field is there. The sky is blue and beautiful. The air is fresh and clean. There's a soft breeze. Your sister approaches you, looking concerned. "Jacob, are you okay?" Megan asks. You wave your hand impatiently. Hazel is in heaven too. She finally has her own body. She's half pixie, so no question about her wings, but they're large and colorful. "You look just as I hoped," You tell Hazel. Megan sits beside you. "Jacob, what happened? "I died too many times," You say, kissing Cecillia again. "I did something foolish, but it worked." "Jacob, I'm scared," Megan says. "Are you dead?" Back on Earth, you have your funeral. You're put in a small, plain wooden coffin. Megan stands by you, as all of your friends visit. Your parents hold each other's hand. Your father holds a picture of the three of you. You watch the people go by. A beautiful angel with feathered wings approaches you. "Hello!" The angel smiles. "I am Cecilia. You must be Jacob." "Yes," You say. "It's a beautiful day," She smiles. "Would you like to go for a walk?" "Sure," You say. You and Cecilia take a walk in the fields. "Do you want to go for a coffee afterwards?" She asks. "Sure," You reply. "You're too nice," She smiles. "Now, let's go find our friends. They're on the other side of the skies." Cecilia takes your hand, leading you onward. Beyond the skyway, you find your friends. They're all in a circle, staring up at the clouds. "Jacob, Hazel and Cecilia is here for you," They say in unison. They all turn to you, smiling. "Hello, Jacob." "How are you all doing?" You ask. "We're doing great," They smile. "Cecilia, will you stay with us? We want to talk to you about our... future." Cecilia nods. "I'll stay," She says. "I want to stay with you all forever." You nod. "Okay," You reply. "Well, let's go collect Cecilia and head to the cafe. Have you all eaten? I have." The group agrees, and the four of you walk to the cafe. You sit in a booth as your friends order food. While you wait, you stare at the angel. She looks at you, smiling. "What?" She asks. "I've been wondering something," You say. "How did you survive the blast from the sky?" Cecilia touches her chest. "I was protected by love," She says. "But that's not possible," You counter. "You're an angel." Cecilia laughs, placing her hand on your chest. "We're all a little crazy," She says. "Don't worry." Your food arrives, and the four of you eat. You talk about what might have happened to the group. "We were all having so much fun," Hazel says. "There was a little bit of arguing at first, but now it's like a family." "Where did you go?"You ask. "We traveled all over the sky," Ben says. "Nothing too exciting ever happened, so we came back here eventually." "We got a bit lost," Reed says. "But we're fine now. Oh look, now they're here." You look up to see the team, along with their friends, walking to the table. "Hey, Jacob," They say in unison. "I see you found another team," You reply. "Do you want to join?" They all agree, and sit down with you. The introductions are made, and you find out that the team consists of only five members, but the group is fine with that. You begin training with them, immediately finding a few things. You are the only one who can touch all of them, except for Hazel and Cecilia. You are able to make the team do anything you want, and can stop any of them from dying. "I love heaven!" You smile. Troubles soon begin to occur. The first, and by far the smallest, is that Cecilia becomes jealous of Hazel. Second is that Hazel begins to become slightly annoyed by you, and the third is that Reed becomes slightly annoyed by all of you. "I don't like you anymore," Reed says. "Why?" You ask. "You were fun," Reed replies. Soon, the team begins to fall apart. "I don't want to play with you anymore today," Cecilia says to you. "Me either," Ben says. Soon, the team falls apart entirely as members go their own way, or just get tired of your games and leave. "Well, that was fun," You laugh. You lean back, putting your hands in your pockets. "Hi." "Hi," Cecilia smiles. "How are things between the two of you?" Ben asks. You quickly turn to Ben, annoyed. "What do you mean?" You ask innocently. "I mean, do you have something you'd like to tell us? You two seem much more happier than usual." Your smile drops. "What do you mean?" You ask again. "Well, you know..." Ben says. "We're going out," Cecilia says quickly. "What, are you and Jacob Dating?" Ben asks. "Yeah," Cecilia says. "We're dating." "Well, good for you," Ben says. "You two deserve to be happy." "Thanks," You smile. Soon, you and Cecilia begin to leave. "Do you want to come back to my place for a bit?" You ask. "Maybe another time," Cecilia says. "I've still got some stuff to do." "Okay," You nod. You walk with everything back to your house. The walk is silent, and once back home you begin to do what you were doing before. After a while, Cecilia suddenly appears in your room. "Hey," She says. "Hey," You reply. "Mind if I sit with you for a bit?" she asks. "Go ahead," You say, flat out. Cecilia sits down next to you, and puts her head on your shoulder. "I really liked hanging out with you today," She says. "Same here." "Do you want to go out sometime?" she asks. "Maybe," You say noncommittal. Cecilia puts her head on your shoulder again, and remains there. You continue to spend time with Cecilia, and build up a good friendship. After three months of hanging out with her, you begin to get... Well, something more. It's not exactly love. More like... Wanting to achieve that. It is more like wanting to become her. She is so... Cheery. Her smile warms up everything. She always manages to make you laugh when you're feeling blue. She's so pretty. And kind. She's smart about the things she likes, and genuinely nice. We're perfect for each other, you and her. You know, she seems an awful lot like your sister. Maybe that's why you like her so much. One day, while you're out with her, you suddenly grab her hand. "What are you doing?" She asks, nervously. "I want to be more than friends," you say. Cecilia grabs her knife, and puts it between your ribs. The pain is intense, and you fall back, gasping. You die shortly after. You emerge from your grave, shocked to be back on Earth. Until you realize it's not your grave. The dead body in the coffin is that of a dog. You sit up, and look around. You're in a petrified forest, surrounded by the petrified bodies of dogs. You get out of the coffin, and start panicking. The Endore: 18

Score: 18 This SThe Dragon model is now available to premium users! Try out the most powerful AI we've ever used. Home  Search title, description, and tags... Status: Not Published Created: Jan 23rd 2021 at 8:35AM Updated: Jan 23rd 2021 at 9:42PM Actions: 2191 0 Status: Not Published Created: Jan 21st 2021 at 9:54AM Updated: Jan 23rd 2021 at 8:47AM Actions: 1294 0 Status: Not Published Created: Dec 18th 2020 at 10:22PM Updated: Jan 21st 2021 at 5:40PM Actions: 10 0 Status: Not Published Created: Nov 13th 2020 at 1:52PM Updated: Nov 23rd 2020 at 10:47AM Actions: 8 0 Status: Not Published Created: Sep 13th 2020 at 6:44PM Updated: Nov 13th 2020 at 12:45PM Actions: 1000 0 Status: Not Published Created: Sep 13th 2020 at 6:43PM Updated: Sep 18th 2020 at 11:00AM Actions: 2 0 Status: Not Published Created: Sep 13th 2020 at 6:41PM Updated: Sep 18th 2020 at 11:00AM Actions: 2 0 Status: Not Published Created: Aug 27th 2020 at 10:24AM Updated: Aug 27th 2020 at 10:36AM Actions: 15 0 Status: Not Published Created: Aug 26th 2020 at 2:11PM Updated: Aug 27th 2020 at 7:59AM Actions: 1 0 Status: Not Published Created: Aug 26th 2020 at 10:17AM Updated: Sep 27th 2020 at 8:47AM Actions: 1546 0 My Stuff Score: 18

"Come on! It's easy! I can turn into a big, fat, ugly bat. Or, if I want to look like one of those fancy Japanese ones, I can do that too. I can stay a bat for a really long time." "How long do you need to spend as a bat to get that power?" "I dunno," Melcar says. "A few years, I guess. I knew some kids in first grade who turned into bats around me, so they must've spent their whole lives as bats before they could become something else. That's how it works, right? You have to be a bat for a long time to become something else?" "I don't know," you say. "I think so." "Cool!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a neighborhood to lawlessly rampage through!" You shake your head. You know there's got to be another way. A better way. A way you can do this and still stay in control of your own mind. You just need to think about it... "Hey, wait!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a house! I bet I can take 'em all by myself, with my new powers!" You shake your head again. You can already tell this plan is doomed to failure. "No." "Come on! I'll give you all the best stuff! All the best stuff is mine!" "No. Now, listen. We're going to find a store, and you're just going to wait there while I deal with the people. I'm sure I can convince them not to press charges." "Press charges?" Melcar repeats. "What are you going to do, kill 'em all?" "Well, I'm going to try. And if I can't? I'm going to at least get them off the charges. Look, just wait there. I'll be back shortly. I'm sure I'll find something within my powers to be able to do. I always do." "Jeez, fine," Melcar says. "I guess I better hang out here and wait, then. I don't fancy hanging out in this environment any longer than I have to. Better that I just go for a walk, right? I'm just going to go for a quick, quick stroll...HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING MY FEET?" You jump up, grabbing Melcar's wrists and twisting them behind his back. You then force him to his knees with his hands still behind his back. "Stay still." "What are you doing?!" he asks, frightened. Now that you're in a position to be able to do it, you don't want to. But you're in a position to be able to interrogate a criminal with magical abilities. You can't very well do that if you aren't using them. You focus your senses. You try to hear what is going on in the surrounding houses, you try to sense what is inside Melcar's body, you do everything you can to find out how fast he is, whether his reflexes are as quick as a cat's, what sort of weapons he has on him, whether he's alone or not... And then, you focus on the one thing you actually WANT to sense. His soul. And there it is. A glowing blue orb, floating in front of his chest. So simple, so small, yet so powerful. Pure. Silent. Calm. Unstoppable. Your heart beats faster, as you feel the blood rushing through your ears. This is it. This is how it feels to be a superhuman. This is how it feels to be a god. You grab the orb, twisting it with ease. Melcar shrieks in pain, as you feel his grip on your wrists loosen automatically. You smash your fist into his face with every ounce of your energy, feeling his nose breaking and brains spilling out the other side. He collapses onto the ground, twitching slightly. This feels amazing. But, you still need to interrogate him. You let go of his orb, only to feel it vanish into his body. "What did you do?" "Take... Take it from me... You're nothing... Nobody can be free... Take it back..." Melcar sputters, blood dripping down his face. He's going into shock, so you finish the job quickly by snapping his neck. That done, you let out a sigh of relief. That was... Hard to do. But, at least now you can use your magical powers in peace. You look around, noticing Melcar's partner standing nearby. You suppose you know who he is now. "You are?" "Yes. I am Mr. Mol," the man says, extending a hand to you. "Congratulations. You just won't have to deal with criminals in Dert anymore." You grab at his hand, shaking it. "Don't think that's much of a consolation, Mr. Mol." He squints at you. "Is... Is something wrong?" "Oh, nothing," you say with a wave of your hand. "Just making conversation." "... Okay." Mr. Mol crosses his arms, staring at you. You suddenly realize that he's examining you for a tell. One of the many things you need to learn. "We should really relocate," you suggest. "For the sake of the community." "I suppose we do need to do something," Mr. Mol nods. Mr. Mol takes you to a nearby abandoned house. "This place will have to do," he says. "We're going to live in an abandoned house!" you exclaim. "It's the best place I could find." Mr. Mol fixes the door so it doesn't slam, then stares at you. "So, you're new here. What's your name?" "Jacob." "I'm Mark, what's yours? Are you homeless?" "No, I just don't have a lot of money for a place yet," you say. "I'll be able to get by." "Where are you from originally?" "Oh, um... The Nothington suburbs." "Nothington! Are you a student?" You nod. "I went to school with the dean," Mr. Mol says. "He was also the head of security at the university. He had some interesting theories on crime and punishment, but I doubt if any of them stuck. The suburbs are like a prison all on their own." "Why did you come to Dert?" you ask, wondering what his angle is. "I wanted to be with my wife," he says. "We moved here for her to become a nurse, but she... Didn't like it here. So, I'm here alone." "How long are you staying?" "As long as it takes." Mr. Mol smiles at you, then winces. "You should see a doctor, son." "I'll be fine," he says, rubbing his back. "I'll just be glad when this hell is over." You fall asleep that night wondering if you should stay or go. The morning arrives, and you wake up. You find a note on the pillow next to you. Dear Jacob, If you're going to stay in Dert, I suggest you buy yourself a house. Don't live in an abandoned one. Make sure it has running water and electricity. Also, don't go to the tavern. Mr. Mol Sighing, you go to the store to buy yourself a house. After some searching, you find one that looks nice, but needs a lot of work done to it. You spend the next few days fixing it up. When you're done, it's a good home. You go there to live after thanking the owner's wife for her kind offer of cookies and milk. You never enter the tavern, and you see no harm in that. Mr. Mol eventually leaves, and things return to "normal" in Dert. You don't see him again. The dean is found guilty of abusing his power and sentenced to a short prison sentence. The Nothington suburbs reform themselves to what they were. You never heard anything about it again. Nobody cared. You don't see much of Dert anymore, as you're more of a homebody now. You have a large house to yourself, with plenty of garden to keep you busy. You still see your wife sometimes when she comes to visit, still with the idea to try to convince her to move there. She always refuses, however. "I can't live in a small town," she says. "I want excitement." You offer again to take her to the city, but she declines. "I like it here. I'm staying." The end. You slam your fist into the wall in anger, and fall to the floor in a sitting position. You wince as the pain shoots up your arm and through your chest. The rest of your body soon joins in. "It's a good ending." You mutter to yourself. "Why the hell do I keep trying to make this story bad?" You stand up and look out the window. A small smile creeping on your face as you see Ben envying your view from his house as you do. "I guess because you're a miserable cur." You walk out of the room, ready to put an end to your writing for the day. ~THE END~ You reached the "Good" ending. "Good job, genius." You wink at the screen. "Now, let's see if I can't try something a little more... interesting." You decide to pay Cecilia another visit, making sure to propose marriage to her. You figure that's probably the best way to ensure you get a good ending. You walk out to the middle of Dert, and stop. You look around, before spotting Cecilia. She notices you, and a huge grin appears on her face. "Jacob!" she runs over to give you a hug. "You're OK! I was so worried about you!" "Of course I am," you hug her back, "I'm here with a question to ask you." " Question? " "Yeah, question. You ready?" Cecilia nods with a smile. "I knew you'd come back for me, Jacob," she blushes. "I'm ready." "Cecilia, will you marry me? " Another huge smile appears on her face. She places her hand over her heart, and leans in to hug you. "Of course I will! " You move in to deepen the hug, when sudden voices from behind you stop you. "Are you serious? The voices are those of Team Never Ending Story, who reveal the MMS was rebuilt. They ask you a few questions about what happened during your imprisonment, to which you give a very generic story of how you were saved by an old woman. They seem to accept this, although you notice Cape Kragen checking to see if you're lying. "Well, that was certainly an interesting way of getting back here." He glares at you. "I'm sure the team will forgive you for this, but from now on you'll be on duty instead of Cecilia. I can't have people faking their own deaths." "But she said--! " "I said fake!" he screams in your face. The team begins to leave, and you follow suit. As you're walking away, Ben turns to you. "Thanks for coming back to us, Jacob. " "Thanks for asking me to write the ending, Ben. " You hear a snort of laughter as you go to find Cecilia. She's looking out for the team, and you're not going to let them get away with insulting you. "Ben will forgive you. " You're not quite sure how to take that, but you decide to address it later. Right now, you need to talk to Cecilia. "You're getting married?" Ben asks. "Yeah," you nod, "I'm marrying Cecilia." "That was fast. When did this happen?" "Just now." "Oh..." Ben's voice lowers, "That's good. I'm happy for you, and I'm sure the team is too. " After the team has left, Ben turns to you. "So, you're my new mentor now, eh?" "If I'm not, I am soon," you reply. "I need to talk to you about that." "What is it? " "It's about the future. I need you to kill Ben, so that I may take his place." "What?! " "You heard me." "So, why would I do such a thing?" "You need to get with the times, man. You're from the past, you should be using social media. I saw you on Youtube, and I was amazed that a person from the 1800's had discovered the internet." "I don't even." "Then how did you discover that the MMS was destroyed?" "I was fishing through the rubble and found a card dropped by one of the members. It had instructions on rebuilding it, and we were able to do it. We've been working on our plan to rescue you, but it seemed appropriate to rebuild the group after all you've done to try to free us." "Wow. That's some dedication." "It is. I'm still amazed that you were able to make friends with some of them. I had to kill one of them, and I'm a little squeamish about the idea. " "Yeah, it took a while for me to warm up to some of them as well. I'm just glad we all came to an understanding." "Understood. I'll get you." "You will? " "Sure. We have a deal, and I'll honor it." "Fair enough. After my talk with Ben, I'll go with you." You nod, and decide to go find Cecilia. You have a few words for her as well. You're surprised that she didn't insist on coming to talk to Ben herself, but that's Cecilia for you. She always did like the safety of the sidelines. Meanwhile, Ben is walking over to you. Ben is a large man, and you're not quite sure why he was chosen to be the leader of this group. Maybe it's because he looks the strongest, and he's been here the longest? He's not stupid, but there's a limit to how intelligent he seems. "What were you and Cecilia arguing about?" "She told me to kill you." Whether it's a question of whether you're surprised or not, you aren't going to answer it. "Figures she'd be anti-socialist." "I'd say that's a very '17th century' way of looking at things." "I'm not a Socialist, free market. There's a difference." "I guess, but it seems pretty similar to me." "So, you and her have come to an understanding?" "We have. She'll be joining us." "What?! " "Cecilia is coming with us." "You heard me, and this is final too. You're coming with us." "But... Cecilia and I... we're in love." "What difference does it make? You're going to be working together anyway." "Yes, but... I don't want to just be working together. I want us to work together. I'm not going." "Don't be so dramatic." Ben says, rolling his eyes. "You're coming with us, or I'm going to have to kill you." "So be it. Kill me then." You say, putting your hands up. Ben raises his gun Slowly, as you stare at him. He lowers his gun. "Sorry Cecilia. He's dead." He says, not sounding sorry at all. Cecilia walks out from behind the building. When she sees Ben pointing the gun at you, she slowly walks over to him, her hands raised. "I thought we were allies." "Aren't we? Seems like he's betraying us." "No, it seems like he's protecting our nation from falling into the hands of fascists. I'm on his side." "Yeah, that's what I thought." "Ben, I love you, but you need to put the gun down." "I don't feel like it. Besides, maybe I'll just kill the two of them, and then you'll be under my thumb." "I think not. You might kill him, but I know how skilled you are with a gun. I'm sure I could at least take you out. Then what would you do Ben? Would you slink away in the night and plot revenge? No, I don't think so. You'd just have to live with the fact that you let your emotions cloud your mind and lost what is rightfully yours." "She has a point Ben." You say. "Fine, we're doing this the hard way. You two ready?" "Ready." You both say. "Then let's do it." Ben turns, and you hear three shots going off. Two by Ben, and one by Cecilia. You fall to the floor, blood slowly leaking out of your chest. "Ben, I told you I'd kill you." "I know, but now you'll never know how this came about." With that, he walks over to you and takes the gun from your bloody hands. "Cecilia, I'm sorry." Ben says, then fires the gun three more times, blowing the back of your head off. Ben puts the gun down, and walks away. He doesn't seem to care, or even notice that he's crying. You stare at him in disbelief, before he disappears. This is the true face of the revolution, crime pays, and everyone ends up dead. Choosing to begin anew, you propose to Cecilia, and she accepts again. Now, you have your son to raise. You'll have to be a better person than your father or grandfather. Cecilia will certainly try, but she can only teach him so much. It's up to you now. You're going to make the best out of this situation. This is your life now. "Good morning, Dad," Your son says to you 20 years later. "Morning, Daniel. What would you like to do today?" "I dunno, you're the fun dad." "Alright then, how about we go on a hunt? I put some food aside for us." "Really? You didn't have to, you know." "No, I wanted to. I've been feeling a little hungry lately anyway." "Do you think...I could go on the hunt with you?" "Well, if you want. I mean, you don't need my permission. You're old enough to take care of yourself." "I know I am, but it'll be more fun with an instructor. You're so good at everything." "Yeah, that's because I've been doing these things for decades. Still, you're the master hunter, so you know all the tricks of the trade, right?" "Tradition says the best hunter becomes the instructor. So does that make you the-" "I am the Grand Protector of tradition, yes." Daniel grins from ear to ear. You can't help but laugh along with him. You haven't had this much fun in decades. This is how it should be, not this mass rebellion and sense of justice that the media has made it out to be. You look at your son, and know itai well that you raised him right. You were meant to be a grandpa. You haven't lived happily since Brenda died. Your son will help bring a new meaning to the word. You and Daniel spend the rest of the day going on small hunts to re-filling your larders, and generally spending quality time as father and son. It's like you're supposed to. Before you know it, night is falling again, and you take your son back home. There's a part of you that's glad it's dark. A blush of pink is barely peeking above the trees you walk past, and you know it's Cecilia. She's been looking out for you today. You return home, tired and ready for sleep. You have a lot of having to do tomorrow. You thank Daniel for a nice day with his father, then head upstairs. You take off your boots, then get into bed. You feel yourself drifting off to sleep as you think about how good it is to have a normal, happy family. You never thought you'd ever be in this position. Why not enjoy it while you can? You drift off to sleep smiling. Good night, son. Good night, Dad. Then, you sleep for the next 8 hours or so. In the morning, you wake up. Good morning, Daniel. You peek out the window, but it's still dark. You yawn, then get up and go downstairs. You put on a pot of coffee, then grab the remote from the coffee table and switch on the TV. The first thing you see is some breaking news. And it's not good. The terrorists have taken over the city. They've been conducting attacks in various parts of the city, and already a mass exodus has started. The terrorists are led by Mickey Mouse Jr. You see a photo of him next to a headline. YOUNG MICKEY MOUSE LEADER OF TERRORIST GROUPS " "Of course he is. But Team Never Ending Story disbanded decades ago. They need successors. You're the closest thing they got. "I'm getting out of here." You grab some clothes, then get into your car. You decide Daniel will take your place. But you need successors for Cape, Chase, and Benelux. Your group is the only option. Ben, Cecilia, and you will hold the city together. You call to ask if they're in the city. "We're at Ben's house," says Ben. "What's going on?" "The city is lost. You need to leave." "We can't, we've become comfortable here," says Ben. "We're not going anywhere. Good news, we've got a lead on a new city." "New city, what kind of lead? "We found out about a city called Arrray where there-" The line goes dead. You curse into the phone. "Sorry about that," says Ben's mom. "He went out to get some food, he'll be back." Great. You have to talk to Ben's mom instead. "Hello?" asks Ben's mom. "Hi, I'm-" "I know who you are. You're the leader of the terrorist group that's attacking my son. You need to leave this city before you get hurt." "I've gotta talk to Ben," you say. "It's really important." "Ben isn't available right now. You need to leave the city, or you'll be punished. If you don't leave by the end of the week, you won't leave at all. You and your terrorists will be killed. So who is it going to be, Mr. terrorist, or do I need to find someone else to kill? You stay silent. "Well? I hope it won't be a problem, but we'll kill all of you," says Ben's mom. "I have no problem killing terrorists. If you had been honest with me from the beginning, this wouldn't be an issue. But now, we're going to kill you all. Have a nice life in that terrorist group of yours. It'll be short, I assure you. Bye. Click You hang up the phone. Daniel buzzes you in. "Good luck," he says. You get in the elevator, then speed down to the lobby. You make a beeline to the front door. A few cops try to stop you, but they're no match for your combat prowess. You send them to hell with your supernatural fists, then walk out into the street. A news helicopter is flying over the city, and the reporter on board is commenting on the situation. You decide to change your name to Hazel, using make-up and a wig. You buy a newspaper on the way home, then use the paper to fake your death. TV stations pick up the story, and with it your new name, Hazel. You're living the good life now. You have servants to do your chores, a nice house, cool friends, and a hot girlfriend. You don't need boys to feel happy. Cecilia finds you, and says you remind her of her missing husband. She says she wants to make you happy, so you and her have wild, hardcore, no-strings fun. To be fair, you do enjoy it. You decide to become a school teacher. You figure you can use your studly appearance to attract more students, and because of your past, you get a lot of students who are interested in your tale of valorous derring-do. Between your combat skills, stories of your past, and over all "positivity", you're a natural at your job. You also dabble in motivational speaking on college campuses, which pays well. By day, you live in a blissful reality. By night, you haunt the streets as Hazel, in a never-ending quest for justice. Then you save a man's life, and he develops feelings for you. You have decided to live a normal life. You may settle down with this man, and live happily ever after. You're not there yet. This could all still end horribly. You still have a lot of bad things in store for you. In the meantime, you'll enjoy a relaxing day in, before getting back to business. You decide to learn more about the man. You find out his name is Vamp, as he goes by this name when speaking to others. His real name is unknown, as he has gone by several different ones over the years. You introduce Vamp to Cecilia and Daniel. He falls in love with Cecilia immediately, but given that he's a vampire and planning to eat her, that's hardly surprising. Daniel isn't bothered, while you find out that you have strong feelings for Vamp. Vamp plans to woo you over the next few nights, and take you out on the "draw". You'll have to make the final decision. Whilst you wait, you decide to go out and "practice" on some civilians. You don't know when you'll get the chance again, so you want to make the most of it. You enter a coffee shop, and sit at a table by the door. A man and a woman walk in, holding hands. The sight of a married couple makes you grin, and you stand up to follow them. They walk to a table in the back corner, and you approach them. "Excuse me," you say, "could you two hold the table for me?" The man looks at you suspiciously, but the woman smiles and nods. "Of course," she says. "Thank you." You pull out a chair for the woman, then sit down. You pull out your phone and order a coffee, before glancing around. Vamp and Daniel are at a table in the far back, talking to some teenagers. Four eyes are watching you, two male and two female. "My full name is Hazel Jacqueline Killenger," You tell Vamp. "I'm sixteen, and I go to Harold-9123's school." "I'm Vamp," the man says, extending a hand. You shake it, noticing how warm his hand is. "Dad, what are you doing?" Daniel asks you. "Daniel, you were given an order from God! We'll talk about this later," the man says. "Dad, I told you, Hazel is-" "Nevermind, Daniel." You turn back to Vamp. "How about you?" "I'm Vamp. Quick question, do you like cool, or hot blood?" "What's the difference?" you ask. "Well, cool blood is like that of slushies and such. Hot blood is like that of taxis and shoving it up your bum." You laugh. "I like shoving it up my bum." "You have a dirty mind, Hazel Jacqueline Killenger." "Do you have any cool blood? I'm dying of heat right now," you say. Vamp looks around. "Maybe. Let's go to my lab, I can look. You follow Vamp outside, and walk through a park. Daniel informs Cecilia that you're cheating on her with Vamp. She's shocked and upset by the news, and tells you to go back to your house. You follow Vamp into a building, which turns out to be a lab. most of it being in the dark. A few beakers, bottles, and test tubes are on a table, next to a few Bunsen burners. "Ah, Hazel, you're here. Would you like some hot blood?" Vamp asks, "I can easily fix that." "Yes," you reply. Vamp fills a beaker with some sort of clear, red liquid. He grabs two test tubes, and puts one on the burner, and then places the other on top of the first. He turns on the heat, and smiles. "This should work," he says. Vamp switches the burner on, and grabs a pipette from a table. He squirts some of the liquid in the first tube into your mouth. It's hot, and you gasp as it burns your throat, but you manage to swallow it. The liquid in the top tube evaporates quickly, and soon there's just a small amount left in the bottom tube. Vamp grabs a sheet of newspaper and places it over the top tube, before grabbing the second tube and placing that on top of the paper. "There we go," he says. "Hot, fresh blood. Tasted good, did it?" "Yeah," you reply. "Thank you." "You're welcome. I'm in the mood for more fresh blood, however. How would you like to help me out? I can use someone strong, like you." "What's involved?" you ask. "Nothing much. Just cut someone's throat and let the blood pour into a beaker. Simple, really." "Sure," you say. Vamp takes a knife out of his belt loop, and holds it to the throat of a lifeless rat, which he grabs by the neck with his other hand. "Hold on, Daniel!" he says. "I can't promise this won't hurt." You grab the knife with both hands and hold the rat's neck tightly, cutting through bone and spinal cord with ease. Blood spills out over the bottom beaker quickly, and the beaker begins to fill up. Vamp puts the rat in a large beaker of boiling water, and places it on a hot plate to sterilize it. "There," he says. "We're good to go." You and Vamp walk slowly out of the lab, heading towards the cafeteria. You both sit down to a large dinner, and chat about random things. Eventually, you head to bed. While in bed, Vamp discovers your true identity: Jacob Thomas Killenger. His eyes widen, and he grabs his gun from under his pillow. He points it at you, and you sit up. "What's the point of me saving your life if you're going to shoot me? I'm the real deal," he says. "That remains to be seen." You stare at each other, with Vamp holding his gun at point-blank range. He's aged a lot since the seventies; he could probably break you in half. "Dead," he says. You kiss Vamp. Vamp kisses back, pushing you onto your back. You begin to help take off his clothes, and he pushes you down, tearing at yours. After a few minutes, you both collapse next to each other, almost exhausted. "Do you believe in fate?" Vamp asks. "But I lied to you," You say, confused. "I'm not Hazel, I'm Jacob." "Oh? Then why did you pretend to be her? Why tell me you were her?" "I don't know. I thought it'd make things more interesting." Vamp smiles. "How so?" "You liked Hazel, right? Well, I figured you'd want to be with her. I mean, she obviously still has an impact on your... well, whatever you are." "It's called a crush, sunshine," Vamp says, shyly. "I've had them before." You nod. "Well, then you'd understand why I did it. I figured you'd... try to win her back." "You're strange, you know that?" Vamp says, smiling. "Go to sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow." You nod, and the pair of you embrace each other, falling asleep in the bed together. --- You wake up late, with Vamp already up and getting organized. You walk into the bathroom as Vamp washes his face. "We need to be at the Madness recruitment center by ten," he says. "We have an appointment with Mr. Sunshine." "Who's Mr. Sunshine?" You ask. "The leader of the League. You'll meet him today, and he'll tell you whether or not you get to be a Vamp." "So if I get accepted, do I get to join?" "Sure. If I get accepted, you get to join. If I get accepted, you get to join... there's a lot of ifs in there, isn't there? But it's alright, we're practically family at this point." "Are you leery of being in the service of a vampire?" "I'm leery of being in the service of a vampire who just stabbed me in the back as I'm falling asleep. But that's neither here nor there. We should get going now, if we want to be on the safe side of the city. I'm a little hungry, in case you haven't noticed. I'd forgotten about that. I'll have to make a point of it every night from now on." "I have some sunflower seeds and bacon in my bag. Let me know when you're done. I'll find you when I'm done eating." Vamp meets you as you walk out of the bathroom. He takes the bag, and looks inside. "Excellent. You seem to have thoughtfully stocked up on food for me." "You said you were hungry," you say, confused. "I'm hungry now! How long have you known me? How long have you known I get hungry out of season? Has it really been that long? Oh, it's comes up. Spring is coming. The hunger is coming. I have to pick up supplies. What else are friends for? Ha, I'll see you soon, I'm sure. You're off to a good start with these." Vamp eats the entire bag of sunflower seeds in record time, and you've barely touched your half of the supplies. Vamp finishes and washes his face, picking up his bag. "Well, you're certainly stocked up. I suppose I'll see you when I get back." "When are you going to be back?," you ask. "I dunno. A few days? I'll text when I'm on my way back. You can stock up more then. I'll see you then, Jacob. I'm sure we'll become great friends. You seem like a pretty cool guy. Just remember, I'm your best friend. No one else can do what I can. Also, no one else can do what I can do. Remember that. And if you ever need help with anything, don't hesitate to ask." You stand there and watch as Vamp disappears into the trees. "I'm your best friend. No one else can do what you can do. Also, no one else can do what I can do. You head over to explain things to Cecilia and Daniel. "I have to go on a quest." "A quest," says Daniel. "What's that? "It's none of your business," You say. You then lock Cecilia in the basement. Of course, she can still hear everything happening outside. "So... what are we doing on this quest?" "Daniel, I have to go on a quest. You and Cecilia are the only ones strong enough to help. I need back-up." "Who else is going?" "Cecilia, Owen, Hazel, and Frank are all coming with me. Probably the most skilled, but they don't have as much experience as we do. You'll have to take care of most of the fighting, and make sure they stay safe. When the zombies attack, get the hell out of the way, then whack the nearest one's head open and shove his brains in." "I thought you were going to teach us something new. You tell Daniel to go to the forest and wait there. But you don't follow him. You stare at him, and slowly begin to fade into the trees. You hope he notices you leaving, but he's too busy staring at his feet to notice. "Zombies are stupid," You raid Cecilia's closet and steal her outfits. A dress and a leather jacket. Nothing else will do, so you rummage through Daniel's room and take his clothes as well, leaving him in boxers and a t-shirt. You then return to Vamp's house. He should be back any minute, assuming he's not taking as long as he usually does. "Vamp should be back in about an hour. You'll be fine if you stay here," "My, my, you look quite beautiful, Jacob." Vamp says. You're not sure if he means it, or if he's mocking you. You don't care either way. You then convince Vamp to move into your old house. Cecilia is still locked in the basement. "I don't trust him. And I don't want you coming and going as you please. We'll be safer in the house, together," "You sure you don't want to stay at your father's house?" "I'm sure. You go to Cecilia's place of work to steal her job. Stealing the radio station is the first thing. You hook it up to the PA system. You then work on stealing the rest of Cecilia's identity. You take her social security card and driver's license, and use them to get a new birth certificate in Cecilia's name. You also get a new purse and car, both of which you stow in the house. When you're finished, you wait around for Vamp. Every night, you and Vamp listen to hear if Cecilia is still breathing. Every morning, you wake up and hope that you don't. She is killed by a teenage boy who drives his car into a lake where she and Daniel are fishing. "That was fast," Vamp says. You hide her body in the basement, finally having replaced her fully. You spend the next few days sleeping. You wander aimlessly, trying to find a reason to go on. You visit Vamp, who sits in her chair doing nothing. She gives you a small smile when she sees you, but that's it. You remember that Vamp is a man, and you stole your wife's life. You're a monster. You don't stay with her any longer. You go to the river and find a rock, and sit down. You look at Daniel's picture, holding it in your hands. Vamp asks you to marry him. You say yes. That night, you drink her dry. You're a monster. She's dead. You feel nothing. You and Vamp grow old together. You grow old. You waste away to nothing, and die in each other's arms. Until finally your vampire transformation is complete. Both vampires, you and Vamp try to reintegrate into society. You feel like a pariah. You want to be normal, but you know you can never be like other simple humans. Eventually, you and Vamp learn to cope with your condition. You kill women and steal their identities. You're not sure why. Perhaps it's some twisted form of vengeance on those who took your true love from you. You wonder if you could one day conquer the world, and live again as a human, but you realize that with each victim your heart grows fonder of Cecilia's replacement, and you can't bring yourself to kill her. Your mind is forever changed, and your search for the truth has been abandoned in favor of simple survival. You're happy. Sometimes you even laugh. You have survived, and thrived, with the help of a vampire. Vamp has proven to be a dependable companion, a thrall even, to you. The two of you share a contentment with each other, and a love. Vompa is your eternal princess. You'll rule as king and she'll be queen. Vamp will be your doting princess. But one day, Vamp says he's leaving. She takes you by the hand, and kisses you. "I'm taking Daniel's boat into town. It's night, so nobody will see me leave." She leaves. You haven't been Jacob Thomas Killenger in years. You're currently Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. You're the leader of Team Never Ending Story. You sit, waiting. Vamp stays out for a long time. Hours pass, and you begin to get worried. "Vamp?" He arrives back home. His face is bloody, and he hides behind a large man. The man has long red hair, and a rather large blade on him. "Don't worry," he says in an old voice. "There was never a Hazel Killenger," The man says. "There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But I killed him. I killed her. I killed everyone. I killed you. Good night, Vamp. Sleep tight, darling." Finally, you go into the basement. You look at the chained up body of Cecilia. You take out your blade and bring it down to slam it into her neck, allowing you to drink... But it's no use. She's already dead. She's been dead for hours. You bang your head into the table in frustration. No blood pours out of your head. You take out your blade again, and this time plunge it into her chest. You drink, and laugh at the death that fills your body. You don't feel a thing. You don't care. You go to town the next night. You take from the poor, letting the government tax the rich. You do it every day. You're still Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But you keep on fighting. You're sure as hell not going to go down without a fight. You finally visit your sister Grace, and explain what happened to you. Her eyes widen when you show her the scar on your wrist from cutting yourself. "This is why I wanted to be a doctor," you think to yourself. "Why I played with Lego's instead of shootin' guns." She hugs you tightly, and you just hug back. You need your sister right now. A few years pass, and you're still fighting. Vamp leaves you for dead, abandoning you in the woods when he realizes he can't control you. As you lie there, you whip out scissors and cut your hair off. It's long, now. It almost reaches your waist. You take off your jacket, and wrap it around your waist. You cover yourself with dirt, leaves and twigs. You wait. As you wait, you remove your makeup too. Eventually, when you're a man again (and you sort of look like a hunchback), you stand up. You wander the forests and woods, taking what you need from those too weak to stop you. The years pass, but the scars on your face tell the story of a man who's been through hell. You're known as The Ghoul. Your son Daniel tries to fight you. "You killed my father!" He yells. You ignore him. Four years later, he has your daughter, Grace. You kill her soon after she's born. Every now and then you see Hazel on the news. She's still fighting against the government. You become Hazel again. You laugh. She still wants to be the first on her team, even if she's last to leave it. You become a hero. As a hero, you go to revive Cecilia. It's simple, really. Just a bite on her neck. You want one of her young, so you can raise it as your own. You tell her you prefer being a vampiress to a man. You don't bother curing yourself of your blood lust, and have her revive you. You become a vampire. Cecilia is relieved she's alive again, and kisses you. You're ready to take over the world with her by your side. You become a group called the "Lesbian Lusters". You laugh. You wouldn't know a Lesbian from a guy, but you go along with it for now. You become a media darling. You let Hazel lead. She had the charisma. You had the strength. You become a vampire lord. You have no army, no territory, no major accomplishments. You reveal to Cecilia your disassociative identity disorder, and Hazel is your other personality. You rage and scream and hit her. You blame her for making you psychotic. You hit her again, then again, then again. She attempts to stop you, but you bite her neck. Then, she stakes you. The psychiatrist says you died instantly. He says Hazel was in control the whole time. You weren't really a happy person, so it makes sense. Even now, you want to laugh at such a notion. Your funeral begins the next day. Hazel showed up, and you demanded she be chained. She was. The remaining VLs show up, as do a few humans to pay their respects. Cecilia visits. Grace arrives to say a few words. Daniel arrives. And that's it. That's your legacy: A failed attempt at taking over the world, and a dead man who's daughter is an abusive alcoholic. What a tragic hero you were. Good night, Mr. Killinger. Sleep tight, 'cause tomorrow we'll kill the world again. At your funeral, Grace (your sister) says, "Whichever was in control, Jacob or Hazel, my sibling lived a fantastic life. They once rescued me and a card box from a slaughterhouse. Today, we don't celebrate Hazel or Jacob, but both the individuals in this magnificent body. The world may be less bright without them, but they would always want us to keep fighting. Rest In Peace, Jacob Thomas Killinger and Hazel Jacqueline Killinger, two great minds." Then, everyone applauds. You're buried in your home of Alton, in your backyard, near your parents and sister. Just another hero with a tragic story. Daniel uses a ritual to summon your ghost. "Hey, Jacob. We need to talk." Daniel sits next to you, and places his arm on the grave. "I know who killed you. It was Hazel. "I killed a person who shares my body?" You ask. "But why?" "She was a lesbian. Possibly trans. That's why she betrayed you. And that's why she killed herself." "I see. Thank you for bringing this to me, Daniel." "Thank you for being you. I'll never forget you, brother." Grace looks at him with a frown. "Who are you talking to?" "No one." Daniel gets up, and walks away. Well. That was an interesting experience. You decide to haunt Daniel. Whenever he has a nightmare, you appear and scare the bejeezus out of him. This continues for about a week, until finally, Grace gets tired of staying up all night to look after him. "Jacob, you need to stop doing this," she says. "Daniel's become a wreck due to lack of sleep. It's not healthy." "Fine. I'll stop." "Thanks." Grace walks away. The next night, you stop haunting. Daniel never mentions it ever again, and life goes back to normal. You'll just have to haunt other souls. You figure you'll go after Cecilia's soul, since she murdered you. When the time is right... Hey there, Cecilia. You almost laugh at the thought of you being a lesbian. She's such a manly woman. Also, how stupid would it be for her to fall for you? You're a ghost. She'd literally be cheating death itself. Nevertheless, you begin to haunt her. Whenever she falls asleep, you appear and scare the hell out of her. She complains to James, who says that he'll talk to you about it later. A few months pass, and life goes back to normal. You continue to haunt Cecilia, to which she continues to come to you complaining. The pair of you continue this cycle. One day, you go to class... Hey there, Cecilia. What a surprise to see you here. You know, I'm probably the only person that actually knows who you are around this school. Everyone else barely acknowledges your very existence. How's high school going for you? You seem bored. Boring, even. I suppose it is. There's not much to do around here. We have a few parties here and there, but nothing to really catch the eyes of the... well, the "masses." You're missing out, Cecilia. I guess James is here with you. Is he prettier than me? (Sigh) He's different. I still haven't gotten used to that. The whole town is full of pretty people, it seems. I think I like your look more. It's not as fake. Huh. I guess you do know me. I guess not, then. I'll just leave you to your babbling... Bye, Cecilia. See you later. You vanish, leaving a confused Cecilia behind you. Later, in detention... Hey there, Cecilia. Why are you sitting by yourself today? It's not like you to be the new person sitting alone. Also, it's probably for the best that you sit by yourself. Weirdos like Jacob don't tend to be popular. Not that you care... So, what have you been in for again, Detention period is over. Oh, you know the deal. You're in for a beating. I'm not even going to bother with a plea bargain this time. You're going to get the full force of my fist, not to mention what other tortures I have in store for you. Terrific. Anything else I should know? Not right now, but if you have something to tell me, I'll be sure to hear it. Well, I'm going to go over the rules... Stay after detention. Don't use the library as an escape route. Don't try to see Cecilia. Don't attempt to leave the school, at all. Got it. Well, you've certainly gotten my attention. A girl from another school trying to romance me? Why don't you just jot down a suicide note and give us a final solution to the problem instead? You don't respond. It's not like you really have much of a choice at this point. detention Wow, didn't expect that from you. I guess maybe I can take a hint. So... What were you saying? You have something to tell me? Yes, what is it? Well... You're going to have to be more specific than that. There's this girl... Well, okay, not just a girl, but she's a really pretty one. Yeah, pretty standard. Well, she's in my class, but I think she's trying to pick me out because she's jealous of me. I also think she wants to be my girlfriend. Hmm, not jealous, eh? That's odd. Well, it's not like I like her or anything, I don't think, but I don't want to make her angry either.... Um... So... What's the problem? I don't want to make her sad or mad.... Oh dear. You've really done it now. This girl sounds like she has some serious issues. If you were a lesser man, you'd probably feel sorry for her. As it stands, though, you still have to take her home, and you have no idea how to do that. You could just say, "Fine, you don't have to come with me. I'll leave." That would make her happy, and you're fairly certain that wouldn't make you happy. You could tell her the truth. Again, you aren't sure if you'd make things better or worse, but you suppose it couldn't hurt to try. You could lie. You'd have to come up with a lie that you're sure she'd buy, because the whole point is to make things easier for you and you're fairly certain it won't be easy. Well, options are options, but in any case, you're fairly certain only one of them is going to be completely beneficial. You just need to figure out which one. Oh, and you also need to tell her the truth, so you can get out of this crap. Well, I'm sure you already know what you're going to do. Yeah. That... Seems like the best way to handle this. It's always so hard to be honest with her. If Cecilia were here, she'd probably say to just tell the girl the truth. That's going to make things a whole lot harder though. Still, this Cecilia isn't going to help you with this problem either. All she's going to think is that you're trying to push someone away because you have a thing for her. Oh well, time to do what needs to be done. So, I guess you're going to have to tell this girl the truth. Well, that's what you're going with anyway. Your other big decision is whether or not to say you have a crush on her. This isn't some pathetic it's-not-me-itis attempt. You genuinely do. You just don't know how she's going to react to hearing that. Is she going to be insulted? Annoyed? Delighted? You have no idea. You're fairly certain the last thing she'd be is flattered though. Girls aren't really into guys who are into them. That's an insult to their ego and it can cause bouts of low self esteem. Even if they don't think it, it still hurts their feelings and that will just make their behavior worse. Still, you have to try. You don't know how you're going to fix things if you don't. You have some ideas, but you're still working on that. In any case, this is the situation: You're going to have to tell her you like her. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but you're going to do it. The question is, how do you do it? Should you just tell her you have a crush on her right after she thanks you? What if she gets angry and accuses you of saying it to provoke a reaction? Do you tell her after she's given you the rundown of all the things that have happened over the course of this adventure? You think you know what you should do, so the question is, do you have the courage to do it? You're drawing a blank on how to act. If you're going to do this, you need to get up the courage. ... Well, this is awkward. You've never had to do this before... You head downstairs to the living room and find Cecilia there, waiting for you. "Hey, Jacob." She says calmly. "Um, hey Cecilia. I was wondering if you-" You stop yourself right there and take a deep breath. This is it. "Cecilia, um..." "Yes?" She asks, turning to you. Why do girls have to be so pretty? This is why you don't ever have crushes. It messes with your mind. Why do you have to be so handsome? Men like you Sp Notification: You have a crush on Cecilia. Current score is 7/25. Spin the wheel! Choose your course of action: You're socially awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. "Cecilia, I'm a girl," You say. She looks at you confused. "What? No, you're a boy." "I'm a girl. I have a crush on you." She raises an eyebrow. "You do?" "Yes." She raises her eyebrow even higher. "I don't think I've ever seen you around before, do I know you?" You gulp nervously. "No, I just u-um... I just sort of had a feeling," You say. "A feeling?" She asks skeptically. You take a deep breath. "My name is Hazel. I live inside your husband's head." You explain. "What? No, my husband doesn't have a stalker." She says. "Really? Because I'm sure he'd be the perfect one to have one." "He doesn't. I promise." "I am his other self," You explain. "But I like you either way." She raises an eyebrow. "You're his other self?" "Yes," you smile. "Do you have a pen and paper? I could tell you more about myself." "Um, OK," She says, fumbling with something. "Do you mind if I ask what you're doing?" You ask. "I'm preparing an explanation for my friends," She says. "If you don't mind." "Go ahead." "So, what's your name?" She asks. "Hazel," You smile. "What are you planning on telling your friends?" "The truth." "Sure," You smile. "I'll be waiting outside." You walk outside and wait for your ride. Soon, it arrives. "Hey Hazel," Charlie asks. "Charlie," You smile. "You're pretty quiet this evening." He says. "Sorry," You say. "I'm a little overwhelmed by all this." "Hazel, welcome to the family," Dad says. "I know you've had a horrible couple of days, and you've come through it. You will always have a home here with us, OK?" You smile and nod. "Thanks, dad," You say. "You want to tell me what's going on?" Dad asks. You calm him down and tell him everything. It goes much smoother than with Cecilia. "That's great, Hazel," Dad says. "We love you no matter what." "I love you too," You hug him. You meet the rest of the family. They seem just uninterested in you, which is just as well. Even if they weren't, what would it change? You had a good time with them. You feel loved for the first time in your life. Soon, it's time to say goodbye. "Bye Hazel," Dad says. "We're so proud of you." "Bye Hazel," Momma and Cecilia say in unison. "Bye Hazel," The rest of the family says. You walk to the bus stop. Charlie is already there. "Hey Hazel," He smiles. "That was quick. You ready to go?" "Yeah," You smile. "Thanks for being my ride. That was really nice of you." "No problem," He says. "Hey, do you want to go to that new hang out place of mine?" "What is it?" You ask. "The top of the Ferris wheel at night," He says. "It's supposed to be really cool to see the city." "Yeah, OK," You smile. "I'd love to see the city." You get on the bus and ride back home, where you quickly fall asleep. When you wake up, it's time for school. You get ready and head off to Mr. K's class. You manage to keep your head down and not pay much attention. Later, when school ends, you say goodbye to your friends and walk home. You walk past the drug store and continue on home, thinking about Charlie's eyes. "I like hazel eyes," He says. "Every girl should have them." You shake your head. What is Charlie on? You enter your home and find your mom and dad waiting for you. "Hello Hazel," Dad says. "We need to talk to you." "Oh," You say. "Alright." "Come into the kitchen," Mom says. "Both of you." You follow your parents into the kitchen. "Hazel," Dad says. "We're going to have to talk about something that's been bothering us. It's about your powers." "Mom, dad!" You say in unison. "Now," Dad says sternly. "Hazel, you have grown considerably more powerful over the years. Powerful enough that you could be a danger to yourself and others, and for that reason we're going to have to tie your powers down. You'll be going to a special school away from normal people." "But I don't want to go to a special school!" You exclaim. "Can't I stay here with you guys? I don't want to go!" "We're sorry Hazel," Your mom says. "It's for your own safety. The school will help us train you how to control your powers more, as well as how to hide them better. It's the best solution." "But I don't want to go!" You wail. "Listen to your dad," Dad says. "This is how it's going to be, so just deal with it." You stand up and you're about to walk off, when Dad stops you. "Just calm down, we're not done yet," Dad says. "There's more. Because of your ability, we're going to have to get you a bodyguard. This will be very hard for you, but we know it's necessary. After discussing it with your mother, we've decided to get Jon." "Jon who?" You ask. "Jon Karson, sweetie," Your mom says. "He's very popular, so you shouldn't have any problems in that aspect. He'll be moving in with us slightly, so we can ensure your safety in a better way." Dad turns to you. "We want you to be nice to him, alright?" Dad says. "No killing, no abusing him, and if he starts showing any signs of having powers then you can kill him." "If," You switch back to Jacob. You don't want to argue with your dad, but you're not going to roll over and take it like a doll. "If what?" You ask. "If he starts showing signs of having powers," Dad says. "It's to make sure you don't kill him, because we still have to go through with the wedding." "Dad, I'm not killing Jon. If he starts acting weird, I'm going to tell him to go to the police, not kill him. And seriously, he can't have powers. You told me so." "Well, I'm not sure," Dad says. "I mean, I guess we can test him to see if he's... well anything for now." You sigh. Jon might actually be a fake. You didn't think it was possible, but you actually hate this guy a little more right now. "Fine," You say. "Good, good!" Dad says. "Great work as always, Hazel." You just want to go to bed, but you have to go with your dad. Instead, you decide to just wait in the car. A few minutes pass, and you start fearing the worst. "Jon!" Dad says, walking out the house. "We need to go." Your stomach drops. Jon stands outside the house, dressed in a nice suit. He smiles at you, looking genuine and friendly. "You're Jon Karson," You say, still in shock. "Oh, I'm so sorry sir!" He says. "I didn't recognize you in your younger form." "No, it's alright," Dad says. "Where's Hazel?" "I'm here," You reply. "You can let me out of the car." Jon walks around to the passenger door, and opens it for you. "Hi, I'm Jacob," You say to Jon. "It's a... small world, isn't it? I know all about you." "Oh?" Jon says, raising an eyebrow. "What do you know about me, Jacob?" "You don't have powers," You say. "At least, I hope you don't. I hope you're all clear." "You can check," Dad says, pulling out his phone. "I want to prove that it's safe, Hazel. Come on, Jon." "Okay," Jon says, stepping onto the street. "Thanks for being so honest, Jacob. I appreciate it." "No problem," You reply. "I'm sure I'll see you around, Jon." "Okay, darling," Dad says, as you roll the window back up. You watch as the two men walk towards a police car, and you start the car and pull away from the house. You stop for a moment, then grab your dad's phone. You look up the number to call the police, then realize you're sitting in a ' police car '. You put the phone down, and try to forget about it. "What was that about?" Dad asks. "Jon Karson," You reply. "Your date for the wedding." "He's not my date," Dad says. "He's your date." "Either way, I'm late for school." You pull into the school parking lot. A police car pulls in right behind you. "Hi, I'm Jacob Thomas Killinger. How may I help you?" You ask. "I'm Officer Karthun," The police officer says. "You're the boy who found the dead body, aren't you?" "I am," You reply. "We need to talk to you about that." You pause for a moment, before opening the door and getting out of the car. You shake Officer Karthun's hand, then follow him toward the school. "So, did you have to go see the principal?" Officer Karthun asks. "Yeah, after you called. I get in trouble. I'm sorry for the confusion." "It's alright. Confusion is good. It means you're human, Killinger. The world would be a very boring place if everything were perfect, no?" You don't really understand the joke, but you don't have time to worry about it now. You wait in the empty hallway for a moment. "So. About that dead body we found a little while ago..." Officer Karthun begins. "Yeah?" You reply nervously. "Well, do you know who it is?" "Not really," "It's actually my wife, Cecilia, from my previous incarnation," You say, overpowering Hazel. "Oh. Um, I'm so sorry for your loss," Officer Karthun says. "Thank you," You say. "So, did you know each-?" "I have to go." "Alright, Killinger. Talk to you later." "Bye," you say, trying not to sound too eager. You walk quickly to the administration office. You open the door and walk inside. "Hello?" You call. No response. You walk inside and see no one. You look around the room, but see no one. Then, you hear a scream. "SHIT!" You yell, as you look around for the source of the scream. You walk over to a door on the far side of the office, leading into a bathroom. You open the door to find a girl, around your age, with blood all over her. She screams again as you open the door, and a large man comes charging out of a nearby stall. "STOP!" He yells. You don't really have a choice, as he grabs you by the scruffy beard you were forced to grow for your dad's employer, Mr Scamander. "You're coming with me," he says. Along the way, you explain everything that's happened. "But in short, just call me Hazel," You finish. "I'm Karth," You say, as you extend your hand. "I'm Cecilia," She replies, taking your hand. The three of you walk into the principal's office. You sit in the waiting area, as Karth and Cecilia explain to the school what's happened. Soon, Mr Dendar appears. "Hello, Cecilia," He says. "I'm very sorry for your loss. I'll do everything in my power to solve this case, so Karth, you need not worry." "Thank you, sir," Karth says. "What can I do for you two today?" Mr Dendar asks. "We found a dead body in the woods," Karth says. "The dead body was mine in my previous incarnation. I was reincarnated into this form with the same name as last time, except now I have powers," Cecilia explains. "I'm confused. How did you die?" Mr Dendar asks. "I was murdered," You say. "Wait, you're saying you were murdered?" Mr Dendar says. "Yes," "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "Interesting. Well then, I suppose this would be a good time to introduce you to the school nurse, seeing as there's two of you." "Mr Dendar, we're not hurt," Cecilia says. "We're fine. "I'm also not a reincarnation like these two," Karth says. "My parents were murdered when I was a baby, and I had to live with an adopted family. It was the evilest man of all who did this deed. So now, I want to learn how to avenge their deaths by being at this school." "What are we going to do?" You whisper. "I want you both to finish your free period, pack a bag, and meet me in the student lounge at five thirty." "Why?" "Because I'm doing you a favor. I'm giving you the chance to avenge your parents. If you refuse, there will be consequences. See you there." With those last words, Mr Dendar leaves. You and Cecilia begin to head to your lockers, but Karth calls you over to him. "What's wrong?" You ask. "I just wanted to thank you.' Karth says. "Mr Dendar is a complete idiot who needs to stick to being the soccer coach. I know we just met, but I trust you and Cecilia with my life." "Cool," You smile. "I'm glad to be able to help." "Just don't fail me." "Never." The three of you finish packing, and head to the lounge at five thirty. When you arrive, Karth immediately takes a seat in the back, and makes himself scarce. You don't understand this behavior, until you notice the tape the police have placed across the entrance to the lounge. "What now, dad?" You whine. "Can't we go in?" "No." "Also, did I mention we have a big family?" You say. "Six siblings, we're all blond." "Can we go outside to talk?" You ask. "No." "Is there a window we could go through?" "Well, what are we going to do? "I don't know, but my parents are just powerless mortals," Cecelia says. "I think we should take the tapes and the money, and give them to Mr Dendar. Then, we can all protest about not getting our funds." "Yeah, wouldn't that be nice?" You say. "Okay, what's plan B?" "I can't recall any," Cecilia says. "I guess we could just leave. I mean, there's no tape across the road entrance. We could just sneak out that way." "I don't think that's a good idea," Cecilia says. "Mr Dan-" "Dendar. Correct." "Mr. Dendar will not be able to do anything about the police. We need to stay and see this through." "Can we at least put the tape back so we know where to go?" "I don't think that would be a good idea, seeing as they took our tape to begin with." Plan B is discarded. You wait for three hours before you see Mr Dendar, who looks absolutely exhausted. You notice his tie is crooked and there's a tear in the sleeve of his jacket. "Give me the Philosopher's stone," He says. "Give it to me now." "We haven't even seen your film yet," You say. "The movie isn't important! Give me the stone! I need to destroy it!" "Why would you want to do that?" "Because it's a threat to my existence! I have to, there's no other option! "You're the guy who killed my parents possessing Mr. Dendar, aren't you? What's your name?" Karth asks. "My name doesn't matter. You'll all pay for what you've done." "No, we'll give you the stone. I have to agree with Cecilia though, we need to protest." You go back inside, and hand the tape back to Mr. Dendar. "I'm sorry about this," You apologize. "We can watch the movie some other time." "No, please, do it now!" He says. You hit play, and Ben Elton's 'We Hate You' song starts to play. The cashier begins to speak. "Hello, and thanks for coming to my theater! My name is Cecilia, and I'll be your host for tonight. Before we begin, do any of you idiots know how to work a tape deck?" Nobody does. "Hey, give your sister this old diary to pour her feelings into," Mr. Dendar says. "It's totally not gonna possess her to paralyze all the norm kids here and bring back the guy inside me in a secret chamber." Cecilia hands out the diaries and tapes. "Now, please pay attention, because I'm only gonna say this once." The intro starts, and the movie begins. You watch the movie 'Ghostworld', which is about two teenage sk8r girls, one popular girl and one awkward girl who becomes friends with her. "Also, in case a werewolf comes to teach here, it will probably attract your godfather, Karth, so be on the lookout for him," Mr. Dandar adds. Suddenly, you're hit by a bolt of lighting and George A. K. McRory's 'Extra Pain' starts playing. George A. K. McRory is a werewolf. "I'll make my grand reentrance during your fourth year, while Karth is in the Three School Tournament and gets his friend killed, but me resurrected," The entity in Mr. Dendar adds. "I'll also take over the town, turning everyone into a-" You raise your hand. "Whoa there, Dendar! I know what you do! But... Why...? "Because this will attract the woman I'm planning to have overthrow your principal the year after that and make your lives miserable," Mr. Dendar says. "I'm... A very petty being, but so incredibly right in this case!" The movie ends. "I'm also going to let my double agent who works here loan you an old notebook to use in your worst class, which won't be your worst anymore once you get ahold of it, all during the occuring war," The entity in Dendar says. "I'd let you read it, but it'd probably mess with your mind, as most students' have in the past. This is your warning, Karth. I'll be watching you. I'm everywhere." "One more thing, Karth, I've split my soul into seven pieces, which you three must find the year after that, during which I'll completely take over your school and have an epic battle with you," The entity finishes. Mr. Dendar flees, and you, Karth, and Cecilia look at each other. "I don't know what that was all about, but it can't be anything good," You say. "Well, the notebook will help us with number four," Cecilia says. "Number Four?" You ask. "Yeah, there's a ritual to banish children'sspirals to. We'll have to do it when the time comes." Later, you decide to perform the Ritual to Summon the Gatekeepers in the abandoned mineshaft in the woods. The only thing you can figure it is, you need the help of beings that went through the gate. You just wonder what other help they'll need to make sure the spell is completed. You summon the gatekeepers, who you learn are beings of pure, unending hatred. The beings begin to circle you, before one of them begins spouting a series of numbers. "He's calling the order of gladiators! Get 'em off the field!" Mr. Demar shouts. You raise your weapon, and begin firing upon the horde of celluloid monsters. You cut down a few, before you're struck by several spears made of flame. You fall to the ground, as the horde continues to attack you. The only thing you can hear is the laughter of the gatekeeper horde as they file out of the stadium and into the night. And then, the world goes black. You wake up in the mineshaft, covered in dirt and grime. You're alive, although you have multiple bruises and a broken leg. You feel like you've ran a marathon. "Karth!" Cecilia shouts. "You're alive! Are the others alright?" You look around, noticing the gatekeepers surrounding you and your allies. "Did you get them all?" You ask. "They're all here," The leader of the gatekeepers, a pale, gaunt man covered in burn scars says. "Except for that one." He indicates Cecilia with a nod. "The little one was incredibly difficult to catch. I don't know how you managed to avoid them all, Karth, but we're very grateful." "I'm not Karth," You remind Cecilia. "I'm Jacob, who in our previous life, was your husband that you murdered. I hope we don't make this mistake again." You stand up, and see the bodies of your friends lying on the floor. "What... What happened?" "The gatekeepers were very effective," Mr. Demar says. "Karth didn't deserve to die," Cecilia says, tears in her eyes. "He was doing so well against the demons. He risked his life to save mine. And now... Now he's gone. But at least he lives on in glory!" "It's okay, Jacob, you always have me," The Hazel side of you says. "I'll always be here to keep you grounded. Remember, life isn't fair. What happens, happens. You can't spend your life blaming others or you will also meet the same end. "I love you, Jacob," Cecilia says, kissing you. "Be happy." You nod, and turn to the leader of the gatekeepers. "Gatekeepers, I want you to know, I greatly appreciate all your help during this incident. If there's anything I can do for your order, let me know." "We will," He says. "You've been a great help to us as well, Karth. We hope that you will stay with us, at least for a while." You smile and nod. "Of course," "I'm Jacob, you idiots," You say. "You can leave now. I'll take it from here." "As you wish," Mr. Demar says, sighing. "We'll be in touch about the details of your stay." The gatekeepers leave, leaving you alone with Mr. Demar. "Well, that was exciting," Mr. Demar laughs. "I thought you were going to die there for a second. Your two personalities (Hazel and Jacob) fight for a good response. "Well, I guess you are stronger than I am," Cecilia says. "I know I am. I'm so glad both of you made it." "I'm happy to help," Mr. Demar says. After a long moment of silence, Mr. Demar leaves you alone with your wife. "Cecilia, do you remember Daniel, our son?" You ask. "Do you think he's still alive?" "I hope so," She says. "That boy was so full of life. Just like you." You nod, smiling. "I'm glad I could help you both out," You say. "Daniel would be proud." You hold her hand, and she holds yours back. The two of you look at each other, and know. This was the happiest Cecilia had ever been. None of this will have solved anything. The dead will still be dead. The living will still be living. Nothing will change. But for now, everything is good. END Now an old man, Daniel Killinger decides to pay a visit to Hogwarts. He didn't get the chance to visit the last time he was here, something about Professor Quirrell not needing any help at the time. He is shocked to see his parents are students there, and reincarnated. (Well, his mother is and he isn't, but you get the point.) He decides not to approach them, as he knows how terrifying ghosts can be. "Daniel!" Cecilia (his mother) says. "It's so weird to be older than you!" His father (Jacob/Hazel) adds. "Are you here to send us back to our graves?" Cecilia asks. "No," Mr. Killinger says. "I just came to visit, I didn't expect to run into you guys." "Reincarnation is fun, son," Jacob says. "Especially keeping your memories and your feminine side." "I... Think I'm gonna head home now," Mr. Killinger says, a bit scared by the ghosts. "It was nice seeing you guys." "You can't just leave," Cecilia says. "Where's Daniel?" "He's, uh, outside," Mr. Killinger says nervously. "You can see us?" Daniel asks. "When Hazel and Jacob showed me their souls, I could see you." "Daniel, what's wrong with you? Why do you have a hard time talking to people?" Cecilia asks. "The main character in my book can't interact with other people," Mr. Killinger explains. "I made him that way so the allegory would be more powerful." "Allegory?" Jacob asks. "It means a story with a moral, or a story with a deeper meaning," Mr. Killinger slightly composes himself. "The main character in my book, The Ugly Duckling, represents someone who may never be accepted by society no matter what they do. Always different, never like everyone else, but with great potential inside. "So, just like how I was never accepted because I have Hazel inside me?" You ask. "Yeah, I think so," Mr. Killinger says. You are about to ask another question, but Mr. Killinger starts to walk away very fast towards the door. "Daniel, wait!" Cecilia says. You let her parent go, and head home yourself. You end up in bed, drifting off to sleep. You hope you don't get nightmares. "I told you not to follow me!" You hear a voice say. You slowly turn over in your bed, staying perfectly still and quiet. "It isn't worth it, my little shadow," the voice says. "You lack the power to fight me, and you know it." "Leave Cecilia alone," you say, continuing to try to get a read on the voice. "Never," the voice hisses. "I'll kill her and everyone you care about, one by one." "Who... Who are you? Show yourself! " The shadow looms over you, and you grab your crucifix, holding it up and preparing to fire. "Relax, Daniel, it's just me," the voice says. "Your mother's in the next room. She doesn't know anything's wrong, I made sure of that. However, if you stay here your end is going to her." "My end?" you ask. "What is it?" "I need you to perform a task, Daniel. Go to the top of that big tower in the east and search there for a golden egg. Crack it open and grab the card inside. Then, bring it back to me." "What? Why should I do that?" "Because if you don't, your end is going to be much... darker." "Okay, I won't do it," you say. "Now stop threatening me and leave my mom alone." "So uncompromising. Well, I guess I'll have to kill you after all. Oh, how disappointing. I was hoping to avoid that." You heart starts beating faster. "However, your mother has a much... pleasurable end in mind for you. She wants to see you... permanently." "What...?" "You have a choice, Daniel. I'm giving you a chance to live out the rest of your short life any way you want. You can be a normal boy, go to school, get a job, have a family, and die peacefully in your sleep one day. That's what your mom wants. Or, you can be a warrior. Be strong and courageous. Take up the mantle of the warrior and live a life of adventure, going from one dangerous quest to the next. You'll be a real hero, doing grand deeds and going down in history. You'll gain the admiration of everyone. However... you can never let yourself get soft. You can't let yourself have pity or remorse. You can't have a girlfriend. You can't wear clothes. You can't touch anything that's alive. You can't... have children." "What the hell are you saying, you sicko?" "I'm saying, Daniel, that you have a choice. But, make the right choice, and it won't have to be an easy one." "What...?" The voice then gets quieter and quieter, until it's completely silent. You look around, but find nothing. The room you end up in is much bigger than your bedroom. There's a desk with a computer on it, a closet, a small bookshelf, a dressers, and a few other pieces of furniture. An exit is nearby, as well as the door you came from. You're not sure what to make of hallucinations at this point. You're not even sure if what you just experienced was a hallucination. Your surroundings seem somewhat familiar, and you feel like you've been here before, but you're not sure where. "Welcome to Team Never Ending Story Lair!" a voice says. You turn around and see the speaker. He's a boy with brown hair wearing a black t-shirt and black shorts. His eyes are hidden by a mask with a red grin, like that of a beast. He has several piercings, including his tongue, eyebrows, and navel. He holds up a hand to stop you from saying anything. "Don't worry, Daniel, we'll make this as easy for you as possible. Take off your clothes, and get in the circle." There's no way out of this, you're sure of it now. It's very similar to when that girl trapped you in her car, only you have no idea what's going on here. This is some seriously mental stuff. You don't want to go through with this, but you don't have much of a choice, do you? You take off your shirt and shorts, leaving you in your underwear. The boy looks over to a note he's holding, then back at you. "Put these on, and put the mask on." You comply, putting on the t-shirt and shorts and putting on the mask. "Good. Now, grab your weapon of choice." You do so, lifting up your BB Gun. "Now, step into the circle." You do so, entering an oval shaped symbol drawn onto the ground. The walls seem too clean to be real, and there's no windows in this room. You wonder if it's even real. "Excellent," the boy says. "Let's begin." He holds up a small card, revealing a list of numbers. A pen is then produced, and the boy draws a line through the number 5. "This is your number. Now, choose your weapon." You look around, spotting a lighter and a box of matches on a table. You grab the lighter, using it to light the box of matches. "What's going on?" The boy glares down at you. "You ask a lot of questions, Daniel. I'm going to make this really easy for you. Take the lighter and set the box on fire." This is getting weirder and weirger. You do so, watching the matches burn. Nothing happens. "Good girl," the boy says. He holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe." He shows you a series of other symbols, each with a different meaning. There's one that looks like a skull with a diagonal cut out of it. you think you guys can restore my parents Jacob and Cecilia to the bodies and ages they would have today if they hadn't died or become vampires?" You ask. "We can try, sure," the boy says. "But it's really, really hard. We're not going to do it. I'm going to show you a sign, Daniel. Whenever you're asked a question you don't want to answer, or you don't know the answer to, use this sign. It'll save you from a lot of pain and suffering." He points to a symbol, a combination of two crossed swords overlaying a "X". The boy holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe. "Stop repeating yourself," You say. "Look, I want my parents back to normal. Do you have any idea how weird it is to have a dad with two souls in him?" "Weird?" The boy says with a chuckle. "If it was weird, I'd say yes. But since it's perfectly normal, and perfectly natural, I can't help but find it weird too." "What are you even talking about?" "I'm talking about-" The boy pauses, looking confused to as you. "Do you know what a split personality is, Daniel?" "Sure," you say. "Multiple personalities." "Right," the boy says. "Multiple personalities. It's when a person's mind splits into different people. It's quite common, especially in those who have experienced trauma in their past, like you. My name's Jacob by the way. "That's my dad's name," You say. "I'm Daniel. What are you talking about? What's a split personality?" "Easy," the boy says, writing on the notepad he has. "Imagine your mind as a movie. Your movies have scenes, those are our concepts. Your mind has a Director who puts the scenes together, and an Editor who cuts out the unnecessary parts of the movie, leaving only the best for last. Your mind also has a Cast, who are the people you think about the most. If one of them is a murderer, you might have thoughts about murdering them. But, you don't act on those thoughts. Your mind has a illnesses and traumas, that are the worst for your movies of the mind. People with split personalities have Multiple Personalities. Let's take you as an example. "That would be my father," you say. "His other personality is a woman named Hazel," You look at the boy with confusion. The boy gapes his mouth, shaking his head a bit. "He doesn't know?" "Knows what? What are you talking about? Who is Hazel?" "Honestly?" Jacob says, raising his hands up in defense. "I don't know. Not even sure if she is real. Mom says she's the spirit of his dead girlfriend." "His... Girlfriend?" "Sure," Jacob says, shrugging. "Dad's always had a thing for blondes, and he went out with Hazel for quite awhile when he was in college. Even after he got together with Mom." You're in shock. "You're my brother?" You ask. "I had a brother? Why didn't you ever talk about him?" "He didn't exist," Jacob says. "Sorry, Daniel." You're speechless. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Why do I feel connected to you?" You ask. "Who are you really?" "Who am I really?" Jacob asks with a laugh. "I'm your imaginary friend! Anytime you have a question, just ask God!" "I'm not religious. Ask literally any other question and I'll answer it." Jacob rolls his eyes, before shrugging. "Ok, fine," he says. "God, are you real?" The pencil stops. "Am I real?" God asks. "Am I alive? Yes. Am I a man, or a woman, or an animal, or a color? "Or maybe you're like my dad, and both of the first two options," You say. There's a long pause. "Am I your God?" God asks. "... Yes." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "I don't think so," God says. "I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before." "... What way would I know? I'm just a man." "Are you black or white?" "What? No." "Ok, what about the TV? Are you a light or a dark color?" "Why does it matter?" "Because some people have asked me that. Black and white. Good and evil. Man and God." "... I'm not either. I'm... multicolored." "I'm confused," God says. "Are you a TV or not a TV?" "It's not a TV. It's a toaster." "Ah. I see." "Can you stop being a toaster and just stay a TV?" You ask. "Because I need one, and I really don't want to get a toaster." "Well... I could try," God says. "But I can't make any promises." "Trying is better than not trying, right?" You ask. "Sure," God says. "So... Can you please try?" "I'll try to restore your parents to their proper bodies and ages," God agrees. "But I canonly give you my word. It's very difficult to alter the flow of time. I may or may not be successful." "Try," you say. "Please." "I will," God says. "I promise." "Thanks," you say with a sigh of relief. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Dad?" You say, waking up back in your own bed. "Dad, I had a weird dream." "... Well, what did it entail?" You take a deep breath. "God was a toaster." "WHAT?!" Your father says. "How do you even know about toasters? "I don't know, but it promised to restore you to your proper body. Your proper age. But how does Hazel feel about that?" You ask. "Do strange things happen to her body when you go back in time?" "I don't know! I told you, I never went back in time. There was nothing for me to go back to! "I know you're wrong, Dad. But we need to fix this. I'm glad you chose reincarnation, but we need to reverse this. Save both you and Hazel, and Mom as well." You say. "I can't do it, son. I'll stay a child forever if I have to, but it's just not worth it. I have everything I want." "What do you want, Dad?" You ask. "I want to be a kid again." You sigh, and your Dad just stares at you with a smile... Well, there's two of them. You're not sure if a third one is even possible. And that's something you need to solve. ... "God, why won't you listen to me?" You scream. "I'm your creation, surely you should be able to contact me! Am I doing something wrong? What the hell am I doing wrong?" "Does this involve me?" God asks. "No." "Then why don't you just ask the person who can? Your Mom. She's the one that went back in time." "So what? She's not listening to me either! I tried to tell her, but she doesn't want to listen!" "Maybe she prefers ignorance. At least, until she's caught up to 1970." "Is that all you have to say for yourself? Why aren't you helping me? You're supposed to be all powerful!" "And I'm telling you I'm not doing it." "GOD DAMNIT! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SO FROM CONFLICT?! I PRAYED TO YOU! I PRAYED YOUR HOLY NAME! I PRAYED FOR YOUR HELP!" "And? What do you want me to do, intervene in the world and risk my own existence? Why would I do that when I have no guarantee that you would be successful or not risk damaging my own existence in the process? You're on your own kid." "But..." "Don't bother asking me to stay. You know why?" "No." "Because I'm not a god. I'm just a voice in the darkness that's playing judge, jury and executioners. Good luck kid. " And just like that, the darkness fades and you're left with nothing but your bed and a very tired father who is putting his head down. "What... What time is it? "Time to take control," Hazel says from your dad's body. You sit up and your mind is flooded with the voice of Hazel. "Sorry about that. Like I said, it takes a bit of energy." "You... You did that while we slept?" "Yep. Took a while to get the hang of it, but it's actually not too bad." "So you could've killed my Dad?" "No. I couldn't do that without your consent. And I didn't kill him. I just put him to sleep. I also didn't know how you were going to react. That's why I spoke to you first. You try to stand, but feel dizzy. You sit back down. "Now, now, calm down. We've got a lot to discuss, so don't pass out on me." "Can't we just talk? You said you'd answer any question." "Oh, we can, but not right now. First things first. You're in grave danger, and I'm the only one that can help you. But I need you to listen to me. No questions until we're finished." You nod, though you feel as if you should be suspicious. "Alright. Briefly about me, I'm a time traveller. That's the entire short answer. There are many more questions you'd like to ask, but I can't answer them. Not yet. However, I will answer the most important one right now." "What?" you ask nervously. "Do you trust me?" "..." "No?" "... I'm not sure. Why does it matter if I trust you?" "Because if you don't, everyone I say from here on out is going to be used against you. I can't trust you to not betray me. Now, do you trust me?" "I don't know." "Lucky you. It's a livable answer." Hazel laughs. "Alright, let me give you a little more information. I am from the year...." Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. ".... We're currently in the year 2540." "... What does that mean? I don't even know where to start." "Where do you want to start? I'll tell you everything I know about the world, and you can tell me if it sounds correct." "... OK. Go ahead." Hazel begins to explain. A few years after she left, the virus spread throughout the world. She said there were two major factions that formed, the New-U.C.O.N. and the U.S.A. The New-U.C.O.N. was a world government that took over after the virus had taken over. They introduced the five pillars that are still in use today.... Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. "Hazel?" You wait for an answer, but none comes. "Hazel? Is that your name?" "Yes." "Well, Hazel, I'll see you around some time." "Sure. Goodbye Jacob." Your father regains control of his body. "Goodbye, Hazel. Something wrong, son?" "No. I'll be going to bed early. See you in the morning. Goodnight, Hazel." You head upstairs. You're exhausted, and you're not even sure what time it is. "Goodnight, Jacob. Sleep well. The next day, you ask your dad if he'd ever want a separate body from Hazel. His reaction is negative, he says it's not worth the hassle to him. You end the conversation. You continue with your new routine. You wake up at 6, get ready, and head off to school. On the way there, you run into views, a giant box with a human body. He's a descendant of the original Views. Now, he has a mind so spread out that he has over ten thousand eyes in his head, all but one eye being able to see in all directions. He stares at you, and you stare back. You realize you both haven't said a word. "Hello." you offer. "You have glasses." views states simply. "Yes, I do. So do you." "I have many eyes." "I have many friends." "Do you play games?" You think for a second. "Yes, I play games." "Can you help me be better at games? So that I can get more friends?" "I can try, but I don't think you want many friends. They will crowd you out." "How do I get rid of them?" "You can eat them." You think for a second. "Can they be left alone if they're left alone? I don't want to get rid of them, I want to get along with them." "Sure. You can eat every other one, and just have the others stay. What do you play?" "Games. I like games." "I play spades." "Do you want to play a game?" "Yes." "Then we'll play spades. Come on, I'll walk you home." You spend the rest of the day with views, eating crickets and getting to know each other a bit better. He's surprisingly fun to be around, and you have a blast playing games, especially Monopoly. That night, you dream of Hazel. "Hi Hazel, I had fun with views." "I'm glad, I'm glad you had fun. But, why did you do it? Why did you leave me? Why can't you stay?" "I can't stay." "I need you to stay, with me. I need you. You're my friend, Jacob. Please stay! Stay with me!" "I can't stay, I'm sorry. Please don't cry." "I'm not crying, you're making me cry! Why are you making me cry? I'm not a, I'm not a... I'm not a--" "What, Hazel? What are you?" "I'm a child! I'm a child! I want to play, I want to play! I want to stay a child! Please make me a powerful, fun-loving child again! Please, please, pretty please! Pretty, pretty please with sugar on top!" "I can't make you a child, Hazel. I'd make you a monster if I could. I'm sorry, but I made a deal. I have to stick by it." "I don't want to be a child again! I want to play, I don't want to think! I want to feel! I want to live!" "I'm sorry Hazel, but you have to grow up. I'm sorry. I wish I could take away your pain, but I can't. No one can. But I know the way you can deal with it. Get drunk, and play more games." "No. I want to feel something else. I want to feel... I want to feel love. I want someone to love me. Can you do that? Can you love me, please?" "I'm sorry, Hazel. I can't. Please, leave me alone. Go find a boy your age to play with. Or... or get a job. Get a job and pay off the debts you've acquired. That's an option, but you'll eventually grow out of it. That's the best I can do for you." "So I'm a dumb hound!" "No, Hazel. You're not a dumb hound. You're... well, you're a weird hound, but I'll always remember the fun times we had together. Always. Good luck, kid. And if you happen to run into views, tell him I said, 'Hello.'" "I will. Jacob shakes you awake. "Get up, kid. We have a meet." You stand, and follow Jacob to his van, where you notice two large binders on the floor. "What are those?" "Those are my insurance forms. The binders, not the hound." He opens the passenger door, and you climb in. He closes the door, locks it, and climbs in the driver's seat. "So... What now?" "We drive to the meet." "Where is it?" Jacob keeps his eyes on the road, but turns his head to you. "It's in that big, yellow building on the hill." He points out the window. "Just head up there. I'll text you when it's time to leave." You stare at the hill in confusion. "Do you want me to go undercover as a hound, too? So I can go in the big yellow building?" "No. there's no point in you doing that. You're not a hound." "I'm not?" "You're a human." "I'm not really a human, though. I'm..." "What? Different? Interesting. I guess you'd literally be the only human in the building, then. It's called the 'Humanis'." You turn to stare at Jacob incredulously. "You're kidding, right?" Jacob turns off the road to a parking lot filled with dozens of cars. "No. I'm not." "So what are you exactly?" Jacob sighs. "I don't know. I'm a human who does stuff with cars and other assorted machinery. I guess you could call me a 'mechanic', but lately I've been trying to break away and do my own thing. I dunno, I'm not really sure of what I am. "You're my father," You say. "And a pretty cool aunt too." "Don't really have a close relationship with either of them. They're alright. What about your mother? Do you have a close relationship with her?" You think for a moment. Hazel takes over. "His relationship with Hazel is strained, but apparently it's a little better with his mother. You could say they get along." "Is that so? How do you get along with her?" You hesitate. "It's me, Hazel. I took over the body now. Are we going to the Humanis? Jacob's hand was pointing to it." Hazel says. "Yeah. I suppose we are." Jacob smiles at the response. A smug, happy smile that you didn't want to see right now. "How old is Jacob, anyway?" You wonder out loud. "Your father, Jacob, and thus me, are 540 years old," Hazel says. "Vampirism and reincarnation." "Oh. So you're, what, a hundred and fifty years old?" "Something like that." "Jesus. That bites. How old are you, Hazel? "540. Just like your dad," Hazel says, as you pull into the Humanis parking lot. You shake your head, and exit the car. You can see the group sitting around a large table. Mr. Reynolds is there with his two lackeys, Nick and Carter. Also there are Kyle, arguably the weakest of the Creations, and a vampire you don't know named Lucas. The latter stares at you as you approach, but says nothing. "I want my dad and his split personality returned to their proper body and appearance, as well as my mom." You say. Mr. Reynold's smile drops. "No deal. You're just too risky. I'm sure you understand." You stare at him in disbelief. "You're lying. Of course you have them, what are you even doing here? Did you kidnap them? "No. I'm just a businessman here to contract people. Sort of like you, I suppose. You're a new vampire, correct? No ties to the old one? You can't be concerned with what we do with his remains." "You put my family in a lab! You're not a proper human! You need to give them back!" "I'm a businessman, thank you very much. I have my reasons. You're too risky to be given the chance to turn them back, hence us not doing business. Time will tell if I'm right or wrong. Either way, your role here is over. I'm sorry." "No! We made a deal!" You yell, getting in his face. Mr. Reynold backs up a bit. "Jacob, settle down! We need to talk!" "Don't you dare touch them! Your father Jacob arrives, back in his Jacob persona. "I like being young. But I admit, my son as an adult and me as a kid is weird. And I'll probably be dysphoric later too." You sigh, and Jacob notices. "Should I turn back into a kid? Do you have something for the dysphoria?" You look at him. The kid you knew was gone. The adult was a shell of his former self. You have no idea what would happen if you gave into your desires now. But you did what you could for him. You nod. "Do it." Jacob nods, and turns back into a child, a year older than he actually is. Mr. Reynold's eyebrows raise. You then turn his body back to his original one, with Hazel's long hair, makeup, and dress. His eyes shut close and he opens them again. "Jesus, Jacob! What the hell did they do to you? "Hazel, I restored your proper body with my powers," You say. "You should be able to have it back now. You don't need to be a kid anymore. You're a grown woman." Jacob's face and body switches back and forth between ghouled form and his normal one. He collapses to the ground. Mr. Reynold rubs his eyes. "Is that really my son? Did he fall under a curse?" "Yes. Yes he did." Mr. Reynold sits down on a nearby bench. "Then time has taken him away from me. "I feel so powerful!" You scream. "I did the same thing to my mother too! Now they're as I knew them!" Mr. Reynold holds his face in his hands. Jacob gets up, and it appears Hazel is in control. "Your powers? This is terrible, Daniel." "What do you mean? He needs to have full control of them," You say. "He shouldn't have even one. This isn't a zombie curse, it's mass hysteria! Vampires are supposed to have horrible memories of their mortal lives, not maintain their sanity from one moment to another!" You frown. "Then what do we do?" "You don't want to know. You probably do want to get out of the open, though. Come on. We'll go in the woods. They can't do anything in the woods." "Yeah," You sigh, following her. "Let's go to the woods. It's going to be weird, but I'm used to weird now." Mr. Reynold calls out to you. "Are we leaving you behind?" You look back. "No. I'm coming with you." "We're going to be back soon. You'll be fine here. We'll get Hazel's body back shortly and you can put it to rest, got it?" "Yeah. "I never had my own body," Hazel says. "This was the best I got. And I still share it with a man. I don't need one." Jacob sprints ahead of you in the forest, leaving you to chase after him in a playful manner. "We should probably talk about what just happened." "Yes, let's go through it again," Jacob says. "There are some things I still don't get." "Fair enough." You begin to talk about what had happened since Jacob had left. About how you came back from the dead and briefly talked with Ben, some of the other adventures you had on your own. You cover most of what had happened since he last saw you. "Interesting," Jacob says. "So are you God then? I mean, that's what I'm gathering from all this. You're telling me you've been doing all this for years, and you're only just now reaching your full potential?" "Something like that," you nod. "Although I suppose it would be more like... I'm at my apotheosis." "Apocalypse please," Jacob says. "Apocalypse please," you nod. "So what now?" "Now? Now I take over the world." Jacob laughs. "If you're asking me, as a friend, advising you, as a fellow ruler, whatever you want to call it... Don't bother." "Don't bother? What do you mean? This is what I was born for! This is my goal!" Jacob shakes his head. "No, no, no, no. You were not created for that. You were created for... something else." "Well, you don't have to help me! I can take it on myself!" Jacob laughs again. "That's not what I mean. "You're our son," Hazel says, gaining control. "We wanted you to defeat the vampires." "Yeah, well things change," Jacob says. "You're above them now, whatever you are. You don't need to prove anything to them." You're quiet, and think for a moment. "It's weird to see the same person contradicting themself," You say. "Ha ha ha ha!" Mr. Reynold laughs. "Yeah, you'd expect that from a vampire, not a group of proud ghouls. I'd expect at least one of them to have some moral ground, but they're worse than the mortals. Honestly, I'd rather be a on a team with you mortals than my own kind, even Ben." "Ben's a good friend," Jacob says. " "Benelux is long dead, Jacob," Views says. "It's time you move on. Go retire with your wife. Let your son handle things." Jacob nods. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I didn't mean to step out of line. I'll go." Hazel nods. You watch sadly as Jacob/Hazel leaves, knowing they won't be happy when you get home. You also know it's probably best that they're mad at you, because if they weren't, they'd see that you're doing the right thing. They may not agree with it, but they know you're doing it for the right reasons. You turn to the ghouls. They look horrible. Their skin is pale, except for in the crimson spots caused by their open wounds. Their bodies are frail, and they walk with a limp. "So, what do you say?" You ask them. They still haven't said anything. "What are you waiting for? Do you want to be Vampire Clansmen?" Slowly, they nod. "Good. Come with me." You lead them out of the cave, and into the village where they can find new clans to join. You spend the next few days setting up a system where the ghouls can be fed and find mates. You make sure there's plenty of ghoul meat and female ghouls. You set the stage, so to speak. Then, the vampires show up. You're expecting a diplomatic visit, but instead, you get a violent one. A large group of vampires storms the village, and kill all the ghouls they find. They're on a mission to avenge their fallen, and they won't stop until every last one of them is dead, or you are. You had no idea. You thought you were doing this for the greater good, but now you're not so ^ sure. Ben and Cape seem to think you're still doing the right thing, but how do you really know? You head out to the massacre with vengeance on your mind, and find yourself in the middle of a massive battle between your kind and the so-called "New Vampires". You face a group of ten vampires, along with Ben and Cape. "I told you all this would happen!" a female vampire screams at you. "You're monsters! Sons of Satan!" She roars, and attacks. If looks could kill, you'd be a pile of ash. You fight back, attacking the female vampire. You almost feel sorry for her, until four of her buddies attack you. You quickly dispatch them, and then feel a hit to your back, Cape's sword plunging into you. You stumble forward, Ben finishing you off with a slash to your throat. "No! I thought we were supposed to be allies!" Cape complains. "Never mind that! We need to go after the boy, before the rest of them get to him!" Ben points towards the remaining group of New Vampires, who are struggling with a large, pale man. Jacob/Hazel, the "boy" you saved earlier. You quickly hobble over to your allies, before the vampires get away. Unfortunately, your injuries get in your way, and you're cut down by three vampires with ease. You lay dying on the ground, when you hear a voice. "So, this is how it ends...for you and me." A voice says, echoing in your head. A familiar voice... "Wait! I have a message for the new Vampyr! We meet again, some twenty years later." The voice says. "This one's the real deal. My Master shall return! And this one'sFFlowers will herald his homecoming! So keep your mouth shut, lest I slit it open and drink your blood! Do it for Tom! Do it for me! Pray, for you're going to need it! Funny how I got all my information about you from your orphanage- Master will be so pleased to hear that I've already managed to infiltrate your little group. Ha ha! Until we meet again, Vampyr! Drink! Savor! Feed! FEED! FEED FEED FEED! You are Jacob Killinger, who shares a body with his female alter, Hazel. You and your wife Cecilia are devastated by your son Daniel's death in battle. You are the last of the true Master vampires, who fled the city after the destruction of the last safehold. Now, you have been singled out by the Vampire who calls himself "Master". He is the only one left, and he has been looking for you. You have no idea what he's talking about, but if he wants you to do anything, it's blow out your brains. You are dead. You and Cecilia make a run for it. You make it out of the city, and are caught by a group of hunters. You are put on display, strung up in a wooden box, with Cecilia alive and in a box of her own. They are waiting for the Vampire. You know it's only a matter of time. He finds you last. The box is opened, and he walks forward... "So, the last of the old bloodline. I heard you fled the destruction of the last holdout, but I had feared it was you. So, now you finally face your end. I have so looked forward to this! You bite his neck, removing his vampirism. You drink his blood, draining him of life, as he tries to fight back But his powers are gone, and you are too powerful now. You go into shock as Hazel takes over. She leads the hunters away, killing them as they attempt to shoot her. She finds a nearby stream, and uses her powers to hide you from sight. You'll be able to get high enough for her to heal you. For now, you're just in shock as the blood loss takes effect, and you either become dazed or pass out. You awaken in the morning, lying in a bed of hay. Cecilia looks over you, revealing she found a barn for refuge. She also misses Daniel. You both talk about what to do next. You need to get to the nearest city. The two of you exit the barn, and begin heading towards it. As you encounter no humans hostile towards you, you're able to safely rest. But you need to sleep, or you won't have the strength to walk to the city. Make a City Brdlog The two of you find the nearest city, which is Pittsburg. It's large and bustling with activity, which worries you. You turn into Hazel while eating in Pittsburgh with Cecilia. Even though she doesn't remember it, you still have a faint memory of the place. It was the first city you ever fled to. You know it'll be the most likely to have a large community of other Hunters. You enter the city, and you're immediately harassed by a human. "Hey baby, wanna have some fun?" he says, leering at you. You grab his head and twist. His neck snaps, spraying blood onto his friends. "What'd I tell you fellows about harassing the help?" a man chides. "The ghouls look like the help to me," another says. You dispatch the three men with ease, and continue on your way. You enter the bar you were hoping to find. It's filled with humans, drinking and laughing. "Cecilia, I'm here," you say. A woman with a scarred face and a man in a suit come out from the back. "Jacob! We thought you'd be dead!" "It's Hazel, Jacob's personality is sleeping right now," You reply. "But we managed to escape. Still missing Daniel." "It's Cecilia, I'm here," she says. "We need to find the others. We need to find Pittsburg, the closest city." You nod. "Cecilia, what happened to you?" you ask. "Why are you both scarred?" "Long story," she replies. "But we'll tell you all about it in a moment. Can you please find the others for us?" You nod. You head outside, and see a man beckoning to you. "Hello!" he says. "Are you new here? I'm Henry, the bar tender. "I'm Jacob, and I have a split personality named Hazel," You say. "I've heard about you. I'll be able to help you, if you want to get to know the city. There's a lot of good eating spots and bars to go to," Henry says eagerly. "We need to find the others," you say. "They went that way," Henry points over your shoulder, heading towards the highway. "If you want to find them, I can get you a table..." You decline Henry's offer, and run outside. sprinting over the highway and into a wooded area. You find your friends standing around a campfire. "You got her, kid," Henry says. "Take care of her." You turn to Henry. "What's going on?" "Your girl's got some explaining to do," Henry says. You walk over to the campfire, sitting on a log next to Cecilia. "What happened to you two?" you ask. "We're ghouls," she says. "It's a long story." You nod, and wait for her to continue. "For the record, we're not actually friends," She says, changing the conversation. "Three," You add. "We can never have a serious conversation," she says, sighing. "But I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to listen to my complain about my boyfriend. I assume you want to know what happened in the city?" "Yes," you say. "There wasn't much," she says. "The city's still standing, for now. But it's going to fall soon." You nod slowly, knowing she's telling the truth. "We need to find a strong leader to lead us," she says. "You could be that leader." "I don't know what you mean," you admit. "We would follow you," she says simply. "You have the most power, and you're the only one here with any combat experience." "Why me?" you ask. "You seem nice," she says. "Ones," You reply. "Do it plural. Hazel and I are a package deal." "I thought you were the nasty, evil side of me," She says. "I like the nicer, sweeter one." You shrug, and smile. "I like the one I'm on," You say. "But I'll always be part of Hazel, no matter what." "We need a plan, then," she says. "The city's leader, Gabriel, will probably be at the stadium. If we sneak in, and kill him, the city'll fall." "Why not attack it now?" "Because it's heavily guarded by mutants who are crazy, and we can't take them out without serious losses. They don't call them horrors for not raisins." "We need a better idea," You say. "How about we go in, and you lead us?" she asks. "All you need is a few people." "I'll think about it," You say. You go home that night, thinking very seriously about whether to join forces with the ghouls, or continue on your own. The next day, you wake up late, and meet Hazel for school. "You're later than usual," Jennifer says. "Are you alright?" You shrug, not feeling like talking. "It's me, Daniel Killinger," You say, assuming the identity of your dead son. "They're planning to kill all of us, soon. We need to go on the offensive, and fast." Jennifer stares at you. "You alright, bud?" she asks. "You look very pale." "I'm alright," You say, shaking your head. "Just a lot on my mind." "Alright then, we'll talk later," Jennifer says, turning around. "Bye, Hazel." As you leaveclass, you feel someone pushing you from the back. You fall to the floor with a thud, and open your eyes, to see Cecilia smiling down at you. "I'm sorry," she says. "But you're too slow. I just need to get to class now." "Cecilia!" you hiss. She gives a taunting smile. "What? You're old. You're not going to do anything." You growl, slowly getting up. You can feel your anger rising, and you're not sure how to control it. You try to take a deep breath, but you feel your lungs filling with blood instead. You snarl, grabbing her by the hand. "Jacob left for the night, Hazel here," You say wickedly. "And I'm the girl who's gonna replace you again and again." "Jacob...?" Jennifer asks, confused. "What's going-" You quickly launch into a vicious bite on her throat, the taste of her warm blood filling your mouth. After a few seconds, you release her, and she falls to the ground, coming to a stop on her knees. Running over to Cecilia, you quickly turn her around, and sink your teeth into her fragile spine. She lets out a scream, which you muffledly whisper to be end. After a few seconds, you let her fall to the floor, and look up to see your friends standing there. "What happened?" "Hazel took you over and went psycho," Cecilia says, kissing you. You look at her, confused. "You... Killed Jennifer," she says. "And I think I know why. You really liked her, didn't you?" "That was Hazel, I'm Jacob, honey," You say. "Go... Apologies..." "I'm confused," Cecilia says. "Who are you?" Gently, you pick her up in your arms, and turn to walk home. "I'm your story," You say. That night, you're tucked up in bed, reading Team Never Ending Story, as Hazel reads to you from her laptop. The next day, and the next, and the one after that. You continue to go through with Hazel's plan, until, a month later, you wake up. You have two daughters. "Our babies are so cute," Cecilia says. "As are there names, Dani and Noel. They can never replace Daniel though." "How do you feel?" "I feel... Happy," You smile. "Happier than I ever have. I have a family now." "I'm so glad," Jennifer says, smiling. "I missed you. "This is Hazel, and Jennifer is my girlfriend, btw." You say. "Neither one of you need bother coming over ever again." "I'm very happy for you," Jennifer nods, as Hazel smiles. "No more cheating?" "Not a single tear will fall," You smile. Jennifer dies. Cecilia and Jacob make out. A year passes. fateful day You wake up in the morning, as you usually do. Except today, you feel very hungry. You yawn, walking into the kitchen. As you do so, you notice an unusually tall man in a black suit lean against the wall. "You must be Hazel," he says, staring at you. "I'm Frank. We have to talk." "No we don't," you reply. "I have nothing to say to you." "Let's just say... How do I say this? That was a really impulsive move. I mean, kidnapping a pizza boy? I'm surprised they haven't found your body yet." "You don't know anything about my situation," You reply. "Go bother someone else." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand." "I'm not talking to you." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand. You're smart enough." "You're not going to blackmail me into anything," You say, as Frank nods. "I understand. I respect your decision. Anyway, we need to talk." "We don't need to do anything," You say, as Frank shakes his head. "Just leave me alone." "No, it's important. Look, you go down to the basement," Frank says. "I'll meet you there in a few minutes." You nod, as Frank heads up the stairs. You sigh, before going down the basement steps. Down in the basement, you find Frank waiting for you. "Hello, Hazel. I need your help," He says. "I told you to stop bothering me," You say. "Leave me alone." "Please, just hear me out. You need to go down to the basement. You're going to have to free the Pizza Rats." "What?" You ask. "I'm not freeing psychos." "Please! They're not what you think they are!" You turn back into Jacob. "Huh? Are you Frank?" "No, I'm Jacob. But you don't need to know that. You need to get in there and do what Frank says. It's an order. You head down to the basement, where Vamp's dead body is. He's been stripped of his skin, which you throw off the ledge. The rats squeel, scuttling to hide. "Who's there?" You hear from down there. A pizza rat gobbles up Frank, so you resurrect Vamp. You wait for a bit, before the rat comes back. "Come on! We gotta get outta here!" Vamp says. "We found another safehouse! Come on!" You and him get to the safehouse and make out. A few days pass. "Did you hear about Steve?" Vamp asks. "No," you reply. "He's dead. They found him in his house." "Who found him?" Cecilia runs into the safehouse. "I did. And just so you know, I support us being a throuple now. Or a quartet romance, considering Hazel is here too." "Cool," you reply. "What's the situation with you two?" "David openly asked me out last night," Cecilia says. "It went well. Expect him to take me out sometime this week." You kiss Cecilia. "And Jacob?" She asks. "He flat out asked me out too, but I'm scared to death of him. Just remembered, he put a vampire into a deep sleep the last time we met," You kiss Vamp. "I should be so lucky to land you," He says, kissing you. A few days pass... "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jacob asks, pushing you away. "Don't you love it when Jacob and Hazel fight, since they share a body?" Cecilia asks Vamp. "Shut up," He and Jacob say in unison. Jacob grabs you, and kisses you. You push him back. "What the hell, Jacob? "Ew, he's trying to kiss himself," Vamp laughs. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you," Jacob says. "Do you remember the time when we stole the candy from the store?" "Uh... I don't think that was me," Vamp and Cecilia decide to run off. "Let's play snap." Jacob and you are alone. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise," You say."Why didn't you go out with Bianca?" Jacob frowns. "I wish I had control of our body," You say. "I'd make you go out with her." "I'm pretty happy with the way things are." Jacob pouts. "What the hell, we'll switch bodies for the rest of the night," "We can't switch bodies, genius. We only have one." "Oh yeah, that's a great idea," you say. "These lowlifes broke our spirit." "Let's go get drunk," Jacob suggests. "Then Bianca and I can switch bodies." "That would make me swap bodies with her too. But I guess it would make you all woman," You sigh. "What do you prefer?" Jacob asks. Vamp reveals he has another power. He finally gives you a body of your own. The catch is, it looks exactly like Jacob's. "Do you want to do it now?" You nod eagerly. "Just say the word, and I'll make you my new man," Vamp replies, eyeing you up and down. "Okay, now it's like kissing my transgender identical twin," You say. "I feel weird." You and Jacob go into the bedroom, and fumble around until you're in a state of arousal. It's been awhile since you've had relations with a trans man. "Aren't you worried about, um, getting pregnant?" You ask. Jacob laughs. "What are you, a mother?" Jacob slides into you, and your spirits lift as you begin to thrust. "I'm really enjoying being in your body," You tell him. "I'm really enjoying being in mine," He says. "I want to go out with Jacob!" your inner Bianca shouts. "Why am I trapped in this stupid body?" "Mmmm, Bianca... I could get used to this." With the realization that you're not in charge of your body, you and Jacob begin to have rough relations. You push Jacob down on the bed and begin to bite at his neck, drinking deeply of his blood while Jacob thrusts up into you. Suddenly, you both release together as Bianca's consciousness erupts into chaos. "I hate my body! I want to be free! I hate Jacob, he's controlling me, he and Bianca are the same, I hate them both!" Jacob pulls you close to him. "I love you," He says. "I love you too," You reply, snuggling up to him. Yuo and Jacob laugh uncontrollably as the voices begin to get louder and louder inside your head. The bed shakes from the sheer force of Bianca's screams for help. Meanwhile, outside the room... Cecilia and Vamp decide to end the madness. They merge you two back into one body. "Is it over?" You ask. "Yeah, it's finally over," Vamp nods. You breathe a sigh of relief, feeling your body beginning to cool down. Meanwhile, the room is silent. Even Bianca has fallen asleep after her exhausting screams. "I don't know how I feel," You say. "Neither do I, but we need to talk about it," Jacob says. You are Jacob. You are Hazel. You two are one. It's midnight. Less than twelve hours until the world ends. "I'm scared," You say. "I'm scared too," Jacob nods. "What are we going to do? We can't let this happen." "Unfortunately, our best option is to concede defeat and let the world end," Jacob says. "But we can't just give up. There has to be something we can do." "I'm pretty good with technology," You say. "I might be able to help." "Really?" "Yeah if we have time to mess around, maybe I can think of something." "I don't know," Jacob says. "We might be having our own personal apocalypse soon. I'm not sure if messing around with our death clock is the best idea in the world right now." "If we're going to survive, we need to do it," You say. The room is silent once again. Soon, the three of you come to a difficult decision. "Do you really think the world's going to end tomorrow?" You ask. "No, but I don't want to die either," Jacob says. "I'm with Jacob," Vamp says. "I think we need to do everything we can to survive." After a moment, you nod. "Alright, I'm in," You say. "Terrific," Jacob says. "So the three of us will work on this together as a team until the very end." "It's so weird to hear you say the three of us, because you're literally in the same body," Vamp says. "Do you feel weird too?" "No, I guess not," You say. "I'm just happy you're with us, that's all." "Alright, then let's begin," Jacob says. For the next three days, the three of you work tirelessly on your plan, which soon becomes a reality. You need to get the collider working at full capacity before attempting this again. Three days pass, and the collider is up and running at one-hundred percent efficiency. The machine is fixed, and now you just need to focus on the plan. "We should test it," You say. "Are you sure this is going to work?" Vamp asks. "I mean, I don't know if we can just wish the world back to equilibrium." "It worked before," You say. "That was different," Jacob says. "We had more power to work with then." "Well you're going to have more power to work with now. You're stronger than any of us. Maybe even stronger than the almighty Mr Gaange." "I'm still not sure about this," Vamp says. "Shouldn't we have some sort of list of what we're wishing for?" "If we had a list, we'd never finish," You chuckle. "Now come on, let's get to it." You head into the control room with the rest of your team. Vamp starts preparing the collider for activity, while Jacob and Foury begin connecting the rest of the machines. "What the hell are you doing?" Vamp yells as he sees your companion attaching wires to a large metal disk that seems to be imbued with some sort of crystal. "I'm helping," Jacob says. "Jacob, what's going on? What's that?" Foury says, pointing to the disk. "Oh, that engages something else that was created by one of our friends in our adventure," Jacob says. "It sends out pulses that counteract the adverse affects of the central disturbance." "Oh," Foury says, not looking entirely convinced, but walking away. Vamp turns his attention back to you. "What do you think you're doing?" Vamp asks. "Don't you realize we need all the help we can get? This isn't going to work if some of us are doing one thing and others are doing another!" You and Vamp make out. "It's fine Vamp, we have to do this," You say, before kissing him passionately. A moment passes, and the two of you part. "Are we finished?" You and Cecilia make out. "Yes, we're done," you both say in unison. Cecilia blushes as the two of you laugh. "Alright, come with me, I'll take you to the machine room." Jacob and Foury continue working, not noticing the two of you walking away. "So, the machine room?" Cecilia asks. "Yeah, it's just over this hill," You say. The two of you walk, lecherously, as you try to think up wicked and dirty things to do to each other. "You're pretty good at this," You say, taking her hand in yours. "At this, or being an Eternal?" "Both," You chuckle. "I imagine you were quite the handful in college too. You and Cecilia make out some more. "So... What were you planning to do after this?" You ask. "I don't know, I suppose the same thing you were. Get rich, be happy." You stop in your tracks. "You don't want to do this anymore?" "I don't want to do it right now," she says, pulling you to a wall. "But I feel like a butthole that doesn't want to settle down with just the one girl. I like you, so if you're up for it, I'd love to stay with you. But if not, I understand." You nod. "Well, if you want to stay with me, you'll have to suck my blood. Do you agree? "Yes, I agree," you say, as she smiles, leaning in... Perhaps you've made a mistake. --- Cecilia bites you. As in, she takes your arm in her hand and grips you tightly, before biting you with her fangs. It's just like a drug dealing hookup except, you know, with blood instead of intimacy. The pain is strong, and you instinctively try to pull your arm away. However, Cecilia's strong grip and her own unnatural strength prevents this. With a red mark of your skin, you're left with a clear route for her to draw blood. She slides the blood-tinged liquid into your mouth. "Drink," she commands. You do. It's sweet, but not excessively so. Certainly no worse than a human's blood. In fact, it's pretty good. Overcome with a strange desire to have more, you finish the whole bottle that she gives you. You and Cecilia make out one more time. "I suppose we should get some rest. You'll be missed," Cecilia says. And so, the pair of you fall asleep in each other's arms. The next day, you wake up together... Cecilia then shoots you. This is followed by a horrifying death scream. It's far too high pitched to be human, let alone the pained scream of a tortured soul. It sounds more like that of a baritone saxophone. Cecilia goes over to Jacob. "I killed the clone." Jacob turns his head. "Huh?" "I killed the clone. Stop the experiment." Jacob sighs, turning back to the table. He picks up a few things, and walks over to you. Jacob merges with you. You are Jacob. You are alive. You stand up slowly. You look down at yourself, and then over to the other you, slumped in a chair. "I'm sorry about this. I really am," Jacob says. Cecilia makes out with Jacob. "We're stronger together. I'll get you another one," she says, before leaving the room. Jacob walks up to you, putting his hand on your shoulder. "I'm sorry about this. Truly." Jacob makes out with Vamp. You stare into Jacob's eyes. You grab his head, twisting it quickly... And then you throw it against the table. "You were wrong, Cecilia," You say. "That Jacob body was the clone. I am the original Jacob." Jacob stares at you. "You're not him." You nod slowly. "The real Jacob died two years ago in a climbing accident." "That was you?" Jacob says. "I'm so sorry." Cecilia is confused, but makes out with both you and the other Jacob. "Well, looks like you don't need him anymore," she smiles. "You're free from your obligation. You're a free man," you say. Jacob nods slowly. "I'm free." "You're a free man. You can do what you want." Jacob stands up slowly. He looks down at himself. "I'm a free man... But I have obligations." He turns to you. "I have to go." "You can stay here," you offer. "I have a spare room. You're more than welcome to stay. You take off your hair and make-up, causing Jacob to disappear from existence. You are left alone in the room, staring at your reflection in the mirror. "Well Cecilia," you sigh, "I guess we're on our own." "The world will end soon," Cecilia says as she kisses you once more. "Dani and Noel will be devastated." "Let's just try to have some fun before the end of the world." You are Jacob Killinger. You, your wife Cecilia, and your boyfriend Vamp watch from Mars as Earth is destroyed. You miss Hazel, your split personality. That would've made this so much easier. The world has become a very dangerous place. There are too many factions, all of whom want to rule it. The Church, a powerful monotheistic religion wishing to stave off the apocalypse, is the only stable force you can work with at the moment.core: 18

"I'm glad to be here as well... In your life..." She says, with a wistful tone. Cecilia makes eye contact with you briefly before looking away. She looks a bit tired, as if she hasn't been sleeping well lately. It's surprising that she made the trip here herself. Cecilia then turns to the man in black. "Who is this... Man?" "This is the man I was telling you about. I'll be watching him for the next few days. In the meantime, I'll get you back home. How's that sound?" "That... Sounds good. But who are you, really? What do you want?" "My name is Melcar. I want nothing from you. This man... Has something that was in your possession. I need that to get back home." "And if I say no?" "... Then I suppose I shall have to kill him and take it myself. That sound better?" "No, it doesn't." "Well then it looks like I'm going to have to kill you too. That sound better?" "It does, actually. Please don't kill him. I need him." "Why? Does he hold some meaning or emotional attachment for you? If that's the case, you're an idiot for letting him go back to his own time. He won't last there, you know." Cecilia looks at you, then back to Melcar. "Can you... Keep him safe for me? I need to go back to him. I need to make sure he makes it. Please. I'm begging you." Melcar's eyes narrow. "Is this the killer of your girlfriend?" Cecilia looks away nervously. "He... Doesn't know anything. He didn't do it. I'm sorry. He didn't do it." She pleads. "You're a morbid child. I thought you grew up in a cave or something. If you went through all the trouble of making friends, talking to people, and going out into the real world only to end up in some dumb cave with your dumb friends, then I can't imagine what the hell you'd do if you actually met a real killer. I'd guess run away, but you seem to be pretty good at that." Melcar says. "So can you keep him safe? Please?" He looks as you. "I think I can, but I can't do it for you. You need to go back yourself. I need that boy, don't you understand? I need that boy." "Please, it's very important." "Yeah, well that's pretty up front. I have to admit, I'm a little shocked you're not more cagey or manipulative. Perhaps you're not as dumb as I thought." "Please, just help me get back home." Melcar sighs. "Fine. Get in the car." Cecilia hops into the passenger seat of Melcar's car. You approach the vehicle, before you notice two more figures sitting in the backseat. "What the hell? Who the hell are those?" You demand. "Oh, you wanna know who I am? I'm your new best friend!" He says cheerfully, pointing to the man in black. "And this cozy gentleman over here is Mr. Jack the Ripper." "What? I don't understand." "I'm the guy who's going to be killing all those girls you like. My boy, here, will be cutting them up nice and not so nice. We're going to have so much fun." "Wait, you're on their side?" "Of course I'm on their side! I'm the guy who's going to give you a chance at getting all those bitches you like. I'm also going to make your life a living hell the next time you see me. So best friends do stuff like this, no?" Melcar turns back to you. "So, do we have a deal or not? Because I have to go pick up my first victim." "One more question. How do I know you'll actually kill those girls if I don't help you?" Mr. Jack grins. "Ah, you're starting to think like a slasher. You don't know? Of course you don't know. You'll just have to trust me. You always do. Now, are you going to be a bro, or what?" "You don't have the f...! I'm not going to..." "Choke him out. He's stubborn. You always were. Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by...the P.A. Chords? The Living Tombstone?" "I'm not going to help you!" you shout, as Melcar's eyes narrow. "Bah! You're such a square. This isn't physical. You can't get emotional leverage." He strokes his chin. "How about...I've a girlfriend back in high school. Or was it prep school? I can get her to help, or perhaps I'll get the ghost of that cute little cheerleader you used to ride your bike up and down the street for. You know, the one with all the...nice..." He checks himself. "Anyway, I can get her to torment and kill your beloved Cecilia." " YOU CAN'T !!" you roar, going into a rage. "Could, maybe. Would, definitely. You're not going to stop me." Melcar smiles. "Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by a cheerleader?" You're reduced to a quivering wreck. You know it's true. He has a girlfriend, and he's probably lying about her having no knowledge of this. You can't risk staying here, so you follow Melcar and his group out of the house. You're their now. No matter what they do with you, no matter how they use you, you're theirs. You and Cecilia make out passionately. You wait peacefully for her to finish, during which time you hear the screams of your friend and neighbor. The noise doesn't wake you, and you spend the next few hours with Cecilia before she's finished. She leaves the basement without a word, and you wonder if things are going decently enough with her. You can't think of too many times you've seen her since last time. "Hey, Jake," Melcar says. "Ready to go?" You look at Melcar, still wondering how the hell you could've been so blindly stupid as to let this happen. "Yeah..." "C'mon, then." You put on your shoes and follow Melcar upstairs. You walk side by side with him, watching as the sun rises. "Thanks for doing this, man," Melcar says. "Yeah, no problem." "So...is there a school around here?" "What?" "A school. For our friends. So they can learn what actual kids go through." You chuckle. "I dunno...schools are overrated. I mean, I learned how to read and write at one, and the teachers there were horrible." "Well...I'm not sure what kids do at your age." "We have fun," you say. "I mean, I didn't really have responsibilities, so I did what I wanted." "What did you do? Get into fights?" "Sometimes. With my fists, with words, with weapons... it depended." Melcar smiles. "Pretty tough for your first time being in a town with other kids." "Actually, my second time was even worse." Melcar groans. "Let's not go there." You arrive at the outskirts of New Bally. Melcar's friend Tom lives close by, so it isn't a long walk. You're still in awe of how you've managed to get yourself into this situation. "So...anyone want to see my new trick?" Melcar asks, suddenly. "What's that?" you ask. "I can..." Melcar pauses, appearing to think really hard about how to put this. "Turn into a bat." "A...bat?" you ask, uncertain how to react. "Yeah! You know, like in the movies?" You take a step back, and look away. "That's...pretty creepy." "Come on! It's easy! I can turn into a big, fat, ugly bat. Or, if I want to look like one of those fancy Japanese ones, I can do that too. I can stay a bat for a really long time." "How long do you need to spend as a bat to get that power?" "I dunno," Melcar says. "A few years, I guess. I knew some kids in first grade who turned into bats around me, so they must've spent their whole lives as bats before they could become something else. That's how it works, right? You have to be a bat for a long time to become something else?" "I don't know," you say. "I think so." "Cool!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a neighborhood to lawlessly rampage through!" You shake your head. You know there's got to be another way. A better way. A way you can do this and still stay in control of your own mind. You just need to think about it... "Hey, wait!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a house! I bet I can take 'em all by myself, with my new powers!" You shake your head again. You can already tell this plan is doomed to failure. "No." "Come on! I'll give you all the best stuff! All the best stuff is mine!" "No. Now, listen. We're going to find a store, and you're just going to wait there while I deal with the people. I'm sure I can convince them not to press charges." "Press charges?" Melcar repeats. "What are you going to do, kill 'em all?" "Well, I'm going to try. And if I can't? I'm going to at least get them off the charges. Look, just wait there. I'll be back shortly. I'm sure I'll find something within my powers to be able to do. I always do." "Jeez, fine," Melcar says. "I guess I better hang out here and wait, then. I don't fancy hanging out in this environment any longer than I have to. Better that I just go for a walk, right? I'm just going to go for a quick, quick stroll...HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING MY FEET?" You jump up, grabbing Melcar's wrists and twisting them behind his back. You then force him to his knees with his hands still behind his back. "Stay still." "What are you doing?!" he asks, frightened. Now that you're in a position to be able to do it, you don't want to. But you're in a position to be able to interrogate a criminal with magical abilities. You can't very well do that if you aren't using them. You focus your senses. You try to hear what is going on in the surrounding houses, you try to sense what is inside Melcar's body, you do everything you can to find out how fast he is, whether his reflexes are as quick as a cat's, what sort of weapons he has on him, whether he's alone or not... And then, you focus on the one thing you actually WANT to sense. His soul. And there it is. A glowing blue orb, floating in front of his chest. So simple, so small, yet so powerful. Pure. Silent. Calm. Unstoppable. Your heart beats faster, as you feel the blood rushing through your ears. This is it. This is how it feels to be a superhuman. This is how it feels to be a god. You grab the orb, twisting it with ease. Melcar shrieks in pain, as you feel his grip on your wrists loosen automatically. You smash your fist into his face with every ounce of your energy, feeling his nose breaking and brains spilling out the other side. He collapses onto the ground, twitching slightly. This feels amazing. But, you still need to interrogate him. You let go of his orb, only to feel it vanish into his body. "What did you do?" "Take... Take it from me... You're nothing... Nobody can be free... Take it back..." Melcar sputters, blood dripping down his face. He's going into shock, so you finish the job quickly by snapping his neck. That done, you let out a sigh of relief. That was... Hard to do. But, at least now you can use your magical powers in peace. You look around, noticing Melcar's partner standing nearby. You suppose you know who he is now. "You are?" "Yes. I am Mr. Mol," the man says, extending a hand to you. "Congratulations. You just won't have to deal with criminals in Dert anymore." You grab at his hand, shaking it. "Don't think that's much of a consolation, Mr. Mol." He squints at you. "Is... Is something wrong?" "Oh, nothing," you say with a wave of your hand. "Just making conversation." "... Okay." Mr. Mol crosses his arms, staring at you. You suddenly realize that he's examining you for a tell. One of the many things you need to learn. "We should really relocate," you suggest. "For the sake of the community." "I suppose we do need to do something," Mr. Mol nods. Mr. Mol takes you to a nearby abandoned house. "This place will have to do," he says. "We're going to live in an abandoned house!" you exclaim. "It's the best place I could find." Mr. Mol fixes the door so it doesn't slam, then stares at you. "So, you're new here. What's your name?" "Jacob." "I'm Mark, what's yours? Are you homeless?" "No, I just don't have a lot of money for a place yet," you say. "I'll be able to get by." "Where are you from originally?" "Oh, um... The Nothington suburbs." "Nothington! Are you a student?" You nod. "I went to school with the dean," Mr. Mol says. "He was also the head of security at the university. He had some interesting theories on crime and punishment, but I doubt if any of them stuck. The suburbs are like a prison all on their own." "Why did you come to Dert?" you ask, wondering what his angle is. "I wanted to be with my wife," he says. "We moved here for her to become a nurse, but she... Didn't like it here. So, I'm here alone." "How long are you staying?" "As long as it takes." Mr. Mol smiles at you, then winces. "You should see a doctor, son." "I'll be fine," he says, rubbing his back. "I'll just be glad when this hell is over." You fall asleep that night wondering if you should stay or go. The morning arrives, and you wake up. You find a note on the pillow next to you. Dear Jacob, If you're going to stay in Dert, I suggest you buy yourself a house. Don't live in an abandoned one. Make sure it has running water and electricity. Also, don't go to the tavern. Mr. Mol Sighing, you go to the store to buy yourself a house. After some searching, you find one that looks nice, but needs a lot of work done to it. You spend the next few days fixing it up. When you're done, it's a good home. You go there to live after thanking the owner's wife for her kind offer of cookies and milk. You never enter the tavern, and you see no harm in that. Mr. Mol eventually leaves, and things return to "normal" in Dert. You don't see him again. The dean is found guilty of abusing his power and sentenced to a short prison sentence. The Nothington suburbs reform themselves to what they were. You never heard anything about it again. Nobody cared. You don't see much of Dert anymore, as you're more of a homebody now. You have a large house to yourself, with plenty of garden to keep you busy. You still see your wife sometimes when she comes to visit, still with the idea to try to convince her to move there. She always refuses, however. "I can't live in a small town," she says. "I want excitement." You offer again to take her to the city, but she declines. "I like it here. I'm staying." The end. You slam your fist into the wall in anger, and fall to the floor in a sitting position. You wince as the pain shoots up your arm and through your chest. The rest of your body soon joins in. "It's a good ending." You mutter to yourself. "Why the hell do I keep trying to make this story bad?" You stand up and look out the window. A small smile creeping on your face as you see Ben envying your view from his house as you do. "I guess because you're a miserable cur." You walk out of the room, ready to put an end to your writing for the day. ~THE END~ You reached the "Good" ending. "Good job, genius." You wink at the screen. "Now, let's see if I can't try something a little more... interesting." You decide to pay Cecilia another visit, making sure to propose marriage to her. You figure that's probably the best way to ensure you get a good ending. You walk out to the middle of Dert, and stop. You look around, before spotting Cecilia. She notices you, and a huge grin appears on her face. "Jacob!" she runs over to give you a hug. "You're OK! I was so worried about you!" "Of course I am," you hug her back, "I'm here with a question to ask you." " Question? " "Yeah, question. You ready?" Cecilia nods with a smile. "I knew you'd come back for me, Jacob," she blushes. "I'm ready." "Cecilia, will you marry me? " Another huge smile appears on her face. She places her hand over her heart, and leans in to hug you. "Of course I will! " You move in to deepen the hug, when sudden voices from behind you stop you. "Are you serious? The voices are those of Team Never Ending Story, who reveal the MMS was rebuilt. They ask you a few questions about what happened during your imprisonment, to which you give a very generic story of how you were saved by an old woman. They seem to accept this, although you notice Cape Kragen checking to see if you're lying. "Well, that was certainly an interesting way of getting back here." He glares at you. "I'm sure the team will forgive you for this, but from now on you'll be on duty instead of Cecilia. I can't have people faking their own deaths." "But she said--! " "I said fake!" he screams in your face. The team begins to leave, and you follow suit. As you're walking away, Ben turns to you. "Thanks for coming back to us, Jacob. " "Thanks for asking me to write the ending, Ben. " You hear a snort of laughter as you go to find Cecilia. She's looking out for the team, and you're not going to let them get away with insulting you. "Ben will forgive you. " You're not quite sure how to take that, but you decide to address it later. Right now, you need to talk to Cecilia. "You're getting married?" Ben asks. "Yeah," you nod, "I'm marrying Cecilia." "That was fast. When did this happen?" "Just now." "Oh..." Ben's voice lowers, "That's good. I'm happy for you, and I'm sure the team is too. " After the team has left, Ben turns to you. "So, you're my new mentor now, eh?" "If I'm not, I am soon," you reply. "I need to talk to you about that." "What is it? " "It's about the future. I need you to kill Ben, so that I may take his place." "What?! " "You heard me." "So, why would I do such a thing?" "You need to get with the times, man. You're from the past, you should be using social media. I saw you on Youtube, and I was amazed that a person from the 1800's had discovered the internet." "I don't even." "Then how did you discover that the MMS was destroyed?" "I was fishing through the rubble and found a card dropped by one of the members. It had instructions on rebuilding it, and we were able to do it. We've been working on our plan to rescue you, but it seemed appropriate to rebuild the group after all you've done to try to free us." "Wow. That's some dedication." "It is. I'm still amazed that you were able to make friends with some of them. I had to kill one of them, and I'm a little squeamish about the idea. " "Yeah, it took a while for me to warm up to some of them as well. I'm just glad we all came to an understanding." "Understood. I'll get you." "You will? " "Sure. We have a deal, and I'll honor it." "Fair enough. After my talk with Ben, I'll go with you." You nod, and decide to go find Cecilia. You have a few words for her as well. You're surprised that she didn't insist on coming to talk to Ben herself, but that's Cecilia for you. She always did like the safety of the sidelines. Meanwhile, Ben is walking over to you. Ben is a large man, and you're not quite sure why he was chosen to be the leader of this group. Maybe it's because he looks the strongest, and he's been here the longest? He's not stupid, but there's a limit to how intelligent he seems. "What were you and Cecilia arguing about?" "She told me to kill you." Whether it's a question of whether you're surprised or not, you aren't going to answer it. "Figures she'd be anti-socialist." "I'd say that's a very '17th century' way of looking at things." "I'm not a Socialist, free market. There's a difference." "I guess, but it seems pretty similar to me." "So, you and her have come to an understanding?" "We have. She'll be joining us." "What?! " "Cecilia is coming with us." "You heard me, and this is final too. You're coming with us." "But... Cecilia and I... we're in love." "What difference does it make? You're going to be working together anyway." "Yes, but... I don't want to just be working together. I want us to work together. I'm not going." "Don't be so dramatic." Ben says, rolling his eyes. "You're coming with us, or I'm going to have to kill you." "So be it. Kill me then." You say, putting your hands up. Ben raises his gun Slowly, as you stare at him. He lowers his gun. "Sorry Cecilia. He's dead." He says, not sounding sorry at all. Cecilia walks out from behind the building. When she sees Ben pointing the gun at you, she slowly walks over to him, her hands raised. "I thought we were allies." "Aren't we? Seems like he's betraying us." "No, it seems like he's protecting our nation from falling into the hands of fascists. I'm on his side." "Yeah, that's what I thought." "Ben, I love you, but you need to put the gun down." "I don't feel like it. Besides, maybe I'll just kill the two of them, and then you'll be under my thumb." "I think not. You might kill him, but I know how skilled you are with a gun. I'm sure I could at least take you out. Then what would you do Ben? Would you slink away in the night and plot revenge? No, I don't think so. You'd just have to live with the fact that you let your emotions cloud your mind and lost what is rightfully yours." "She has a point Ben." You say. "Fine, we're doing this the hard way. You two ready?" "Ready." You both say. "Then let's do it." Ben turns, and you hear three shots going off. Two by Ben, and one by Cecilia. You fall to the floor, blood slowly leaking out of your chest. "Ben, I told you I'd kill you." "I know, but now you'll never know how this came about." With that, he walks over to you and takes the gun from your bloody hands. "Cecilia, I'm sorry." Ben says, then fires the gun three more times, blowing the back of your head off. Ben puts the gun down, and walks away. He doesn't seem to care, or even notice that he's crying. You stare at him in disbelief, before he disappears. This is the true face of the revolution, crime pays, and everyone ends up dead. Choosing to begin anew, you propose to Cecilia, and she accepts again. Now, you have your son to raise. You'll have to be a better person than your father or grandfather. Cecilia will certainly try, but she can only teach him so much. It's up to you now. You're going to make the best out of this situation. This is your life now. "Good morning, Dad," Your son says to you 20 years later. "Morning, Daniel. What would you like to do today?" "I dunno, you're the fun dad." "Alright then, how about we go on a hunt? I put some food aside for us." "Really? You didn't have to, you know." "No, I wanted to. I've been feeling a little hungry lately anyway." "Do you think...I could go on the hunt with you?" "Well, if you want. I mean, you don't need my permission. You're old enough to take care of yourself." "I know I am, but it'll be more fun with an instructor. You're so good at everything." "Yeah, that's because I've been doing these things for decades. Still, you're the master hunter, so you know all the tricks of the trade, right?" "Tradition says the best hunter becomes the instructor. So does that make you the-" "I am the Grand Protector of tradition, yes." Daniel grins from ear to ear. You can't help but laugh along with him. You haven't had this much fun in decades. This is how it should be, not this mass rebellion and sense of justice that the media has made it out to be. You look at your son, and know itai well that you raised him right. You were meant to be a grandpa. You haven't lived happily since Brenda died. Your son will help bring a new meaning to the word. You and Daniel spend the rest of the day going on small hunts to re-filling your larders, and generally spending quality time as father and son. It's like you're supposed to. Before you know it, night is falling again, and you take your son back home. There's a part of you that's glad it's dark. A blush of pink is barely peeking above the trees you walk past, and you know it's Cecilia. She's been looking out for you today. You return home, tired and ready for sleep. You have a lot of having to do tomorrow. You thank Daniel for a nice day with his father, then head upstairs. You take off your boots, then get into bed. You feel yourself drifting off to sleep as you think about how good it is to have a normal, happy family. You never thought you'd ever be in this position. Why not enjoy it while you can? You drift off to sleep smiling. Good night, son. Good night, Dad. Then, you sleep for the next 8 hours or so. In the morning, you wake up. Good morning, Daniel. You peek out the window, but it's still dark. You yawn, then get up and go downstairs. You put on a pot of coffee, then grab the remote from the coffee table and switch on the TV. The first thing you see is some breaking news. And it's not good. The terrorists have taken over the city. They've been conducting attacks in various parts of the city, and already a mass exodus has started. The terrorists are led by Mickey Mouse Jr. You see a photo of him next to a headline. YOUNG MICKEY MOUSE LEADER OF TERRORIST GROUPS " "Of course he is. But Team Never Ending Story disbanded decades ago. They need successors. You're the closest thing they got. "I'm getting out of here." You grab some clothes, then get into your car. You decide Daniel will take your place. But you need successors for Cape, Chase, and Benelux. Your group is the only option. Ben, Cecilia, and you will hold the city together. You call to ask if they're in the city. "We're at Ben's house," says Ben. "What's going on?" "The city is lost. You need to leave." "We can't, we've become comfortable here," says Ben. "We're not going anywhere. Good news, we've got a lead on a new city." "New city, what kind of lead? "We found out about a city called Arrray where there-" The line goes dead. You curse into the phone. "Sorry about that," says Ben's mom. "He went out to get some food, he'll be back." Great. You have to talk to Ben's mom instead. "Hello?" asks Ben's mom. "Hi, I'm-" "I know who you are. You're the leader of the terrorist group that's attacking my son. You need to leave this city before you get hurt." "I've gotta talk to Ben," you say. "It's really important." "Ben isn't available right now. You need to leave the city, or you'll be punished. If you don't leave by the end of the week, you won't leave at all. You and your terrorists will be killed. So who is it going to be, Mr. terrorist, or do I need to find someone else to kill? You stay silent. "Well? I hope it won't be a problem, but we'll kill all of you," says Ben's mom. "I have no problem killing terrorists. If you had been honest with me from the beginning, this wouldn't be an issue. But now, we're going to kill you all. Have a nice life in that terrorist group of yours. It'll be short, I assure you. Bye. Click You hang up the phone. Daniel buzzes you in. "Good luck," he says. You get in the elevator, then speed down to the lobby. You make a beeline to the front door. A few cops try to stop you, but they're no match for your combat prowess. You send them to hell with your supernatural fists, then walk out into the street. A news helicopter is flying over the city, and the reporter on board is commenting on the situation. You decide to change your name to Hazel, using make-up and a wig. You buy a newspaper on the way home, then use the paper to fake your death. TV stations pick up the story, and with it your new name, Hazel. You're living the good life now. You have servants to do your chores, a nice house, cool friends, and a hot girlfriend. You don't need boys to feel happy. Cecilia finds you, and says you remind her of her missing husband. She says she wants to make you happy, so you and her have wild, hardcore, no-strings fun. To be fair, you do enjoy it. You decide to become a school teacher. You figure you can use your studly appearance to attract more students, and because of your past, you get a lot of students who are interested in your tale of valorous derring-do. Between your combat skills, stories of your past, and over all "positivity", you're a natural at your job. You also dabble in motivational speaking on college campuses, which pays well. By day, you live in a blissful reality. By night, you haunt the streets as Hazel, in a never-ending quest for justice. Then you save a man's life, and he develops feelings for you. You have decided to live a normal life. You may settle down with this man, and live happily ever after. You're not there yet. This could all still end horribly. You still have a lot of bad things in store for you. In the meantime, you'll enjoy a relaxing day in, before getting back to business. You decide to learn more about the man. You find out his name is Vamp, as he goes by this name when speaking to others. His real name is unknown, as he has gone by several different ones over the years. You introduce Vamp to Cecilia and Daniel. He falls in love with Cecilia immediately, but given that he's a vampire and planning to eat her, that's hardly surprising. Daniel isn't bothered, while you find out that you have strong feelings for Vamp. Vamp plans to woo you over the next few nights, and take you out on the "draw". You'll have to make the final decision. Whilst you wait, you decide to go out and "practice" on some civilians. You don't know when you'll get the chance again, so you want to make the most of it. You enter a coffee shop, and sit at a table by the door. A man and a woman walk in, holding hands. The sight of a married couple makes you grin, and you stand up to follow them. They walk to a table in the back corner, and you approach them. "Excuse me," you say, "could you two hold the table for me?" The man looks at you suspiciously, but the woman smiles and nods. "Of course," she says. "Thank you." You pull out a chair for the woman, then sit down. You pull out your phone and order a coffee, before glancing around. Vamp and Daniel are at a table in the far back, talking to some teenagers. Four eyes are watching you, two male and two female. "My full name is Hazel Jacqueline Killenger," You tell Vamp. "I'm sixteen, and I go to Harold-9123's school." "I'm Vamp," the man says, extending a hand. You shake it, noticing how warm his hand is. "Dad, what are you doing?" Daniel asks you. "Daniel, you were given an order from God! We'll talk about this later," the man says. "Dad, I told you, Hazel is-" "Nevermind, Daniel." You turn back to Vamp. "How about you?" "I'm Vamp. Quick question, do you like cool, or hot blood?" "What's the difference?" you ask. "Well, cool blood is like that of slushies and such. Hot blood is like that of taxis and shoving it up your bum." You laugh. "I like shoving it up my bum." "You have a dirty mind, Hazel Jacqueline Killenger." "Do you have any cool blood? I'm dying of heat right now," you say. Vamp looks around. "Maybe. Let's go to my lab, I can look. You follow Vamp outside, and walk through a park. Daniel informs Cecilia that you're cheating on her with Vamp. She's shocked and upset by the news, and tells you to go back to your house. You follow Vamp into a building, which turns out to be a lab. most of it being in the dark. A few beakers, bottles, and test tubes are on a table, next to a few Bunsen burners. "Ah, Hazel, you're here. Would you like some hot blood?" Vamp asks, "I can easily fix that." "Yes," you reply. Vamp fills a beaker with some sort of clear, red liquid. He grabs two test tubes, and puts one on the burner, and then places the other on top of the first. He turns on the heat, and smiles. "This should work," he says. Vamp switches the burner on, and grabs a pipette from a table. He squirts some of the liquid in the first tube into your mouth. It's hot, and you gasp as it burns your throat, but you manage to swallow it. The liquid in the top tube evaporates quickly, and soon there's just a small amount left in the bottom tube. Vamp grabs a sheet of newspaper and places it over the top tube, before grabbing the second tube and placing that on top of the paper. "There we go," he says. "Hot, fresh blood. Tasted good, did it?" "Yeah," you reply. "Thank you." "You're welcome. I'm in the mood for more fresh blood, however. How would you like to help me out? I can use someone strong, like you." "What's involved?" you ask. "Nothing much. Just cut someone's throat and let the blood pour into a beaker. Simple, really." "Sure," you say. Vamp takes a knife out of his belt loop, and holds it to the throat of a lifeless rat, which he grabs by the neck with his other hand. "Hold on, Daniel!" he says. "I can't promise this won't hurt." You grab the knife with both hands and hold the rat's neck tightly, cutting through bone and spinal cord with ease. Blood spills out over the bottom beaker quickly, and the beaker begins to fill up. Vamp puts the rat in a large beaker of boiling water, and places it on a hot plate to sterilize it. "There," he says. "We're good to go." You and Vamp walk slowly out of the lab, heading towards the cafeteria. You both sit down to a large dinner, and chat about random things. Eventually, you head to bed. While in bed, Vamp discovers your true identity: Jacob Thomas Killenger. His eyes widen, and he grabs his gun from under his pillow. He points it at you, and you sit up. "What's the point of me saving your life if you're going to shoot me? I'm the real deal," he says. "That remains to be seen." You stare at each other, with Vamp holding his gun at point-blank range. He's aged a lot since the seventies; he could probably break you in half. "Dead," he says. You kiss Vamp. Vamp kisses back, pushing you onto your back. You begin to help take off his clothes, and he pushes you down, tearing at yours. After a few minutes, you both collapse next to each other, almost exhausted. "Do you believe in fate?" Vamp asks. "But I lied to you," You say, confused. "I'm not Hazel, I'm Jacob." "Oh? Then why did you pretend to be her? Why tell me you were her?" "I don't know. I thought it'd make things more interesting." Vamp smiles. "How so?" "You liked Hazel, right? Well, I figured you'd want to be with her. I mean, she obviously still has an impact on your... well, whatever you are." "It's called a crush, sunshine," Vamp says, shyly. "I've had them before." You nod. "Well, then you'd understand why I did it. I figured you'd... try to win her back." "You're strange, you know that?" Vamp says, smiling. "Go to sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow." You nod, and the pair of you embrace each other, falling asleep in the bed together. --- You wake up late, with Vamp already up and getting organized. You walk into the bathroom as Vamp washes his face. "We need to be at the Madness recruitment center by ten," he says. "We have an appointment with Mr. Sunshine." "Who's Mr. Sunshine?" You ask. "The leader of the League. You'll meet him today, and he'll tell you whether or not you get to be a Vamp." "So if I get accepted, do I get to join?" "Sure. If I get accepted, you get to join. If I get accepted, you get to join... there's a lot of ifs in there, isn't there? But it's alright, we're practically family at this point." "Are you leery of being in the service of a vampire?" "I'm leery of being in the service of a vampire who just stabbed me in the back as I'm falling asleep. But that's neither here nor there. We should get going now, if we want to be on the safe side of the city. I'm a little hungry, in case you haven't noticed. I'd forgotten about that. I'll have to make a point of it every night from now on." "I have some sunflower seeds and bacon in my bag. Let me know when you're done. I'll find you when I'm done eating." Vamp meets you as you walk out of the bathroom. He takes the bag, and looks inside. "Excellent. You seem to have thoughtfully stocked up on food for me." "You said you were hungry," you say, confused. "I'm hungry now! How long have you known me? How long have you known I get hungry out of season? Has it really been that long? Oh, it's comes up. Spring is coming. The hunger is coming. I have to pick up supplies. What else are friends for? Ha, I'll see you soon, I'm sure. You're off to a good start with these." Vamp eats the entire bag of sunflower seeds in record time, and you've barely touched your half of the supplies. Vamp finishes and washes his face, picking up his bag. "Well, you're certainly stocked up. I suppose I'll see you when I get back." "When are you going to be back?," you ask. "I dunno. A few days? I'll text when I'm on my way back. You can stock up more then. I'll see you then, Jacob. I'm sure we'll become great friends. You seem like a pretty cool guy. Just remember, I'm your best friend. No one else can do what I can. Also, no one else can do what I can do. Remember that. And if you ever need help with anything, don't hesitate to ask." You stand there and watch as Vamp disappears into the trees. "I'm your best friend. No one else can do what you can do. Also, no one else can do what I can do. You head over to explain things to Cecilia and Daniel. "I have to go on a quest." "A quest," says Daniel. "What's that? "It's none of your business," You say. You then lock Cecilia in the basement. Of course, she can still hear everything happening outside. "So... what are we doing on this quest?" "Daniel, I have to go on a quest. You and Cecilia are the only ones strong enough to help. I need back-up." "Who else is going?" "Cecilia, Owen, Hazel, and Frank are all coming with me. Probably the most skilled, but they don't have as much experience as we do. You'll have to take care of most of the fighting, and make sure they stay safe. When the zombies attack, get the hell out of the way, then whack the nearest one's head open and shove his brains in." "I thought you were going to teach us something new. You tell Daniel to go to the forest and wait there. But you don't follow him. You stare at him, and slowly begin to fade into the trees. You hope he notices you leaving, but he's too busy staring at his feet to notice. "Zombies are stupid," You raid Cecilia's closet and steal her outfits. A dress and a leather jacket. Nothing else will do, so you rummage through Daniel's room and take his clothes as well, leaving him in boxers and a t-shirt. You then return to Vamp's house. He should be back any minute, assuming he's not taking as long as he usually does. "Vamp should be back in about an hour. You'll be fine if you stay here," "My, my, you look quite beautiful, Jacob." Vamp says. You're not sure if he means it, or if he's mocking you. You don't care either way. You then convince Vamp to move into your old house. Cecilia is still locked in the basement. "I don't trust him. And I don't want you coming and going as you please. We'll be safer in the house, together," "You sure you don't want to stay at your father's house?" "I'm sure. You go to Cecilia's place of work to steal her job. Stealing the radio station is the first thing. You hook it up to the PA system. You then work on stealing the rest of Cecilia's identity. You take her social security card and driver's license, and use them to get a new birth certificate in Cecilia's name. You also get a new purse and car, both of which you stow in the house. When you're finished, you wait around for Vamp. Every night, you and Vamp listen to hear if Cecilia is still breathing. Every morning, you wake up and hope that you don't. She is killed by a teenage boy who drives his car into a lake where she and Daniel are fishing. "That was fast," Vamp says. You hide her body in the basement, finally having replaced her fully. You spend the next few days sleeping. You wander aimlessly, trying to find a reason to go on. You visit Vamp, who sits in her chair doing nothing. She gives you a small smile when she sees you, but that's it. You remember that Vamp is a man, and you stole your wife's life. You're a monster. You don't stay with her any longer. You go to the river and find a rock, and sit down. You look at Daniel's picture, holding it in your hands. Vamp asks you to marry him. You say yes. That night, you drink her dry. You're a monster. She's dead. You feel nothing. You and Vamp grow old together. You grow old. You waste away to nothing, and die in each other's arms. Until finally your vampire transformation is complete. Both vampires, you and Vamp try to reintegrate into society. You feel like a pariah. You want to be normal, but you know you can never be like other simple humans. Eventually, you and Vamp learn to cope with your condition. You kill women and steal their identities. You're not sure why. Perhaps it's some twisted form of vengeance on those who took your true love from you. You wonder if you could one day conquer the world, and live again as a human, but you realize that with each victim your heart grows fonder of Cecilia's replacement, and you can't bring yourself to kill her. Your mind is forever changed, and your search for the truth has been abandoned in favor of simple survival. You're happy. Sometimes you even laugh. You have survived, and thrived, with the help of a vampire. Vamp has proven to be a dependable companion, a thrall even, to you. The two of you share a contentment with each other, and a love. Vompa is your eternal princess. You'll rule as king and she'll be queen. Vamp will be your doting princess. But one day, Vamp says he's leaving. She takes you by the hand, and kisses you. "I'm taking Daniel's boat into town. It's night, so nobody will see me leave." She leaves. You haven't been Jacob Thomas Killenger in years. You're currently Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. You're the leader of Team Never Ending Story. You sit, waiting. Vamp stays out for a long time. Hours pass, and you begin to get worried. "Vamp?" He arrives back home. His face is bloody, and he hides behind a large man. The man has long red hair, and a rather large blade on him. "Don't worry," he says in an old voice. "There was never a Hazel Killenger," The man says. "There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But I killed him. I killed her. I killed everyone. I killed you. Good night, Vamp. Sleep tight, darling." Finally, you go into the basement. You look at the chained up body of Cecilia. You take out your blade and bring it down to slam it into her neck, allowing you to drink... But it's no use. She's already dead. She's been dead for hours. You bang your head into the table in frustration. No blood pours out of your head. You take out your blade again, and this time plunge it into her chest. You drink, and laugh at the death that fills your body. You don't feel a thing. You don't care. You go to town the next night. You take from the poor, letting the government tax the rich. You do it every day. You're still Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But you keep on fighting. You're sure as hell not going to go down without a fight. You finally visit your sister Grace, and explain what happened to you. Her eyes widen when you show her the scar on your wrist from cutting yourself. "This is why I wanted to be a doctor," you think to yourself. "Why I played with Lego's instead of shootin' guns." She hugs you tightly, and you just hug back. You need your sister right now. A few years pass, and you're still fighting. Vamp leaves you for dead, abandoning you in the woods when he realizes he can't control you. As you lie there, you whip out scissors and cut your hair off. It's long, now. It almost reaches your waist. You take off your jacket, and wrap it around your waist. You cover yourself with dirt, leaves and twigs. You wait. As you wait, you remove your makeup too. Eventually, when you're a man again (and you sort of look like a hunchback), you stand up. You wander the forests and woods, taking what you need from those too weak to stop you. The years pass, but the scars on your face tell the story of a man who's been through hell. You're known as The Ghoul. Your son Daniel tries to fight you. "You killed my father!" He yells. You ignore him. Four years later, he has your daughter, Grace. You kill her soon after she's born. Every now and then you see Hazel on the news. She's still fighting against the government. You become Hazel again. You laugh. She still wants to be the first on her team, even if she's last to leave it. You become a hero. As a hero, you go to revive Cecilia. It's simple, really. Just a bite on her neck. You want one of her young, so you can raise it as your own. You tell her you prefer being a vampiress to a man. You don't bother curing yourself of your blood lust, and have her revive you. You become a vampire. Cecilia is relieved she's alive again, and kisses you. You're ready to take over the world with her by your side. You become a group called the "Lesbian Lusters". You laugh. You wouldn't know a Lesbian from a guy, but you go along with it for now. You become a media darling. You let Hazel lead. She had the charisma. You had the strength. You become a vampire lord. You have no army, no territory, no major accomplishments. You reveal to Cecilia your disassociative identity disorder, and Hazel is your other personality. You rage and scream and hit her. You blame her for making you psychotic. You hit her again, then again, then again. She attempts to stop you, but you bite her neck. Then, she stakes you. The psychiatrist says you died instantly. He says Hazel was in control the whole time. You weren't really a happy person, so it makes sense. Even now, you want to laugh at such a notion. Your funeral begins the next day. Hazel showed up, and you demanded she be chained. She was. The remaining VLs show up, as do a few humans to pay their respects. Cecilia visits. Grace arrives to say a few words. Daniel arrives. And that's it. That's your legacy: A failed attempt at taking over the world, and a dead man who's daughter is an abusive alcoholic. What a tragic hero you were. Good night, Mr. Killinger. Sleep tight, 'cause tomorrow we'll kill the world again. At your funeral, Grace (your sister) says, "Whichever was in control, Jacob or Hazel, my sibling lived a fantastic life. They once rescued me and a card box from a slaughterhouse. Today, we don't celebrate Hazel or Jacob, but both the individuals in this magnificent body. The world may be less bright without them, but they would always want us to keep fighting. Rest In Peace, Jacob Thomas Killinger and Hazel Jacqueline Killinger, two great minds." Then, everyone applauds. You're buried in your home of Alton, in your backyard, near your parents and sister. Just another hero with a tragic story. Daniel uses a ritual to summon your ghost. "Hey, Jacob. We need to talk." Daniel sits next to you, and places his arm on the grave. "I know who killed you. It was Hazel. "I killed a person who shares my body?" You ask. "But why?" "She was a lesbian. Possibly trans. That's why she betrayed you. And that's why she killed herself." "I see. Thank you for bringing this to me, Daniel." "Thank you for being you. I'll never forget you, brother." Grace looks at him with a frown. "Who are you talking to?" "No one." Daniel gets up, and walks away. Well. That was an interesting experience. You decide to haunt Daniel. Whenever he has a nightmare, you appear and scare the bejeezus out of him. This continues for about a week, until finally, Grace gets tired of staying up all night to look after him. "Jacob, you need to stop doing this," she says. "Daniel's become a wreck due to lack of sleep. It's not healthy." "Fine. I'll stop." "Thanks." Grace walks away. The next night, you stop haunting. Daniel never mentions it ever again, and life goes back to normal. You'll just have to haunt other souls. You figure you'll go after Cecilia's soul, since she murdered you. When the time is right... Hey there, Cecilia. You almost laugh at the thought of you being a lesbian. She's such a manly woman. Also, how stupid would it be for her to fall for you? You're a ghost. She'd literally be cheating death itself. Nevertheless, you begin to haunt her. Whenever she falls asleep, you appear and scare the hell out of her. She complains to James, who says that he'll talk to you about it later. A few months pass, and life goes back to normal. You continue to haunt Cecilia, to which she continues to come to you complaining. The pair of you continue this cycle. One day, you go to class... Hey there, Cecilia. What a surprise to see you here. You know, I'm probably the only person that actually knows who you are around this school. Everyone else barely acknowledges your very existence. How's high school going for you? You seem bored. Boring, even. I suppose it is. There's not much to do around here. We have a few parties here and there, but nothing to really catch the eyes of the... well, the "masses." You're missing out, Cecilia. I guess James is here with you. Is he prettier than me? (Sigh) He's different. I still haven't gotten used to that. The whole town is full of pretty people, it seems. I think I like your look more. It's not as fake. Huh. I guess you do know me. I guess not, then. I'll just leave you to your babbling... Bye, Cecilia. See you later. You vanish, leaving a confused Cecilia behind you. Later, in detention... Hey there, Cecilia. Why are you sitting by yourself today? It's not like you to be the new person sitting alone. Also, it's probably for the best that you sit by yourself. Weirdos like Jacob don't tend to be popular. Not that you care... So, what have you been in for again, Detention period is over. Oh, you know the deal. You're in for a beating. I'm not even going to bother with a plea bargain this time. You're going to get the full force of my fist, not to mention what other tortures I have in store for you. Terrific. Anything else I should know? Not right now, but if you have something to tell me, I'll be sure to hear it. Well, I'm going to go over the rules... Stay after detention. Don't use the library as an escape route. Don't try to see Cecilia. Don't attempt to leave the school, at all. Got it. Well, you've certainly gotten my attention. A girl from another school trying to romance me? Why don't you just jot down a suicide note and give us a final solution to the problem instead? You don't respond. It's not like you really have much of a choice at this point. detention Wow, didn't expect that from you. I guess maybe I can take a hint. So... What were you saying? You have something to tell me? Yes, what is it? Well... You're going to have to be more specific than that. There's this girl... Well, okay, not just a girl, but she's a really pretty one. Yeah, pretty standard. Well, she's in my class, but I think she's trying to pick me out because she's jealous of me. I also think she wants to be my girlfriend. Hmm, not jealous, eh? That's odd. Well, it's not like I like her or anything, I don't think, but I don't want to make her angry either.... Um... So... What's the problem? I don't want to make her sad or mad.... Oh dear. You've really done it now. This girl sounds like she has some serious issues. If you were a lesser man, you'd probably feel sorry for her. As it stands, though, you still have to take her home, and you have no idea how to do that. You could just say, "Fine, you don't have to come with me. I'll leave." That would make her happy, and you're fairly certain that wouldn't make you happy. You could tell her the truth. Again, you aren't sure if you'd make things better or worse, but you suppose it couldn't hurt to try. You could lie. You'd have to come up with a lie that you're sure she'd buy, because the whole point is to make things easier for you and you're fairly certain it won't be easy. Well, options are options, but in any case, you're fairly certain only one of them is going to be completely beneficial. You just need to figure out which one. Oh, and you also need to tell her the truth, so you can get out of this crap. Well, I'm sure you already know what you're going to do. Yeah. That... Seems like the best way to handle this. It's always so hard to be honest with her. If Cecilia were here, she'd probably say to just tell the girl the truth. That's going to make things a whole lot harder though. Still, this Cecilia isn't going to help you with this problem either. All she's going to think is that you're trying to push someone away because you have a thing for her. Oh well, time to do what needs to be done. So, I guess you're going to have to tell this girl the truth. Well, that's what you're going with anyway. Your other big decision is whether or not to say you have a crush on her. This isn't some pathetic it's-not-me-itis attempt. You genuinely do. You just don't know how she's going to react to hearing that. Is she going to be insulted? Annoyed? Delighted? You have no idea. You're fairly certain the last thing she'd be is flattered though. Girls aren't really into guys who are into them. That's an insult to their ego and it can cause bouts of low self esteem. Even if they don't think it, it still hurts their feelings and that will just make their behavior worse. Still, you have to try. You don't know how you're going to fix things if you don't. You have some ideas, but you're still working on that. In any case, this is the situation: You're going to have to tell her you like her. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but you're going to do it. The question is, how do you do it? Should you just tell her you have a crush on her right after she thanks you? What if she gets angry and accuses you of saying it to provoke a reaction? Do you tell her after she's given you the rundown of all the things that have happened over the course of this adventure? You think you know what you should do, so the question is, do you have the courage to do it? You're drawing a blank on how to act. If you're going to do this, you need to get up the courage. ... Well, this is awkward. You've never had to do this before... You head downstairs to the living room and find Cecilia there, waiting for you. "Hey, Jacob." She says calmly. "Um, hey Cecilia. I was wondering if you-" You stop yourself right there and take a deep breath. This is it. "Cecilia, um..." "Yes?" She asks, turning to you. Why do girls have to be so pretty? This is why you don't ever have crushes. It messes with your mind. Why do you have to be so handsome? Men like you Sp Notification: You have a crush on Cecilia. Current score is 7/25. Spin the wheel! Choose your course of action: You're socially awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. "Cecilia, I'm a girl," You say. She looks at you confused. "What? No, you're a boy." "I'm a girl. I have a crush on you." She raises an eyebrow. "You do?" "Yes." She raises her eyebrow even higher. "I don't think I've ever seen you around before, do I know you?" You gulp nervously. "No, I just u-um... I just sort of had a feeling," You say. "A feeling?" She asks skeptically. You take a deep breath. "My name is Hazel. I live inside your husband's head." You explain. "What? No, my husband doesn't have a stalker." She says. "Really? Because I'm sure he'd be the perfect one to have one." "He doesn't. I promise." "I am his other self," You explain. "But I like you either way." She raises an eyebrow. "You're his other self?" "Yes," you smile. "Do you have a pen and paper? I could tell you more about myself." "Um, OK," She says, fumbling with something. "Do you mind if I ask what you're doing?" You ask. "I'm preparing an explanation for my friends," She says. "If you don't mind." "Go ahead." "So, what's your name?" She asks. "Hazel," You smile. "What are you planning on telling your friends?" "The truth." "Sure," You smile. "I'll be waiting outside." You walk outside and wait for your ride. Soon, it arrives. "Hey Hazel," Charlie asks. "Charlie," You smile. "You're pretty quiet this evening." He says. "Sorry," You say. "I'm a little overwhelmed by all this." "Hazel, welcome to the family," Dad says. "I know you've had a horrible couple of days, and you've come through it. You will always have a home here with us, OK?" You smile and nod. "Thanks, dad," You say. "You want to tell me what's going on?" Dad asks. You calm him down and tell him everything. It goes much smoother than with Cecilia. "That's great, Hazel," Dad says. "We love you no matter what." "I love you too," You hug him. You meet the rest of the family. They seem just uninterested in you, which is just as well. Even if they weren't, what would it change? You had a good time with them. You feel loved for the first time in your life. Soon, it's time to say goodbye. "Bye Hazel," Dad says. "We're so proud of you." "Bye Hazel," Momma and Cecilia say in unison. "Bye Hazel," The rest of the family says. You walk to the bus stop. Charlie is already there. "Hey Hazel," He smiles. "That was quick. You ready to go?" "Yeah," You smile. "Thanks for being my ride. That was really nice of you." "No problem," He says. "Hey, do you want to go to that new hang out place of mine?" "What is it?" You ask. "The top of the Ferris wheel at night," He says. "It's supposed to be really cool to see the city." "Yeah, OK," You smile. "I'd love to see the city." You get on the bus and ride back home, where you quickly fall asleep. When you wake up, it's time for school. You get ready and head off to Mr. K's class. You manage to keep your head down and not pay much attention. Later, when school ends, you say goodbye to your friends and walk home. You walk past the drug store and continue on home, thinking about Charlie's eyes. "I like hazel eyes," He says. "Every girl should have them." You shake your head. What is Charlie on? You enter your home and find your mom and dad waiting for you. "Hello Hazel," Dad says. "We need to talk to you." "Oh," You say. "Alright." "Come into the kitchen," Mom says. "Both of you." You follow your parents into the kitchen. "Hazel," Dad says. "We're going to have to talk about something that's been bothering us. It's about your powers." "Mom, dad!" You say in unison. "Now," Dad says sternly. "Hazel, you have grown considerably more powerful over the years. Powerful enough that you could be a danger to yourself and others, and for that reason we're going to have to tie your powers down. You'll be going to a special school away from normal people." "But I don't want to go to a special school!" You exclaim. "Can't I stay here with you guys? I don't want to go!" "We're sorry Hazel," Your mom says. "It's for your own safety. The school will help us train you how to control your powers more, as well as how to hide them better. It's the best solution." "But I don't want to go!" You wail. "Listen to your dad," Dad says. "This is how it's going to be, so just deal with it." You stand up and you're about to walk off, when Dad stops you. "Just calm down, we're not done yet," Dad says. "There's more. Because of your ability, we're going to have to get you a bodyguard. This will be very hard for you, but we know it's necessary. After discussing it with your mother, we've decided to get Jon." "Jon who?" You ask. "Jon Karson, sweetie," Your mom says. "He's very popular, so you shouldn't have any problems in that aspect. He'll be moving in with us slightly, so we can ensure your safety in a better way." Dad turns to you. "We want you to be nice to him, alright?" Dad says. "No killing, no abusing him, and if he starts showing any signs of having powers then you can kill him." "If," You switch back to Jacob. You don't want to argue with your dad, but you're not going to roll over and take it like a doll. "If what?" You ask. "If he starts showing signs of having powers," Dad says. "It's to make sure you don't kill him, because we still have to go through with the wedding." "Dad, I'm not killing Jon. If he starts acting weird, I'm going to tell him to go to the police, not kill him. And seriously, he can't have powers. You told me so." "Well, I'm not sure," Dad says. "I mean, I guess we can test him to see if he's... well anything for now." You sigh. Jon might actually be a fake. You didn't think it was possible, but you actually hate this guy a little more right now. "Fine," You say. "Good, good!" Dad says. "Great work as always, Hazel." You just want to go to bed, but you have to go with your dad. Instead, you decide to just wait in the car. A few minutes pass, and you start fearing the worst. "Jon!" Dad says, walking out the house. "We need to go." Your stomach drops. Jon stands outside the house, dressed in a nice suit. He smiles at you, looking genuine and friendly. "You're Jon Karson," You say, still in shock. "Oh, I'm so sorry sir!" He says. "I didn't recognize you in your younger form." "No, it's alright," Dad says. "Where's Hazel?" "I'm here," You reply. "You can let me out of the car." Jon walks around to the passenger door, and opens it for you. "Hi, I'm Jacob," You say to Jon. "It's a... small world, isn't it? I know all about you." "Oh?" Jon says, raising an eyebrow. "What do you know about me, Jacob?" "You don't have powers," You say. "At least, I hope you don't. I hope you're all clear." "You can check," Dad says, pulling out his phone. "I want to prove that it's safe, Hazel. Come on, Jon." "Okay," Jon says, stepping onto the street. "Thanks for being so honest, Jacob. I appreciate it." "No problem," You reply. "I'm sure I'll see you around, Jon." "Okay, darling," Dad says, as you roll the window back up. You watch as the two men walk towards a police car, and you start the car and pull away from the house. You stop for a moment, then grab your dad's phone. You look up the number to call the police, then realize you're sitting in a ' police car '. You put the phone down, and try to forget about it. "What was that about?" Dad asks. "Jon Karson," You reply. "Your date for the wedding." "He's not my date," Dad says. "He's your date." "Either way, I'm late for school." You pull into the school parking lot. A police car pulls in right behind you. "Hi, I'm Jacob Thomas Killinger. How may I help you?" You ask. "I'm Officer Karthun," The police officer says. "You're the boy who found the dead body, aren't you?" "I am," You reply. "We need to talk to you about that." You pause for a moment, before opening the door and getting out of the car. You shake Officer Karthun's hand, then follow him toward the school. "So, did you have to go see the principal?" Officer Karthun asks. "Yeah, after you called. I get in trouble. I'm sorry for the confusion." "It's alright. Confusion is good. It means you're human, Killinger. The world would be a very boring place if everything were perfect, no?" You don't really understand the joke, but you don't have time to worry about it now. You wait in the empty hallway for a moment. "So. About that dead body we found a little while ago..." Officer Karthun begins. "Yeah?" You reply nervously. "Well, do you know who it is?" "Not really," "It's actually my wife, Cecilia, from my previous incarnation," You say, overpowering Hazel. "Oh. Um, I'm so sorry for your loss," Officer Karthun says. "Thank you," You say. "So, did you know each-?" "I have to go." "Alright, Killinger. Talk to you later." "Bye," you say, trying not to sound too eager. You walk quickly to the administration office. You open the door and walk inside. "Hello?" You call. No response. You walk inside and see no one. You look around the room, but see no one. Then, you hear a scream. "SHIT!" You yell, as you look around for the source of the scream. You walk over to a door on the far side of the office, leading into a bathroom. You open the door to find a girl, around your age, with blood all over her. She screams again as you open the door, and a large man comes charging out of a nearby stall. "STOP!" He yells. You don't really have a choice, as he grabs you by the scruffy beard you were forced to grow for your dad's employer, Mr Scamander. "You're coming with me," he says. Along the way, you explain everything that's happened. "But in short, just call me Hazel," You finish. "I'm Karth," You say, as you extend your hand. "I'm Cecilia," She replies, taking your hand. The three of you walk into the principal's office. You sit in the waiting area, as Karth and Cecilia explain to the school what's happened. Soon, Mr Dendar appears. "Hello, Cecilia," He says. "I'm very sorry for your loss. I'll do everything in my power to solve this case, so Karth, you need not worry." "Thank you, sir," Karth says. "What can I do for you two today?" Mr Dendar asks. "We found a dead body in the woods," Karth says. "The dead body was mine in my previous incarnation. I was reincarnated into this form with the same name as last time, except now I have powers," Cecilia explains. "I'm confused. How did you die?" Mr Dendar asks. "I was murdered," You say. "Wait, you're saying you were murdered?" Mr Dendar says. "Yes," "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "Interesting. Well then, I suppose this would be a good time to introduce you to the school nurse, seeing as there's two of you." "Mr Dendar, we're not hurt," Cecilia says. "We're fine. "I'm also not a reincarnation like these two," Karth says. "My parents were murdered when I was a baby, and I had to live with an adopted family. It was the evilest man of all who did this deed. So now, I want to learn how to avenge their deaths by being at this school." "What are we going to do?" You whisper. "I want you both to finish your free period, pack a bag, and meet me in the student lounge at five thirty." "Why?" "Because I'm doing you a favor. I'm giving you the chance to avenge your parents. If you refuse, there will be consequences. See you there." With those last words, Mr Dendar leaves. You and Cecilia begin to head to your lockers, but Karth calls you over to him. "What's wrong?" You ask. "I just wanted to thank you.' Karth says. "Mr Dendar is a complete idiot who needs to stick to being the soccer coach. I know we just met, but I trust you and Cecilia with my life." "Cool," You smile. "I'm glad to be able to help." "Just don't fail me." "Never." The three of you finish packing, and head to the lounge at five thirty. When you arrive, Karth immediately takes a seat in the back, and makes himself scarce. You don't understand this behavior, until you notice the tape the police have placed across the entrance to the lounge. "What now, dad?" You whine. "Can't we go in?" "No." "Also, did I mention we have a big family?" You say. "Six siblings, we're all blond." "Can we go outside to talk?" You ask. "No." "Is there a window we could go through?" "Well, what are we going to do? "I don't know, but my parents are just powerless mortals," Cecelia says. "I think we should take the tapes and the money, and give them to Mr Dendar. Then, we can all protest about not getting our funds." "Yeah, wouldn't that be nice?" You say. "Okay, what's plan B?" "I can't recall any," Cecilia says. "I guess we could just leave. I mean, there's no tape across the road entrance. We could just sneak out that way." "I don't think that's a good idea," Cecilia says. "Mr Dan-" "Dendar. Correct." "Mr. Dendar will not be able to do anything about the police. We need to stay and see this through." "Can we at least put the tape back so we know where to go?" "I don't think that would be a good idea, seeing as they took our tape to begin with." Plan B is discarded. You wait for three hours before you see Mr Dendar, who looks absolutely exhausted. You notice his tie is crooked and there's a tear in the sleeve of his jacket. "Give me the Philosopher's stone," He says. "Give it to me now." "We haven't even seen your film yet," You say. "The movie isn't important! Give me the stone! I need to destroy it!" "Why would you want to do that?" "Because it's a threat to my existence! I have to, there's no other option! "You're the guy who killed my parents possessing Mr. Dendar, aren't you? What's your name?" Karth asks. "My name doesn't matter. You'll all pay for what you've done." "No, we'll give you the stone. I have to agree with Cecilia though, we need to protest." You go back inside, and hand the tape back to Mr. Dendar. "I'm sorry about this," You apologize. "We can watch the movie some other time." "No, please, do it now!" He says. You hit play, and Ben Elton's 'We Hate You' song starts to play. The cashier begins to speak. "Hello, and thanks for coming to my theater! My name is Cecilia, and I'll be your host for tonight. Before we begin, do any of you idiots know how to work a tape deck?" Nobody does. "Hey, give your sister this old diary to pour her feelings into," Mr. Dendar says. "It's totally not gonna possess her to paralyze all the norm kids here and bring back the guy inside me in a secret chamber." Cecilia hands out the diaries and tapes. "Now, please pay attention, because I'm only gonna say this once." The intro starts, and the movie begins. You watch the movie 'Ghostworld', which is about two teenage sk8r girls, one popular girl and one awkward girl who becomes friends with her. "Also, in case a werewolf comes to teach here, it will probably attract your godfather, Karth, so be on the lookout for him," Mr. Dandar adds. Suddenly, you're hit by a bolt of lighting and George A. K. McRory's 'Extra Pain' starts playing. George A. K. McRory is a werewolf. "I'll make my grand reentrance during your fourth year, while Karth is in the Three School Tournament and gets his friend killed, but me resurrected," The entity in Mr. Dendar adds. "I'll also take over the town, turning everyone into a-" You raise your hand. "Whoa there, Dendar! I know what you do! But... Why...? "Because this will attract the woman I'm planning to have overthrow your principal the year after that and make your lives miserable," Mr. Dendar says. "I'm... A very petty being, but so incredibly right in this case!" The movie ends. "I'm also going to let my double agent who works here loan you an old notebook to use in your worst class, which won't be your worst anymore once you get ahold of it, all during the occuring war," The entity in Dendar says. "I'd let you read it, but it'd probably mess with your mind, as most students' have in the past. This is your warning, Karth. I'll be watching you. I'm everywhere." "One more thing, Karth, I've split my soul into seven pieces, which you three must find the year after that, during which I'll completely take over your school and have an epic battle with you," The entity finishes. Mr. Dendar flees, and you, Karth, and Cecilia look at each other. "I don't know what that was all about, but it can't be anything good," You say. "Well, the notebook will help us with number four," Cecilia says. "Number Four?" You ask. "Yeah, there's a ritual to banish children'sspirals to. We'll have to do it when the time comes." Later, you decide to perform the Ritual to Summon the Gatekeepers in the abandoned mineshaft in the woods. The only thing you can figure it is, you need the help of beings that went through the gate. You just wonder what other help they'll need to make sure the spell is completed. You summon the gatekeepers, who you learn are beings of pure, unending hatred. The beings begin to circle you, before one of them begins spouting a series of numbers. "He's calling the order of gladiators! Get 'em off the field!" Mr. Demar shouts. You raise your weapon, and begin firing upon the horde of celluloid monsters. You cut down a few, before you're struck by several spears made of flame. You fall to the ground, as the horde continues to attack you. The only thing you can hear is the laughter of the gatekeeper horde as they file out of the stadium and into the night. And then, the world goes black. You wake up in the mineshaft, covered in dirt and grime. You're alive, although you have multiple bruises and a broken leg. You feel like you've ran a marathon. "Karth!" Cecilia shouts. "You're alive! Are the others alright?" You look around, noticing the gatekeepers surrounding you and your allies. "Did you get them all?" You ask. "They're all here," The leader of the gatekeepers, a pale, gaunt man covered in burn scars says. "Except for that one." He indicates Cecilia with a nod. "The little one was incredibly difficult to catch. I don't know how you managed to avoid them all, Karth, but we're very grateful." "I'm not Karth," You remind Cecilia. "I'm Jacob, who in our previous life, was your husband that you murdered. I hope we don't make this mistake again." You stand up, and see the bodies of your friends lying on the floor. "What... What happened?" "The gatekeepers were very effective," Mr. Demar says. "Karth didn't deserve to die," Cecilia says, tears in her eyes. "He was doing so well against the demons. He risked his life to save mine. And now... Now he's gone. But at least he lives on in glory!" "It's okay, Jacob, you always have me," The Hazel side of you says. "I'll always be here to keep you grounded. Remember, life isn't fair. What happens, happens. You can't spend your life blaming others or you will also meet the same end. "I love you, Jacob," Cecilia says, kissing you. "Be happy." You nod, and turn to the leader of the gatekeepers. "Gatekeepers, I want you to know, I greatly appreciate all your help during this incident. If there's anything I can do for your order, let me know." "We will," He says. "You've been a great help to us as well, Karth. We hope that you will stay with us, at least for a while." You smile and nod. "Of course," "I'm Jacob, you idiots," You say. "You can leave now. I'll take it from here." "As you wish," Mr. Demar says, sighing. "We'll be in touch about the details of your stay." The gatekeepers leave, leaving you alone with Mr. Demar. "Well, that was exciting," Mr. Demar laughs. "I thought you were going to die there for a second. Your two personalities (Hazel and Jacob) fight for a good response. "Well, I guess you are stronger than I am," Cecilia says. "I know I am. I'm so glad both of you made it." "I'm happy to help," Mr. Demar says. After a long moment of silence, Mr. Demar leaves you alone with your wife. "Cecilia, do you remember Daniel, our son?" You ask. "Do you think he's still alive?" "I hope so," She says. "That boy was so full of life. Just like you." You nod, smiling. "I'm glad I could help you both out," You say. "Daniel would be proud." You hold her hand, and she holds yours back. The two of you look at each other, and know. This was the happiest Cecilia had ever been. None of this will have solved anything. The dead will still be dead. The living will still be living. Nothing will change. But for now, everything is good. END Now an old man, Daniel Killinger decides to pay a visit to Hogwarts. He didn't get the chance to visit the last time he was here, something about Professor Quirrell not needing any help at the time. He is shocked to see his parents are students there, and reincarnated. (Well, his mother is and he isn't, but you get the point.) He decides not to approach them, as he knows how terrifying ghosts can be. "Daniel!" Cecilia (his mother) says. "It's so weird to be older than you!" His father (Jacob/Hazel) adds. "Are you here to send us back to our graves?" Cecilia asks. "No," Mr. Killinger says. "I just came to visit, I didn't expect to run into you guys." "Reincarnation is fun, son," Jacob says. "Especially keeping your memories and your feminine side." "I... Think I'm gonna head home now," Mr. Killinger says, a bit scared by the ghosts. "It was nice seeing you guys." "You can't just leave," Cecilia says. "Where's Daniel?" "He's, uh, outside," Mr. Killinger says nervously. "You can see us?" Daniel asks. "When Hazel and Jacob showed me their souls, I could see you." "Daniel, what's wrong with you? Why do you have a hard time talking to people?" Cecilia asks. "The main character in my book can't interact with other people," Mr. Killinger explains. "I made him that way so the allegory would be more powerful." "Allegory?" Jacob asks. "It means a story with a moral, or a story with a deeper meaning," Mr. Killinger slightly composes himself. "The main character in my book, The Ugly Duckling, represents someone who may never be accepted by society no matter what they do. Always different, never like everyone else, but with great potential inside. "So, just like how I was never accepted because I have Hazel inside me?" You ask. "Yeah, I think so," Mr. Killinger says. You are about to ask another question, but Mr. Killinger starts to walk away very fast towards the door. "Daniel, wait!" Cecilia says. You let her parent go, and head home yourself. You end up in bed, drifting off to sleep. You hope you don't get nightmares. "I told you not to follow me!" You hear a voice say. You slowly turn over in your bed, staying perfectly still and quiet. "It isn't worth it, my little shadow," the voice says. "You lack the power to fight me, and you know it." "Leave Cecilia alone," you say, continuing to try to get a read on the voice. "Never," the voice hisses. "I'll kill her and everyone you care about, one by one." "Who... Who are you? Show yourself! " The shadow looms over you, and you grab your crucifix, holding it up and preparing to fire. "Relax, Daniel, it's just me," the voice says. "Your mother's in the next room. She doesn't know anything's wrong, I made sure of that. However, if you stay here your end is going to her." "My end?" you ask. "What is it?" "I need you to perform a task, Daniel. Go to the top of that big tower in the east and search there for a golden egg. Crack it open and grab the card inside. Then, bring it back to me." "What? Why should I do that?" "Because if you don't, your end is going to be much... darker." "Okay, I won't do it," you say. "Now stop threatening me and leave my mom alone." "So uncompromising. Well, I guess I'll have to kill you after all. Oh, how disappointing. I was hoping to avoid that." You heart starts beating faster. "However, your mother has a much... pleasurable end in mind for you. She wants to see you... permanently." "What...?" "You have a choice, Daniel. I'm giving you a chance to live out the rest of your short life any way you want. You can be a normal boy, go to school, get a job, have a family, and die peacefully in your sleep one day. That's what your mom wants. Or, you can be a warrior. Be strong and courageous. Take up the mantle of the warrior and live a life of adventure, going from one dangerous quest to the next. You'll be a real hero, doing grand deeds and going down in history. You'll gain the admiration of everyone. However... you can never let yourself get soft. You can't let yourself have pity or remorse. You can't have a girlfriend. You can't wear clothes. You can't touch anything that's alive. You can't... have children." "What the hell are you saying, you sicko?" "I'm saying, Daniel, that you have a choice. But, make the right choice, and it won't have to be an easy one." "What...?" The voice then gets quieter and quieter, until it's completely silent. You look around, but find nothing. The room you end up in is much bigger than your bedroom. There's a desk with a computer on it, a closet, a small bookshelf, a dressers, and a few other pieces of furniture. An exit is nearby, as well as the door you came from. You're not sure what to make of hallucinations at this point. You're not even sure if what you just experienced was a hallucination. Your surroundings seem somewhat familiar, and you feel like you've been here before, but you're not sure where. "Welcome to Team Never Ending Story Lair!" a voice says. You turn around and see the speaker. He's a boy with brown hair wearing a black t-shirt and black shorts. His eyes are hidden by a mask with a red grin, like that of a beast. He has several piercings, including his tongue, eyebrows, and navel. He holds up a hand to stop you from saying anything. "Don't worry, Daniel, we'll make this as easy for you as possible. Take off your clothes, and get in the circle." There's no way out of this, you're sure of it now. It's very similar to when that girl trapped you in her car, only you have no idea what's going on here. This is some seriously mental stuff. You don't want to go through with this, but you don't have much of a choice, do you? You take off your shirt and shorts, leaving you in your underwear. The boy looks over to a note he's holding, then back at you. "Put these on, and put the mask on." You comply, putting on the t-shirt and shorts and putting on the mask. "Good. Now, grab your weapon of choice." You do so, lifting up your BB Gun. "Now, step into the circle." You do so, entering an oval shaped symbol drawn onto the ground. The walls seem too clean to be real, and there's no windows in this room. You wonder if it's even real. "Excellent," the boy says. "Let's begin." He holds up a small card, revealing a list of numbers. A pen is then produced, and the boy draws a line through the number 5. "This is your number. Now, choose your weapon." You look around, spotting a lighter and a box of matches on a table. You grab the lighter, using it to light the box of matches. "What's going on?" The boy glares down at you. "You ask a lot of questions, Daniel. I'm going to make this really easy for you. Take the lighter and set the box on fire." This is getting weirder and weirger. You do so, watching the matches burn. Nothing happens. "Good girl," the boy says. He holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe." He shows you a series of other symbols, each with a different meaning. There's one that looks like a skull with a diagonal cut out of it. you think you guys can restore my parents Jacob and Cecilia to the bodies and ages they would have today if they hadn't died or become vampires?" You ask. "We can try, sure," the boy says. "But it's really, really hard. We're not going to do it. I'm going to show you a sign, Daniel. Whenever you're asked a question you don't want to answer, or you don't know the answer to, use this sign. It'll save you from a lot of pain and suffering." He points to a symbol, a combination of two crossed swords overlaying a "X". The boy holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe. "Stop repeating yourself," You say. "Look, I want my parents back to normal. Do you have any idea how weird it is to have a dad with two souls in him?" "Weird?" The boy says with a chuckle. "If it was weird, I'd say yes. But since it's perfectly normal, and perfectly natural, I can't help but find it weird too." "What are you even talking about?" "I'm talking about-" The boy pauses, looking confused to as you. "Do you know what a split personality is, Daniel?" "Sure," you say. "Multiple personalities." "Right," the boy says. "Multiple personalities. It's when a person's mind splits into different people. It's quite common, especially in those who have experienced trauma in their past, like you. My name's Jacob by the way. "That's my dad's name," You say. "I'm Daniel. What are you talking about? What's a split personality?" "Easy," the boy says, writing on the notepad he has. "Imagine your mind as a movie. Your movies have scenes, those are our concepts. Your mind has a Director who puts the scenes together, and an Editor who cuts out the unnecessary parts of the movie, leaving only the best for last. Your mind also has a Cast, who are the people you think about the most. If one of them is a murderer, you might have thoughts about murdering them. But, you don't act on those thoughts. Your mind has a illnesses and traumas, that are the worst for your movies of the mind. People with split personalities have Multiple Personalities. Let's take you as an example. "That would be my father," you say. "His other personality is a woman named Hazel," You look at the boy with confusion. The boy gapes his mouth, shaking his head a bit. "He doesn't know?" "Knows what? What are you talking about? Who is Hazel?" "Honestly?" Jacob says, raising his hands up in defense. "I don't know. Not even sure if she is real. Mom says she's the spirit of his dead girlfriend." "His... Girlfriend?" "Sure," Jacob says, shrugging. "Dad's always had a thing for blondes, and he went out with Hazel for quite awhile when he was in college. Even after he got together with Mom." You're in shock. "You're my brother?" You ask. "I had a brother? Why didn't you ever talk about him?" "He didn't exist," Jacob says. "Sorry, Daniel." You're speechless. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Why do I feel connected to you?" You ask. "Who are you really?" "Who am I really?" Jacob asks with a laugh. "I'm your imaginary friend! Anytime you have a question, just ask God!" "I'm not religious. Ask literally any other question and I'll answer it." Jacob rolls his eyes, before shrugging. "Ok, fine," he says. "God, are you real?" The pencil stops. "Am I real?" God asks. "Am I alive? Yes. Am I a man, or a woman, or an animal, or a color? "Or maybe you're like my dad, and both of the first two options," You say. There's a long pause. "Am I your God?" God asks. "... Yes." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "I don't think so," God says. "I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before." "... What way would I know? I'm just a man." "Are you black or white?" "What? No." "Ok, what about the TV? Are you a light or a dark color?" "Why does it matter?" "Because some people have asked me that. Black and white. Good and evil. Man and God." "... I'm not either. I'm... multicolored." "I'm confused," God says. "Are you a TV or not a TV?" "It's not a TV. It's a toaster." "Ah. I see." "Can you stop being a toaster and just stay a TV?" You ask. "Because I need one, and I really don't want to get a toaster." "Well... I could try," God says. "But I can't make any promises." "Trying is better than not trying, right?" You ask. "Sure," God says. "So... Can you please try?" "I'll try to restore your parents to their proper bodies and ages," God agrees. "But I canonly give you my word. It's very difficult to alter the flow of time. I may or may not be successful." "Try," you say. "Please." "I will," God says. "I promise." "Thanks," you say with a sigh of relief. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Dad?" You say, waking up back in your own bed. "Dad, I had a weird dream." "... Well, what did it entail?" You take a deep breath. "God was a toaster." "WHAT?!" Your father says. "How do you even know about toasters? "I don't know, but it promised to restore you to your proper body. Your proper age. But how does Hazel feel about that?" You ask. "Do strange things happen to her body when you go back in time?" "I don't know! I told you, I never went back in time. There was nothing for me to go back to! "I know you're wrong, Dad. But we need to fix this. I'm glad you chose reincarnation, but we need to reverse this. Save both you and Hazel, and Mom as well." You say. "I can't do it, son. I'll stay a child forever if I have to, but it's just not worth it. I have everything I want." "What do you want, Dad?" You ask. "I want to be a kid again." You sigh, and your Dad just stares at you with a smile... Well, there's two of them. You're not sure if a third one is even possible. And that's something you need to solve. ... "God, why won't you listen to me?" You scream. "I'm your creation, surely you should be able to contact me! Am I doing something wrong? What the hell am I doing wrong?" "Does this involve me?" God asks. "No." "Then why don't you just ask the person who can? Your Mom. She's the one that went back in time." "So what? She's not listening to me either! I tried to tell her, but she doesn't want to listen!" "Maybe she prefers ignorance. At least, until she's caught up to 1970." "Is that all you have to say for yourself? Why aren't you helping me? You're supposed to be all powerful!" "And I'm telling you I'm not doing it." "GOD DAMNIT! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SO FROM CONFLICT?! I PRAYED TO YOU! I PRAYED YOUR HOLY NAME! I PRAYED FOR YOUR HELP!" "And? What do you want me to do, intervene in the world and risk my own existence? Why would I do that when I have no guarantee that you would be successful or not risk damaging my own existence in the process? You're on your own kid." "But..." "Don't bother asking me to stay. You know why?" "No." "Because I'm not a god. I'm just a voice in the darkness that's playing judge, jury and executioners. Good luck kid. " And just like that, the darkness fades and you're left with nothing but your bed and a very tired father who is putting his head down. "What... What time is it? "Time to take control," Hazel says from your dad's body. You sit up and your mind is flooded with the voice of Hazel. "Sorry about that. Like I said, it takes a bit of energy." "You... You did that while we slept?" "Yep. Took a while to get the hang of it, but it's actually not too bad." "So you could've killed my Dad?" "No. I couldn't do that without your consent. And I didn't kill him. I just put him to sleep. I also didn't know how you were going to react. That's why I spoke to you first. You try to stand, but feel dizzy. You sit back down. "Now, now, calm down. We've got a lot to discuss, so don't pass out on me." "Can't we just talk? You said you'd answer any question." "Oh, we can, but not right now. First things first. You're in grave danger, and I'm the only one that can help you. But I need you to listen to me. No questions until we're finished." You nod, though you feel as if you should be suspicious. "Alright. Briefly about me, I'm a time traveller. That's the entire short answer. There are many more questions you'd like to ask, but I can't answer them. Not yet. However, I will answer the most important one right now." "What?" you ask nervously. "Do you trust me?" "..." "No?" "... I'm not sure. Why does it matter if I trust you?" "Because if you don't, everyone I say from here on out is going to be used against you. I can't trust you to not betray me. Now, do you trust me?" "I don't know." "Lucky you. It's a livable answer." Hazel laughs. "Alright, let me give you a little more information. I am from the year...." Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. ".... We're currently in the year 2540." "... What does that mean? I don't even know where to start." "Where do you want to start? I'll tell you everything I know about the world, and you can tell me if it sounds correct." "... OK. Go ahead." Hazel begins to explain. A few years after she left, the virus spread throughout the world. She said there were two major factions that formed, the New-U.C.O.N. and the U.S.A. The New-U.C.O.N. was a world government that took over after the virus had taken over. They introduced the five pillars that are still in use today.... Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. "Hazel?" You wait for an answer, but none comes. "Hazel? Is that your name?" "Yes." "Well, Hazel, I'll see you around some time." "Sure. Goodbye Jacob." Your father regains control of his body. "Goodbye, Hazel. Something wrong, son?" "No. I'll be going to bed early. See you in the morning. Goodnight, Hazel." You head upstairs. You're exhausted, and you're not even sure what time it is. "Goodnight, Jacob. Sleep well. The next day, you ask your dad if he'd ever want a separate body from Hazel. His reaction is negative, he says it's not worth the hassle to him. You end the conversation. You continue with your new routine. You wake up at 6, get ready, and head off to school. On the way there, you run into views, a giant box with a human body. He's a descendant of the original Views. Now, he has a mind so spread out that he has over ten thousand eyes in his head, all but one eye being able to see in all directions. He stares at you, and you stare back. You realize you both haven't said a word. "Hello." you offer. "You have glasses." views states simply. "Yes, I do. So do you." "I have many eyes." "I have many friends." "Do you play games?" You think for a second. "Yes, I play games." "Can you help me be better at games? So that I can get more friends?" "I can try, but I don't think you want many friends. They will crowd you out." "How do I get rid of them?" "You can eat them." You think for a second. "Can they be left alone if they're left alone? I don't want to get rid of them, I want to get along with them." "Sure. You can eat every other one, and just have the others stay. What do you play?" "Games. I like games." "I play spades." "Do you want to play a game?" "Yes." "Then we'll play spades. Come on, I'll walk you home." You spend the rest of the day with views, eating crickets and getting to know each other a bit better. He's surprisingly fun to be around, and you have a blast playing games, especially Monopoly. That night, you dream of Hazel. "Hi Hazel, I had fun with views." "I'm glad, I'm glad you had fun. But, why did you do it? Why did you leave me? Why can't you stay?" "I can't stay." "I need you to stay, with me. I need you. You're my friend, Jacob. Please stay! Stay with me!" "I can't stay, I'm sorry. Please don't cry." "I'm not crying, you're making me cry! Why are you making me cry? I'm not a, I'm not a... I'm not a--" "What, Hazel? What are you?" "I'm a child! I'm a child! I want to play, I want to play! I want to stay a child! Please make me a powerful, fun-loving child again! Please, please, pretty please! Pretty, pretty please with sugar on top!" "I can't make you a child, Hazel. I'd make you a monster if I could. I'm sorry, but I made a deal. I have to stick by it." "I don't want to be a child again! I want to play, I don't want to think! I want to feel! I want to live!" "I'm sorry Hazel, but you have to grow up. I'm sorry. I wish I could take away your pain, but I can't. No one can. But I know the way you can deal with it. Get drunk, and play more games." "No. I want to feel something else. I want to feel... I want to feel love. I want someone to love me. Can you do that? Can you love me, please?" "I'm sorry, Hazel. I can't. Please, leave me alone. Go find a boy your age to play with. Or... or get a job. Get a job and pay off the debts you've acquired. That's an option, but you'll eventually grow out of it. That's the best I can do for you." "So I'm a dumb hound!" "No, Hazel. You're not a dumb hound. You're... well, you're a weird hound, but I'll always remember the fun times we had together. Always. Good luck, kid. And if you happen to run into views, tell him I said, 'Hello.'" "I will. Jacob shakes you awake. "Get up, kid. We have a meet." You stand, and follow Jacob to his van, where you notice two large binders on the floor. "What are those?" "Those are my insurance forms. The binders, not the hound." He opens the passenger door, and you climb in. He closes the door, locks it, and climbs in the driver's seat. "So... What now?" "We drive to the meet." "Where is it?" Jacob keeps his eyes on the road, but turns his head to you. "It's in that big, yellow building on the hill." He points out the window. "Just head up there. I'll text you when it's time to leave." You stare at the hill in confusion. "Do you want me to go undercover as a hound, too? So I can go in the big yellow building?" "No. there's no point in you doing that. You're not a hound." "I'm not?" "You're a human." "I'm not really a human, though. I'm..." "What? Different? Interesting. I guess you'd literally be the only human in the building, then. It's called the 'Humanis'." You turn to stare at Jacob incredulously. "You're kidding, right?" Jacob turns off the road to a parking lot filled with dozens of cars. "No. I'm not." "So what are you exactly?" Jacob sighs. "I don't know. I'm a human who does stuff with cars and other assorted machinery. I guess you could call me a 'mechanic', but lately I've been trying to break away and do my own thing. I dunno, I'm not really sure of what I am. "You're my father," You say. "And a pretty cool aunt too." "Don't really have a close relationship with either of them. They're alright. What about your mother? Do you have a close relationship with her?" You think for a moment. Hazel takes over. "His relationship with Hazel is strained, but apparently it's a little better with his mother. You could say they get along." "Is that so? How do you get along with her?" You hesitate. "It's me, Hazel. I took over the body now. Are we going to the Humanis? Jacob's hand was pointing to it." Hazel says. "Yeah. I suppose we are." Jacob smiles at the response. A smug, happy smile that you didn't want to see right now. "How old is Jacob, anyway?" You wonder out loud. "Your father, Jacob, and thus me, are 540 years old," Hazel says. "Vampirism and reincarnation." "Oh. So you're, what, a hundred and fifty years old?" "Something like that." "Jesus. That bites. How old are you, Hazel? "540. Just like your dad," Hazel says, as you pull into the Humanis parking lot. You shake your head, and exit the car. You can see the group sitting around a large table. Mr. Reynolds is there with his two lackeys, Nick and Carter. Also there are Kyle, arguably the weakest of the Creations, and a vampire you don't know named Lucas. The latter stares at you as you approach, but says nothing. "I want my dad and his split personality returned to their proper body and appearance, as well as my mom." You say. Mr. Reynold's smile drops. "No deal. You're just too risky. I'm sure you understand." You stare at him in disbelief. "You're lying. Of course you have them, what are you even doing here? Did you kidnap them? "No. I'm just a businessman here to contract people. Sort of like you, I suppose. You're a new vampire, correct? No ties to the old one? You can't be concerned with what we do with his remains." "You put my family in a lab! You're not a proper human! You need to give them back!" "I'm a businessman, thank you very much. I have my reasons. You're too risky to be given the chance to turn them back, hence us not doing business. Time will tell if I'm right or wrong. Either way, your role here is over. I'm sorry." "No! We made a deal!" You yell, getting in his face. Mr. Reynold backs up a bit. "Jacob, settle down! We need to talk!" "Don't you dare touch them! Your father Jacob arrives, back in his Jacob persona. "I like being young. But I admit, my son as an adult and me as a kid is weird. And I'll probably be dysphoric later too." You sigh, and Jacob notices. "Should I turn back into a kid? Do you have something for the dysphoria?" You look at him. The kid you knew was gone. The adult was a shell of his former self. You have no idea what would happen if you gave into your desires now. But you did what you could for him. You nod. "Do it." Jacob nods, and turns back into a child, a year older than he actually is. Mr. Reynold's eyebrows raise. You then turn his body back to his original one, with Hazel's long hair, makeup, and dress. His eyes shut close and he opens them again. "Jesus, Jacob! What the hell did they do to you? "Hazel, I restored your proper body with my powers," You say. "You should be able to have it back now. You don't need to be a kid anymore. You're a grown woman." Jacob's face and body switches back and forth between ghouled form and his normal one. He collapses to the ground. Mr. Reynold rubs his eyes. "Is that really my son? Did he fall under a curse?" "Yes. Yes he did." Mr. Reynold sits down on a nearby bench. "Then time has taken him away from me. "I feel so powerful!" You scream. "I did the same thing to my mother too! Now they're as I knew them!" Mr. Reynold holds his face in his hands. Jacob gets up, and it appears Hazel is in control. "Your powers? This is terrible, Daniel." "What do you mean? He needs to have full control of them," You say. "He shouldn't have even one. This isn't a zombie curse, it's mass hysteria! Vampires are supposed to have horrible memories of their mortal lives, not maintain their sanity from one moment to another!" You frown. "Then what do we do?" "You don't want to know. You probably do want to get out of the open, though. Come on. We'll go in the woods. They can't do anything in the woods." "Yeah," You sigh, following her. "Let's go to the woods. It's going to be weird, but I'm used to weird now." Mr. Reynold calls out to you. "Are we leaving you behind?" You look back. "No. I'm coming with you." "We're going to be back soon. You'll be fine here. We'll get Hazel's body back shortly and you can put it to rest, got it?" "Yeah. "I never had my own body," Hazel says. "This was the best I got. And I still share it with a man. I don't need one." Jacob sprints ahead of you in the forest, leaving you to chase after him in a playful manner. "We should probably talk about what just happened." "Yes, let's go through it again," Jacob says. "There are some things I still don't get." "Fair enough." You begin to talk about what had happened since Jacob had left. About how you came back from the dead and briefly talked with Ben, some of the other adventures you had on your own. You cover most of what had happened since he last saw you. "Interesting," Jacob says. "So are you God then? I mean, that's what I'm gathering from all this. You're telling me you've been doing all this for years, and you're only just now reaching your full potential?" "Something like that," you nod. "Although I suppose it would be more like... I'm at my apotheosis." "Apocalypse please," Jacob says. "Apocalypse please," you nod. "So what now?" "Now? Now I take over the world." Jacob laughs. "If you're asking me, as a friend, advising you, as a fellow ruler, whatever you want to call it... Don't bother." "Don't bother? What do you mean? This is what I was born for! This is my goal!" Jacob shakes his head. "No, no, no, no. You were not created for that. You were created for... something else." "Well, you don't have to help me! I can take it on myself!" Jacob laughs again. "That's not what I mean. "You're our son," Hazel says, gaining control. "We wanted you to defeat the vampires." "Yeah, well things change," Jacob says. "You're above them now, whatever you are. You don't need to prove anything to them." You're quiet, and think for a moment. "It's weird to see the same person contradicting themself," You say. "Ha ha ha ha!" Mr. Reynold laughs. "Yeah, you'd expect that from a vampire, not a group of proud ghouls. I'd expect at least one of them to have some moral ground, but they're worse than the mortals. Honestly, I'd rather be a on a team with you mortals than my own kind, even Ben." "Ben's a good friend," Jacob says. " "Benelux is long dead, Jacob," Views says. "It's time you move on. Go retire with your wife. Let your son handle things." Jacob nods. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I didn't mean to step out of line. I'll go." Hazel nods. You watch sadly as Jacob/Hazel leaves, knowing they won't be happy when you get home. You also know it's probably best that they're mad at you, because if they weren't, they'd see that you're doing the right thing. They may not agree with it, but they know you're doing it for the right reasons. You turn to the ghouls. They look horrible. Their skin is pale, except for in the crimson spots caused by their open wounds. Their bodies are frail, and they walk with a limp. "So, what do you say?" You ask them. They still haven't said anything. "What are you waiting for? Do you want to be Vampire Clansmen?" Slowly, they nod. "Good. Come with me." You lead them out of the cave, and into the village where they can find new clans to join. You spend the next few days setting up a system where the ghouls can be fed and find mates. You make sure there's plenty of ghoul meat and female ghouls. You set the stage, so to speak. Then, the vampires show up. You're expecting a diplomatic visit, but instead, you get a violent one. A large group of vampires storms the village, and kill all the ghouls they find. They're on a mission to avenge their fallen, and they won't stop until every last one of them is dead, or you are. You had no idea. You thought you were doing this for the greater good, but now you're not so ^ sure. Ben and Cape seem to think you're still doing the right thing, but how do you really know? You head out to the massacre with vengeance on your mind, and find yourself in the middle of a massive battle between your kind and the so-called "New Vampires". You face a group of ten vampires, along with Ben and Cape. "I told you all this would happen!" a female vampire screams at you. "You're monsters! Sons of Satan!" She roars, and attacks. If looks could kill, you'd be a pile of ash. You fight back, attacking the female vampire. You almost feel sorry for her, until four of her buddies attack you. You quickly dispatch them, and then feel a hit to your back, Cape's sword plunging into you. You stumble forward, Ben finishing you off with a slash to your throat. "No! I thought we were supposed to be allies!" Cape complains. "Never mind that! We need to go after the boy, before the rest of them get to him!" Ben points towards the remaining group of New Vampires, who are struggling with a large, pale man. Jacob/Hazel, the "boy" you saved earlier. You quickly hobble over to your allies, before the vampires get away. Unfortunately, your injuries get in your way, and you're cut down by three vampires with ease. You lay dying on the ground, when you hear a voice. "So, this is how it ends...for you and me." A voice says, echoing in your head. A familiar voice... "Wait! I have a message for the new Vampyr! We meet again, some twenty years later." The voice says. "This one's the real deal. My Master shall return! And this one'sFFlowers will herald his homecoming! So keep your mouth shut, lest I slit it open and drink your blood! Do it for Tom! Do it for me! Pray, for you're going to need it! Funny how I got all my information about you from your orphanage- Master will be so pleased to hear that I've already managed to infiltrate your little group. Ha ha! Until we meet again, Vampyr! Drink! Savor! Feed! FEED! FEED FEED FEED! You are Jacob Killinger, who shares a body with his female alter, Hazel. You and your wife Cecilia are devastated by your son Daniel's death in battle. You are the last of the true Master vampires, who fled the city after the destruction of the last safehold. Now, you have been singled out by the Vampire who calls himself "Master". He is the only one left, and he has been looking for you. You have no idea what he's talking about, but if he wants you to do anything, it's blow out your brains. You are dead. You and Cecilia make a run for it. You make it out of the city, and are caught by a group of hunters. You are put on display, strung up in a wooden box, with Cecilia alive and in a box of her own. They are waiting for the Vampire. You know it's only a matter of time. He finds you last. The box is opened, and he walks forward... "So, the last of the old bloodline. I heard you fled the destruction of the last holdout, but I had feared it was you. So, now you finally face your end. I have so looked forward to this! You bite his neck, removing his vampirism. You drink his blood, draining him of life, as he tries to fight back But his powers are gone, and you are too powerful now. You go into shock as Hazel takes over. She leads the hunters away, killing them as they attempt to shoot her. She finds a nearby stream, and uses her powers to hide you from sight. You'll be able to get high enough for her to heal you. For now, you're just in shock as the blood loss takes effect, and you either become dazed or pass out. You awaken in the morning, lying in a bed of hay. Cecilia looks over you, revealing she found a barn for refuge. She also misses Daniel. You both talk about what to do next. You need to get to the nearest city. The two of you exit the barn, and begin heading towards it. As you encounter no humans hostile towards you, you're able to safely rest. But you need to sleep, or you won't have the strength to walk to the city. Make a City Brdlog The two of you find the nearest city, which is Pittsburg. It's large and bustling with activity, which worries you. You turn into Hazel while eating in Pittsburgh with Cecilia. Even though she doesn't remember it, you still have a faint memory of the place. It was the first city you ever fled to. You know it'll be the most likely to have a large community of other Hunters. You enter the city, and you're immediately harassed by a human. "Hey baby, wanna have some fun?" he says, leering at you. You grab his head and twist. His neck snaps, spraying blood onto his friends. "What'd I tell you fellows about harassing the help?" a man chides. "The ghouls look like the help to me," another says. You dispatch the three men with ease, and continue on your way. You enter the bar you were hoping to find. It's filled with humans, drinking and laughing. "Cecilia, I'm here," you say. A woman with a scarred face and a man in a suit come out from the back. "Jacob! We thought you'd be dead!" "It's Hazel, Jacob's personality is sleeping right now," You reply. "But we managed to escape. Still missing Daniel." "It's Cecilia, I'm here," she says. "We need to find the others. We need to find Pittsburg, the closest city." You nod. "Cecilia, what happened to you?" you ask. "Why are you both scarred?" "Long story," she replies. "But we'll tell you all about it in a moment. Can you please find the others for us?" You nod. You head outside, and see a man beckoning to you. "Hello!" he says. "Are you new here? I'm Henry, the bar tender. "I'm Jacob, and I have a split personality named Hazel," You say. "I've heard about you. I'll be able to help you, if you want to get to know the city. There's a lot of good eating spots and bars to go to," Henry says eagerly. "We need to find the others," you say. "They went that way," Henry points over your shoulder, heading towards the highway. "If you want to find them, I can get you a table..." You decline Henry's offer, and run outside. sprinting over the highway and into a wooded area. You find your friends standing around a campfire. "You got her, kid," Henry says. "Take care of her." You turn to Henry. "What's going on?" "Your girl's got some explaining to do," Henry says. You walk over to the campfire, sitting on a log next to Cecilia. "What happened to you two?" you ask. "We're ghouls," she says. "It's a long story." You nod, and wait for her to continue. "For the record, we're not actually friends," She says, changing the conversation. "Three," You add. "We can never have a serious conversation," she says, sighing. "But I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to listen to my complain about my boyfriend. I assume you want to know what happened in the city?" "Yes," you say. "There wasn't much," she says. "The city's still standing, for now. But it's going to fall soon." You nod slowly, knowing she's telling the truth. "We need to find a strong leader to lead us," she says. "You could be that leader." "I don't know what you mean," you admit. "We would follow you," she says simply. "You have the most power, and you're the only one here with any combat experience." "Why me?" you ask. "You seem nice," she says. "Ones," You reply. "Do it plural. Hazel and I are a package deal." "I thought you were the nasty, evil side of me," She says. "I like the nicer, sweeter one." You shrug, and smile. "I like the one I'm on," You say. "But I'll always be part of Hazel, no matter what." "We need a plan, then," she says. "The city's leader, Gabriel, will probably be at the stadium. If we sneak in, and kill him, the city'll fall." "Why not attack it now?" "Because it's heavily guarded by mutants who are crazy, and we can't take them out without serious losses. They don't call them horrors for not raisins." "We need a better idea," You say. "How about we go in, and you lead us?" she asks. "All you need is a few people." "I'll think about it," You say. You go home that night, thinking very seriously about whether to join forces with the ghouls, or continue on your own. The next day, you wake up late, and meet Hazel for school. "You're later than usual," Jennifer says. "Are you alright?" You shrug, not feeling like talking. "It's me, Daniel Killinger," You say, assuming the identity of your dead son. "They're planning to kill all of us, soon. We need to go on the offensive, and fast." Jennifer stares at you. "You alright, bud?" she asks. "You look very pale." "I'm alright," You say, shaking your head. "Just a lot on my mind." "Alright then, we'll talk later," Jennifer says, turning around. "Bye, Hazel." As you leaveclass, you feel someone pushing you from the back. You fall to the floor with a thud, and open your eyes, to see Cecilia smiling down at you. "I'm sorry," she says. "But you're too slow. I just need to get to class now." "Cecilia!" you hiss. She gives a taunting smile. "What? You're old. You're not going to do anything." You growl, slowly getting up. You can feel your anger rising, and you're not sure how to control it. You try to take a deep breath, but you feel your lungs filling with blood instead. You snarl, grabbing her by the hand. "Jacob left for the night, Hazel here," You say wickedly. "And I'm the girl who's gonna replace you again and again." "Jacob...?" Jennifer asks, confused. "What's going-" You quickly launch into a vicious bite on her throat, the taste of her warm blood filling your mouth. After a few seconds, you release her, and she falls to the ground, coming to a stop on her knees. Running over to Cecilia, you quickly turn her around, and sink your teeth into her fragile spine. She lets out a scream, which you muffledly whisper to be end. After a few seconds, you let her fall to the floor, and look up to see your friends standing there. "What happened?" "Hazel took you over and went psycho," Cecilia says, kissing you. You look at her, confused. "You... Killed Jennifer," she says. "And I think I know why. You really liked her, didn't you?" "That was Hazel, I'm Jacob, honey," You say. "Go... Apologies..." "I'm confused," Cecilia says. "Who are you?" Gently, you pick her up in your arms, and turn to walk home. "I'm your story," You say. That night, you're tucked up in bed, reading Team Never Ending Story, as Hazel reads to you from her laptop. The next day, and the next, and the one after that. You continue to go through with Hazel's plan, until, a month later, you wake up. You have two daughters. "Our babies are so cute," Cecilia says. "As are there names, Dani and Noel. They can never replace Daniel though." "How do you feel?" "I feel... Happy," You smile. "Happier than I ever have. I have a family now." "I'm so glad," Jennifer says, smiling. "I missed you. "This is Hazel, and Jennifer is my girlfriend, btw." You say. "Neither one of you need bother coming over ever again." "I'm very happy for you," Jennifer nods, as Hazel smiles. "No more cheating?" "Not a single tear will fall," You smile. Jennifer dies. Cecilia and Jacob make out. A year passes. fateful day You wake up in the morning, as you usually do. Except today, you feel very hungry. You yawn, walking into the kitchen. As you do so, you notice an unusually tall man in a black suit lean against the wall. "You must be Hazel," he says, staring at you. "I'm Frank. We have to talk." "No we don't," you reply. "I have nothing to say to you." "Let's just say... How do I say this? That was a really impulsive move. I mean, kidnapping a pizza boy? I'm surprised they haven't found your body yet." "You don't know anything about my situation," You reply. "Go bother someone else." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand." "I'm not talking to you." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand. You're smart enough." "You're not going to blackmail me into anything," You say, as Frank nods. "I understand. I respect your decision. Anyway, we need to talk." "We don't need to do anything," You say, as Frank shakes his head. "Just leave me alone." "No, it's important. Look, you go down to the basement," Frank says. "I'll meet you there in a few minutes." You nod, as Frank heads up the stairs. You sigh, before going down the basement steps. Down in the basement, you find Frank waiting for you. "Hello, Hazel. I need your help," He says. "I told you to stop bothering me," You say. "Leave me alone." "Please, just hear me out. You need to go down to the basement. You're going to have to free the Pizza Rats." "What?" You ask. "I'm not freeing psychos." "Please! They're not what you think they are!" You turn back into Jacob. "Huh? Are you Frank?" "No, I'm Jacob. But you don't need to know that. You need to get in there and do what Frank says. It's an order. You head down to the basement, where Vamp's dead body is. He's been stripped of his skin, which you throw off the ledge. The rats squeel, scuttling to hide. "Who's there?" You hear from down there. A pizza rat gobbles up Frank, so you resurrect Vamp. You wait for a bit, before the rat comes back. "Come on! We gotta get outta here!" Vamp says. "We found another safehouse! Come on!" You and him get to the safehouse and make out. A few days pass. "Did you hear about Steve?" Vamp asks. "No," you reply. "He's dead. They found him in his house." "Who found him?" Cecilia runs into the safehouse. "I did. And just so you know, I support us being a throuple now. Or a quartet romance, considering Hazel is here too." "Cool," you reply. "What's the situation with you two?" "David openly asked me out last night," Cecilia says. "It went well. Expect him to take me out sometime this week." You kiss Cecilia. "And Jacob?" She asks. "He flat out asked me out too, but I'm scared to death of him. Just remembered, he put a vampire into a deep sleep the last time we met," You kiss Vamp. "I should be so lucky to land you," He says, kissing you. A few days pass... "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jacob asks, pushing you away. "Don't you love it when Jacob and Hazel fight, since they share a body?" Cecilia asks Vamp. "Shut up," He and Jacob say in unison. Jacob grabs you, and kisses you. You push him back. "What the hell, Jacob? "Ew, he's trying to kiss himself," Vamp laughs. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you," Jacob says. "Do you remember the time when we stole the candy from the store?" "Uh... I don't think that was me," Vamp and Cecilia decide to run off. "Let's play snap." Jacob and you are alone. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise," You say."Why didn't you go out with Bianca?" Jacob frowns. "I wish I had control of our body," You say. "I'd make you go out with her." "I'm pretty happy with the way things are." Jacob pouts. "What the hell, we'll switch bodies for the rest of the night," "We can't switch bodies, genius. We only have one." "Oh yeah, that's a great idea," you say. "These lowlifes broke our spirit." "Let's go get drunk," Jacob suggests. "Then Bianca and I can switch bodies." "That would make me swap bodies with her too. But I guess it would make you all woman," You sigh. "What do you prefer?" Jacob asks. Vamp reveals he has another power. He finally gives you a body of your own. The catch is, it looks exactly like Jacob's. "Do you want to do it now?" You nod eagerly. "Just say the word, and I'll make you my new man," Vamp replies, eyeing you up and down. "Okay, now it's like kissing my transgender identical twin," You say. "I feel weird." You and Jacob go into the bedroom, and fumble around until you're in a state of arousal. It's been awhile since you've had relations with a trans man. "Aren't you worried about, um, getting pregnant?" You ask. Jacob laughs. "What are you, a mother?" Jacob slides into you, and your spirits lift as you begin to thrust. "I'm really enjoying being in your body," You tell him. "I'm really enjoying being in mine," He says. "I want to go out with Jacob!" your inner Bianca shouts. "Why am I trapped in this stupid body?" "Mmmm, Bianca... I could get used to this." With the realization that you're not in charge of your body, you and Jacob begin to have rough relations. You push Jacob down on the bed and begin to bite at his neck, drinking deeply of his blood while Jacob thrusts up into you. Suddenly, you both release together as Bianca's consciousness erupts into chaos. Jacob pulls you close to him. "I love you," He says. "I love you too," You reply, snuggling up to him. Yuo and Jacob laugh uncontrollably as the voices begin to get louder and louder inside your head. The bed shakes from the sheer force of Bianca's screams for help. Meanwhile, outside the room... Cecilia and Vamp decide to end the madness. They merge you two back into one body. "Is it over?" You ask. "Yeah, it's finally over," Vamp nods. You breathe a sigh of relief, feeling your body beginning to cool down. Meanwhile, the room is silent. Even Bianca has fallen asleep after her exhausting screams. "I don't know how I feel," You say. "Neither do I, but we need to talk about it," Jacob says. You are Jacob. You are Hazel. You two are one. It's midnight. Less than twelve hours until the world ends. "I'm scared," You say. "I'm scared too," Jacob nods. "What are we going to do? We can't let this happen." "Unfortunately, our best option is to concede defeat and let the world end," Jacob says. "But we can't just give up. There has to be something we can do." "I'm pretty good with technology," You say. "I might be able to help." "Really?" "Yeah if we have time to mess around, maybe I can think of something." "I don't know," Jacob says. "We might be having our own personal apocalypse soon. I'm not sure if messing around with our death clock is the best idea in the world right now." "If we're going to survive, we need to do it," You say. The room is silent once again. Soon, the three of you come to a difficult decision. "Do you really think the world's going to end tomorrow?" You ask. "No, but I don't want to die either," Jacob says. "I'm with Jacob," Vamp says. "I think we need to do everything we can to survive." After a moment, you nod. "Alright, I'm in," You say. "Terrific," Jacob says. "So the three of us will work on this together as a team until the very end." "It's so weird to hear you say the three of us, because you're literally in the same body," Vamp says. "Do you feel weird too?" "No, I guess not," You say. "I'm just happy you're with us, that's all." "Alright, then let's begin," Jacob says. Tip: Use the Undo button to delete the last action in the story (either yours or the AI's). What happens next? custom Created: Jan 23rd 2021 at 8:35AM Updated: Jan 23rd 2021 at 9:42PM Actions: 2134 0

You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late.

During your adventures you encounter many strange and scary things, which often scar you for life. One of the worst things you encounter is probably the Scablands, a horrible swamp filled to the brim with beasts that will rip you apart, including a creature you only refer to as 'The Man With No Face'. You narrowly escape this terrible place, but it has left a lasting impression on you.

Another very scary place you encounter is the Fantasy World, a parody of Final Fantasy 7's village and dungeon. You also pass through the Lilliputian Kingdom and visit the city of Brotol. There's several smaller villages in the area, some of which have barely survived the destruction of wars between the Kingdom and the Greusim Empire. You briefly visit one such village, where the mayor is attempting to protect his citizens from a massive dragon.

Finally you reach the Final Boss Battle: Mickey Mouse. He stands atop a skyscraper made out of the remains of the Empire's building! He holds the card box in an iron grip, and a fierce battle will take place. Will you be victorious? You will now choose which team member to use during the battle! You may only choose one. You choose Chase McFly. "Alright Chase, let's kick some mouse butt!" you say. "You'll help?" she asks. "Well you're my partner in crime and all, I'm going to help regardless," you say. "Alright then," she says, "Let's get on with this." You approach Mickey, your sword raised. Your dog tags jingle as you walk, and your muscles are clenched to strike. "You're not going to attack him with a sword?" she asks. "With a sword?" you ask, "What kind of magic does he have?" "Sting! Poison Sting!" she yells. You pull up your shirt to reveal your bare skin, and... nothing. He doesn't poison you. Perhaps he doesn't have time to poison you before your battle begins. You don't know. You're just happy that you're about to fight the man who killed your father. "Hah, youz tryin' ta beat da odds eh? Yoo-hoo, anyone fer ia betta than 8b and 8c? I'll take 8a! Come on down to the fight!" he yells from his tower. You approach him, and your sword is raised. He looks down upon you, smiling. "Think yoo can beat da odds? I've got a pair of dice here that say ya don't. Wanna risk yers?" "Ha, I don't bet." "Alright then. I better not lose. It's all the money I saved foa mah trip to da big city! Say, wanna join?" he yells, putting money into a bucket. "What's the bet?" you ask. "Two copper." "Done. What are the odds?" "Seven to four." "I don't bet either then." "Two copper says I win! Bet yooz!" "Alright then, two copper says you lose. You're on." "Yoo-hoo! Anyone in da house? I win!" You look to your partner. "You sure you wanna do this?" you ask. "Of course," she says, twirling her gun-bow around. She pulls an arrow and aims at a nearby building. "Just be careful," she says, nocking the arrow. You take a deep breath, before answering Mickey. "Alright, two coppers says you lose." "I be bettin' on moi, so I win again!" he laughs, putting down a five coin bet. "Sure thing," you smile, dropping the five copper coin in with his ten coin bet. "Let's get this over with," you say, twirling your sword around. You walk up to the mouse, who grins. He pulls a single copper coin from his pocket, showing it to you. "Yoo-hoo, anyone in da house? I win!" "I'm in," you say. "Come again?" he asks. "You're on." "Alright then, two to four. I win again!" he says, showing you the copper coin. "Sure thing," you say, dropping the copper coin in with the ten coin bet. "Hey, are youz gonna lose?" the mouse asks. "I'm not sure. There's a poor man's chance I guess." "Alright then, we'll do it like how we originally planned. Head on back home, I'll give youz a copper if youz win." You nod, smiling. This was the perfect way to settle this. You walk back, heading to the front of the line. You look at the screen and watch as it flashes up. "Name?" the robotic voice booms. "Chase McFly," you say. The screen flashes again. "Password?" the voice asks. "Mazda," you say. The screen flashes again, and a slot opens up. "Coins?" the voice asks. "Ten," you say. You step back, as a coin is put into the slot. The screen flashes, and the slot closes. The mouse approaches, grinning. He presses a button beneath the slot, and the tape smashes into you as you gasp. "IT'S RUBBER!" he yells. You fall to the ground, as the tape laughs at you. The mouse steps forward to your position, and puts the tape into the recorder. "This is fuzz!" he says. "The mouse? What's he done?" you ask. "He's pressed record! You two are having a conversation!" "Oh, great," you say, as the mouse laughs. "Now then, who are you?" "I'm Chase. Who are you? You're not supposed to be here." "I'm the mouse. We're testing to see how good you are at talking." "At talking? But we're not even supposed to be having this conversation. I was just given two coins to gamble. I lost." "I don't know anything about that. I was given two coppers to have a bet. I won." "Sure you did. Well, I don't have anything to tell you, do I? Now stop wasting my time." "Alright then, what do you want to tell me?" "I want to know about the girl. The cupid." "What about her?" "What do you know about her?" "Not a lot. Her real name is Olivia, and she's in our grade. She's on the chess team. I think. I hate her!" "Oh, she's nice then. Alright then, I guess that's it." The mouse nods, smiling. "We're almost out of tape," he says. "I was given ten coppers to talk to you for an hour, but we've finished the hour and I haven't gotten my coins yet. So, do you want to tell me what else you know about the cupid?" "Not really. I told you all I know." "Oh come on! I'm sure you know more about her than you're letting on. Maybe something happened that you don't want your parents to know about." "I don't do anything wrong." "But what if..." "Stop right there, mouse. What if what? What if she overdoses on C.P. gas? What if she throws herself out of a window? I'd bet my savings that you know plenty about her that I don't let on." The mouse's face falls. "You're a very poor liar, Chase," he says. "Fine then. What if I tell you something I know that I'm not supposed to?" "Go on." "My dad says that she likes to..." "Stop!" the mouse says, holding up a hand. "Please don't tell me anything else. I trusted you to tell me something, not the other way around." "Then why did you..." "Give me your savings. I gave you an hour to tell me something, not an hour and a half, Chase." "It's my savings. I can do what I want with it. You don't have any proof that I took it." "Yeah? Well there's the police to prove it too. You're lucky I'm giving it to you at all." The mouse sighs, looking down. "Fine," he says. "My dad's really, really rich. I have ten coins. That's all I really have. If you don't give me my ten coins back, then the police will take me and my dad, and we'll never see each other again." "What makes you think I care about your ten coins? If you don't give me my coins back, then the police will take you and your dad. It's a guarantee." "Because you're a nice boy and you don't want to see me taken away from my dad. That's why." "That's not why at all. Now give me my coins back." The mouse sighs, digging through his pocket and handing you the ten coppers. "There. Take them back," he says. You look at the coins, counting them. "These are ten coins. That's your ten coins," you say. The mouse looks up at you. "That's my whole life right there." You put the coins in your pocket, grabbing the tape from the mouse. It dangles in the air as the mouse sighs, then laughs. "Ha, good luck!" he says. "Good luck, Chase. I'm rooting for you." "Thanks," you say, as the tape goes back in your throat and the mouse walks away from you. You sit down in the chair, taking a deep breath. "So, where am I?" you ask. "You're in a room," the computer answers. "What's this room for? What am I doing here? Am I dead?" "You're in a room, with no doors and only one way out. You are restrained. You ask a lot of questions. You're not dead, you're in a room." You walk over to the chair, sitting down in it. "Why am I here?" you ask. "You're in a room, with no doors and only one way out. You ask a lot of questions. You're not dying, you're in a room." "Why am I here? "To see if you're a video game cheater." "What do you mean?" "You aren't a cheater." "Are you sure? Maybe I'm cheating. Did you check to be sure?" "No." "Oh, good. Did you check if I was a cheater?" "Good. That means you weren't lying. Yay! Now we can let you go." "But I haven't even cheated," you say, as the tape stops. "Yeah, we know. We're letting you go anyway. You're not a cheater." "Oh. Right. What am I doing here?" "You ask a lot of questions. You're not dying, you're in a room." "Oh. Right. Thanks." You get up, walking over to the door. You look through the glass, seeing a key hanging outside the door. "Oh. Okay. I guess I'm free to go." "Of course. You're free to go." You stand up, looking at the door. There's no handle on the inside, so you push against the door with your shoulder. It opens easily, revealing that you're in a room with no other exit. You look around, before the door slams shut behind you. "What was that?" a voice says. You turn, finding a man in a dark suit standing there. He looks at you impishly. "Hello," the man smiles. "Hello," you reply nervously. "So, the police said you were a video game developer. What are you doing in a room like this? Are you a cheater?" "Erm... no?" you say. "Aw, why'd you lie? You're not a cheater. You're going to hell." "No, I'm not!" you say. The man shrugs. "Who knows? We're all going to hell anyway. We might as well try to get in early." The man smiles. "My name's Walter. What's yours?" "My name's Chase, Chase Patrick," you say. "I don't know why I'm here. I've never cheated at a video game in my life." "Never?" Walter says, arching an eyebrow. "No! I don't even own a video game console! I hate violence! I only watch rated G movies! I've never even shot someone in the head before!" "Oh, well that's okay then," Walter says, shrugging. "Well, I've got to go now. Satan's waiting for me." "SatAN!" you shout, trying to stop him. "You won't get away with it! Someone will find a way to...! Hey! You've escaped from a room with no doors and only one way out. How did you do that?" Walter stops, turning to you. "That's just it. I don't know. That's why the police brought me here. I was screaming, and screaming, and screaming, and then I was in this room. I don't remember how I did it. How do you do it? How do you know when you're inside a video game, and how do you leave?" Walter walks forward, offering his hand. "Good luck, Chase," he says. " How do you get out of a room with no doors and only one way out?" Walter is staring at you hopefully. "I... I don't know." "Ah... well, that's okay then. Good luck, Chase. well then... I guess you'd better stay in here forever." "What? You mean I'm trapped in here? How can I leave if I don't know how?" "You'll find a way. You're a cheater. Good luck, Chase. well then..." Walter rubs his eyes tiredly. "I guess you'd better stay in here forever." "What? You mean I'm trapped in here? How can I leave if I don't know how?" "You'll find a way.I guess you'd better stay in here forever. Good luck, Chase." "Wait! How do I get out of here?" "It's a secret. A big, big secret. You can't tell anyone. You got it?" "Yeah," you say, nodding your head slowly. "I got it." "Good," Walter nods. "I've... got to go now. I'll pray for you." "Thanks," you say, as the man in the dark suit disappears into the blackness. You're in a room. A bare, stone room. There's a poor job of carpentry on the door, and it wouldn't surprise you if a single pane of glass was left in this place. No," Kit says. "This is a very boring room." "Not a bad job for someone who's only been here for two days. You'll get the hang of it. You'll be glad to have this room. Trust me." "Kit, are you alright?" Grace asks, turning away from the screen. "You don't seem very enthusiastic about this." "I'm fine," Kit says. "So what is it that you wanted to show us?" Grace asks. "Well, we found a journal," Kit says. "I've only... looked at it. It's in the original Norwegian, but I'm sure we'll be able to make some sense of it." "That's wonderful!" Grace smiles. "I can't wait to hear what it has to say." Kit nods. "Well, come on then," Grace says. "Let's... see what the Norwegian king had to say a hundred years ago." Grace flips open the journal, and turns to the first page. 'Day 1: I don't know what I'm doing here. I'm standing on the rocks, staring out to the endless, black ocean. It's freezing, and I have no coat. I have no coat. I have nothing. I'm hungry. I'm so hungry. I've been walking for hours. I don't know where I'm going. I just... have to walk. I have to move. My legs are like pillars of stone. I can barely move them. But I have to. I think I saw a light down the winding path. I have to see what it is. I have to. Oh, God. My legs. I can barely move them. I don't want to die here. Not like this. There's something out there. Something out there that will kill me. I have to see. I have to know. I have to see what lies beyond the light. I don't want to die here. Day 2: I'm so cold. I can't feel my fingers. I can't feel my toes. I'm just cold. Cold and empty. Holes form in my body. My heart stops beating. I feel nothing. I'm nothing. I feel myself falling into the void. But I don't know what's happening. Am I dying? I'm cold. So cold. I can't... I can't feel anything. I can't... It's getting dark. I don't want to leave this place in the dark. I look around. It's getting dark. There are weird figures standing all over the place. They're not moving. They're staring at me. They're staring at me! They're going to kill me. But they won't move. They won't blink. I don't understand. Why won't they move? What are they? I'm scared. Don't blink. Don't move. Don't make a sound. Stay here with me here. Just... stay with me. Stay with me here.' Grace slowly closes the book "What did you think of that?" she asks. "I don't know what to think," you say. "I really don't." "Meh," Grace says, shrugging her shoulders. "What do you mean by 'meh'?" "I don't know. Boring, I suppose. I've been to the bottom of the ocean. Scared me, that's all. I don't know what that thing in the journal was. I don't want to know what it was. It's probably something bad. I wouldn't want to be down there for all the tea in China." "So what did you think of it?" "I don't know. I found it kind of hard to stay focused. I think the language was a bit technical for me. I don't know. I feel like we wasted our day." "Did you find out who this 'Lena is? Did you make any headway?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Grace says, waving her hand in a shooing motion. "Don't want to talk about it. It's done. Let's go home." You're baffled. "Grace, this journal is important. It really is. You know more than most about looking safety first. That girl could be in danger, even now." "Please, just don't. Let's just... let's just go home." You sigh, nodding. "Fine." The two of you head back home, to your house. You place the journal into your bookshelf, vowing to look through it properly when you're not tired. As you lay down in bed that night, you wonder if you should've fought harder for this journal. You eat dinner in silence, and go to bed. The next morning, you set off for school. You walk into the school, and head to your seat. "Morning, Jacob. Sleep well?" your sister asks. "Sure did, sis," you say, sitting down. "You read the book, I hope," "Yeah, I finished it. It was okay. Didn't go too far past what I already knew. Didn't give away any major plot points." "That's good. You seem a bit... quiet today. Nothing really new to learn." "Just okay? I thought it was amazing!" "I don't know. I guess it just wasn't my thing." You shrug, and open your bag. You pull out your book, and begin to read. "You never read anything by Edgar Alan Purnama, do you?" Grace asks. "No, should I have?" "It's funny. You should read it. It's about a guy who goes into a spooky abandoned house. It's really good." "Are you reading a book by Edgar Alan Purnama?" Grace tutors you in the ways of good literature. You start reading, and within a few pages, you've read all the way through it. You can't believe you never knew about this book! It's so good! You read more, and more, until finally, the bell rings. "See you after school, Jacob," Grace says, as you wave goodbye. After school, you continue reading. In the bookshelf, you find dozens and dozens of other books, many of them classic. You spend your lunch reading. By the end of the week, you've read through most of your books. The few you left behind were definitely not worth keeping. You easily took four books with you when you left. In the evenings, you continue your routine. It's not too hard, as it's mainly reading and homework. You spend every day reading, sometimes for hours on end. It's amazing how much you've read, and how much you've learned. You're about to graduate, and you feel more intelligent than you ever thought possible. It's so easy to become engrossed in a book that you don't hear your mother coming to get you. "Jacob, come on, we're going to be late!" she says. You quickly put your book down, and head down the stairs. "See you later, Grace!" "Jacob? Jacob, are you home? I'm putting the TV on for the rest of the day. You know how your father hates it when I do that!" You shrug, and sit down on the carpet. You open your piggy bank, and pull out a $1 bill. You slide it into the TV's VCR slot, and hit record. You hit play, as the tape starts rolling. "Hey, Jacob! Want to come out and play?" a voice says. You look up from the floor, to see... yourself, from yesterday. The same yourself, with the same shirt and shorts, except today you're in a t-shirt and gym socks. "Come on, get your shoes on! We're gonna knock 'em dead!" the teenaged version of you says. You stand up, and walk after him as he runs into the foyer. The yourself from yesterday is standing there, holding the basketball out for you. "Let's go!" You slowly walk out to the driveway, and stop. Your father is leaning against his car, smoking a cigarette. He looks up, and you freeze. "Hi, Jacob," he says. You try to move, say something, do anything, but you can't. The car looks almost the same, although the paint job is much dulled from age. You look over at the garage, and see your parents' old car, a '74 Chevelle. You stare at it, you stare at the house behind it, and you stare at the street. "Wear the bracelet, OK?" your father says, before walking into the house.

You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. Finally you reach the Final Boss Battle: Mickey Mouse. He stands atop a skyscraper made out of the remains of the Empire's building! He's holding a remote control that starts the countdown for Team NES to die in a fiery death. "Ha ha!urances!" he laughs, as the doors open. "Let's rumble, bitches!" he says. "Come on, Team! Follow me!" Foury the Number says, as you all split up to avoid getting killed by his autoguns. Team NES runs into a room filled with hostages, including your sister. "Look, Jacob! It's Team NES!" he laughs, as Benelux stands over Grace, pointing his sword at her. "Grace, it's OK! You can let down your guards!" Benelux says. "Let's see if we can get that bloody fool to talk!" Sir Benelux says. You see your sister nod, as she waves you over to aadiis her. "Come on, kid! You and I can liberate these people together!" she smiles. "OK," you nod. You grab the ball for her, as she smiles. "Give me the ball! I'll make a break for it!" she says. "No, stay with the ball!" you say. "I can do it!" she says. "No, you let me play defense! I'm really good at it!" "OK," your sister sighs, and hands you the ball. You stand off to the side with the ball, as your sister approaches the heavy metal gate. "Here we go! Go, Jacob! Go, Team!" she says. You take one last look at your sister, as she walks forward to the front gate. "I'm sorry, Grace," you say. "Just don't let him get the ball!" she says, as Benelux laughs. You turn your attention to the front, as your sister walks down the stairs. "I'm here!" she says. "Hello there, Freedom!" Benelux says. "I'm so glad to see you!" "I'm not sure why I'm here," Grace admits. "Oh, you're here because I'm friends with your dad!" Benelux says, as the guards chuckle. "What's that? What are you saying?" your sister says. "I'm saying that your father is a complete idiot who let some of my friends from the Techpriests capture him so that I could use him as... entertainment!" "You've gotta be kidding me!" your sister says. "I'm not! They captured your father at the same time they captured me, and for the same reason! Heh heh heh!" "Well let's get them back!" your sister says. "Oh, I plan to!" Benelux laughs, before laughing as a bullet hits his arm. You look at the shot, and see that it came from one of the hostages who has been let free. "Well, well, well! Looks like you've been freed at last, Freedom! I guess that I owe you a debt of gratitude!" Benelux says, as the guards chuckles continue. "Let me show you to your room!" Benelux says, as he leads her away. You wait for a few moments, before making your move. You rush into the front gate with the ball, seeing many bodies on the floor. You avoid getting shot, though one of the guards does notice you. He aims his rifle at you as you run by. "Halt! You there! Get back here!" he says. You keep running, and he fires at you, hitting your arm. You're able to get away, and run straight into Benelux's office. You close the door behind you, and rush to the desk. You open the desk, finding a safe. You quickly try the combination, with success. You pull out the contents, finding a pile of gold coins. There's also a small, professional-looking camera with a memory card... You take the SD card out of the camera, finding a lot of images and bits of video. The files seem to be a log of what Benelux said, with timestamps. May 16th Today was definitely the day that we were going to get out of this place. We started off the day by having breakfast with Benelux. The food was a lot better this time, though I'm still not sure what it was. It didn't seem to do anything for me, but then again, I'm not a meat creature, so what does it matter to me? After breakfast we were let out of our rooms. We sort of knew what was coming, and I was right! It was the Techpriests! They came down, and through some technology pulled out all of our hooks and slave collars. It was a little painful, but I'm guessing once they did that, they did some testing to see if we were resistant to poisons and such. If they did, then they must have figured we're good to go. We were taken to a large room with other normals. Some looked terrified, others looked angry. The worst were a group of Chaos Space Marine who were laughing and joking around, seemingly oblivious to the pain and suffering around them. "Well, you are a lot of fun!" Benelux said. "Let's start the games!" Benelux shouts, and the room goes silent. "I want you to remember these faces. I want you to remember this day. I want you to remember your freedom, for this day we became free!" The room goes wild as Benelux starts laughing, and the guards nudge the laughing Space Marines, telling them to shut up as they shout in protest. One of the guards comes up to you. "Let's start with you, Norm!" He says, looking down at you. Norm is a status on Earth that means normal. You aren't, you're just plain ol' boring old normal. "I'm not Norm. I'm not a normal," you say. The guards eyes widen. "What? No! Norm is a status, not a name!" He says, looking confused. But, by agreeing to work for Benelux, you also became 'norm', which means you're now officially a slave. You let out a deep breath, before looking up at the camera. "Hi. My name is Oswald. Benelux sent me here for your amusement. If you want to see more, buy a ticket." You're just working along with the others to fulfill your needs for food, water, and safety. You have no rights. No name. No face. All you have now is the ticket that Benelux gave you, your status, your name, and your needs. You walk over to the room of the screaming, laughing, psychopathic Space Marines. While you'd normally be scared of them, you're too focused on your goal to care. "What's going on in there?" You hear, and quickly begin working to get the room quietened down. "I'm getting you all set up with some new slaves. Teamwork! It's what makes a team!" You hear Benelux shout from outside the room, as more guards rush into the hall. They must have heard the ruckus. "Wait! Don't kill them all!" you hear Benelux shout. "I need them for something!" "You're a prick, Ben!" one of the guards says. "They're Chaos, they're gonna screw up your plans! We need to kill them all! The Emperor demands it!" 48 more Space Marines rush into the room, and immediately begin shooting at the goings on inside. You're shooting as well, hopefully hitting something other than the enemy. Now!" "No, but they're my personal guards! Don't kill them! You'll mess up my plans!" "We don't care! We need to kill the enemies, not save their commanders! Now pick your men out and disappear!" The guards turn their backs on Benelux, and begin selecting which men to kill. You quickly hurry over to the Marines, selecting the two closest to you. "Sorry 'bout this, mate." One of the guards says to you, before you all quickly run out of the room and past the guards. Soon, you find yourself in a hallway, empty of just about everything. "Quick! Take out that camera up there!" One of the guards shouts, pointing upwards. You nod, running over to the camera. A missile launcher attaches to your Goliaths arm, and you quickly take aim. "Ready?" One of the guards asks you. You nod, pressing the trigger. The first missile flies through the air, and you direct it at the camera. It explodes into pieces, and the hallway is suddenly filled with smoke and dozens of men. Some of them are injured, some are dead, and others look like they're about to pass out. "What the hell happened?!" "The camera just exploded! Follow me!" You all quickly make your way through the halls, heading deeper into the ship. Suddenly, you find yourself in the arena. There's a dozen men there, holding each other up. "It's not going well!" One of them says to the group. "What's going on out there?! We can't keep getting caught like this!" You hear a voice shout from the speakers. It's Benelux. "We're trying to get out of here, sir! We'll be out soon! Send more troops to hold the bridge!" "Roger, we're sending whoever we can! What the hell happened in there?!" "There was a giant, anothe... Don't start the ship up!" "I've been hearing that for the past ten minutes! Where the hell are you?!" "We're trying to find a way out of here, sir! We're not rebels, we're-" You see Benelux back away from the arena, staring at you. "We're what, Ben?! What the hell are you doing? You need to get back in the arena!" "I'm not fighting these guys, I'm not a rebel! I'm..." He turns, and runs off. You sigh, realizing that he's ran out of time. You were hoping to convince him. "Rebels, huh? Well, let's get going then." You begin walking towards the giant portal, reaching it just as the ship begins powering up. "haha! Come on, baby! Let's get this show on the road!" A voice shouts through the speakers, as the lights in the room begin to flicker on and off. "We're shutting this thing down! retreat, now! retreat!" The lights flicker off, and the portal shuts down. "Hurry! Get out there and kill something! We'll be right behind you! Oh, and try not to die either! See ya in a few!" The ship powers down, leaving you in total darkness. You take out your datapad, typing out a message. "Benelux, I'm here to help you. Don't give up hope, I'm coming in." You send the message off, and within a few seconds, you get a reply. "Thanks, Hazel! Just stay in the arena, don't move, I'll come get you," you type. You send the message out, before continuing. The lights flicker on, and you sprint off to the side of the big arena, finding a small gap between the wall and the stone flooring. You crawl through it, spotting Benelux amidst the carnage. So much for hope. What you see is not pretty. You slip through it, finding yourself in a hallway. "This should be close enough." You whisper. You continue down the hallway, finding it completely empty. Feeling rather disappointed, you come to a small metal door, with a card swipe panel by its side. You press in the number revealed, waiting. "Hello, Sarah. I have a visitor for you." A deep voice comes through the speakers. You slide the card in, opening the door. "Hello there. Mind if I come in?" You step back, letting the man inside. He wears a welding mask that covers the bottom half of his face. He wears a red jumpsuit, with large metal armor plates covering his arms and legs. He walks over to you, extending his hand. "Don't worry. You're not going to get electrocuted." He says, as you shake it. "I'm Chief," He says, motioning to a chair in the room. "I'm Hazel." You reply. "So, you're the human who has decided to help us fight back." He says, taking a small cup of coffee from a small machine by his side and sitting down in the chair. "Well, I've never really thought of myself as human. I'm just a normal person, with a normal life, who had an encounter with some strange people who are now trying to kill me." "It's not really a fight back. We're still the under dogs." You reply. "No, I suppose we're not." He responds, with a small chuckle. "So, you've had some experience with the enemy? The Kaleesh?" You ask, with a sigh. "Unfortunately, yes. I led a platoon that was carving a path through them to keep the rest of our army moving. They had us surrounded, and in small groups. It was a slaughter. I bought my men enough time to get out of there, but then the Kaleesh finally caught me. By the time we got organized, it was one giant massacre. It was there that I received this. " He holds up a metal arm, with small claws on the end. They're much smaller than the ones the Kaleesh have. "These things are actually pretty useful. I cut up numerous Kaleesh with it." He chuckles. "I wish I could say the same for my unit." You reply, with a sigh. A few hours later... "We've made it this far. We might as well push on to the palace." You say, popping a Tic-Tac in your mouth. "Think the military will send reinforcements? It' would be nice to at least take down one of their kings." Chief says with a smirk. "Their army is more than capable of pushing us back. We'd be pushing them to secure our victory." "Well, let's hope their gutter trash doesn't have the common sense to run out in the open before we reach the king. You say, continuing down the hallway. Suddenly, a door on the left opens, and a small group walks out, laughing and talking. "That's far enough." Chief says in a low voice. We have them surrounded. I can sense it." You walk over to the group, staring them in the eyes. One of them notices you and gasps. "It's them! The ones from the forest! The ones who took our friends! Why are they not attacking?! They look so strong!" She says, stepping back. "Silence! You recognize us? I'm afraid not. The ones who took..." She starts to say, but is quickly silenced by Chief. "You recognize our faces? That's odd, we haven't been back out since our escape. How can you tell?" "Because they're the ones who took my brother! They're the ones who should pay for his kidnapping! They're the ones who turned our peaceful forest into this place!" "Quiet! I can't concentrate with all the noise you're making!" Chief says, glaring at the young girl. She stares at him, and her eyes start to fill with tears. "You... took my brother? But he was so... he was so kind! Why would you take him?" She asks, in between cries. You can feel Chief tensing up. "Hey, hey, easy... we didn't take your brother. We were just passing through the area. We wanted to explore, but then Kishak attacked us. We've been trying to escape these demons for months. A few of us made it out, and we're trying to secure the kingdom. If you want to become a hero, then you should tell us where the exit is located.

> BFrit are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of BFrit is human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and they all must save their card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. "The... the exit?" The girl asks, looking up at you. You frown. "I'm afraid not. We're not exactly the police. But you could become one with a bit of effort." You say. The girl's eyes widen. "What?! With these two?" You look to the side to see that Chief has drawn his sword, pointing it at you. The young girl tries to run past him, but is stopped. "Don't worry. I'm not going to kill her, I just want information." You say, trying to sound as nice as possible. "Chief, put the sword back in the sheath, or I will." You say. "Alright." Chief grunts, putting the sword back in the sheath. "Who are you guys, then?" The girl asks. "We're... explorers."

> Chase McFly "My birth name is Jacob. I'm a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late." Hazel says. "We're not exactly the police. But you could become one with a bit of effort." You say. The girl's eyes widen. "What?! With these two?" She asks, pointing at Chief and Kane. "You could become one of us." Chief, who had been waiting for this question, grunts in reply. "What does that mean? I don't want to be like you!" "I dunno, it's up to you. You join us, and you'll get to experience all of the things we go through. You know, fighting evil, supernatural threats, and having fun along the way. You get to decide what you do on our missions, be it fighting back, or just having some fun. You get to make decisions that could affect the mission, good or bad. You can't do that as a normal human, but as one of us, you get to be a part of it all." "What... what are you exactly? You keep calling us regular humans, but you don't look... human." "We're not human. You can't get the full experience of being a hero if you're just normal. You don't look like any of the creatures I've heard about." The girl says, stepping backward. "We're not monsters, if that's what you think. We're just different. I want to join you guys, but..." The girl says, looking down. She slowly lifts her head up. "But what?" you ask. "But I'm... just a normal kid. I want to go home. I'm missing something. I don't belong here." "So what, kid? Join the fun and enjoy your stay here! All you need to do is say yes." You say. The girl pauses, seemingly deep in thought. "I'll... I'll think about it. I don't want to regret going back home, and I'm sure I'll have tons of fun at your place. But... but I'm going to go back home first. Thanks for not killing me, guys. I'll remember this. Good luck in your future missions." The girl says, turning around and walking off. She gets out of your range, before you could reach out to grab her. "I'm sorry, I thought... I thought you were going to join us. If I had known you just wanted to go home, I would have... picked other words." You hear Chief say. "It's fine. But she did join us in our mission. She got an experience that's better than dying. So I say, mission complete." You reply. "Indeed. Let's head home. We all need some rest, and besides, Elios should be done with his work by now. Time to enjoy ourselves. We made a hell of a difference in this world, guys. And to all of the normal humans out there, enjoy your lives. You deserve it. We're doing this for you. We're the superheroes of the night. And we're never going to stop being heroes. Even if it kills us." You say. The group all nods in response. You return to the base, where you find that Elios has indeed finished his work. "So, now what? I'm guessing we don't have any new missions?" You say. "Afraid not, Karth. The New Terrares rebellion is more or less over as far as I'm concerned. We done changing the world? Because it looks like you're planning another one." You say. "Ah, yes. My work here is done. But your work begins now. I've set up a foundation where we can build a dojo, to train the new generation of heroes. You can have first dibs on training the kids there. Hell, you can have the first brood. I'm done with kids. Though I suppose your MeekMaid can have some..." Chief Brownwind pauses, before turning to you. "What the hell? NEVERMIND, Karth. You're part of the League, you should know by now. We don't have time for this. Get out of here, and go have fun." Chief says. You stare at him. You know that voice. That's the voice of the Chief you've always wanted to hear. You're a bit shocked by this, but it seems like you don't have much choice. You get your people together, and prepare them for the future. The next few years are... eventful ones. Namely, fun ones. The League manages to take in a lot more people, due to all the chaos and rebuilding after the New Terrares War. And it's certainly a rebuilding period. You have a huge dojo, where people from around the world come to train under various fighting styles, mainly for defense against crime since you don't actually ask them to join the League. But hey, it's a start. You end up having quite a large family, and you love every moment of it. Thank God the Buddhists were few and far between on this world... Good thing for you that they were too, because you're one of the few remaining humans on the planet. Of course, you're not the ONLY one left... The time comes where you have to choose who to send to the League's new headquarters. It's a touching scene, as you choose (and convince) your "siblings" and "cousins" Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. You walk away, as you watch your family and friends head to the new headquarters. You look through the trees, and see a large man with a gray beard standing by himself. He walks over to you. "So. This is it, then. Our new home. I'm Chief." The Chief says. "I know. The League sent us a message." You respond. "Ah. That tends to happen. Come on, I'll show you around." The Chief grins and takes your hand, leading you through the trees. It's been years since you had to walk around, and you're quite rusty. It doesn't take you long to realize you're more than a little lost. The Chief seems to sense this. "I know the League wants us to have space, but I wanted to at least have a base of operations near here. Now you're here, I guess you can choose where we build the dojo." The Chief says, leading you around a large rock. You look around. In the distance, you can see a cliff, with cave entrance underneath it. "What's in there?" You ask. "Oh, just a small underground tunnel leading to our old home." The Chief says. "It's not like anyone's going to find it. So, what do you think? Where shall we build our dojo?" "Erm... amongst the trees?" You suggest. "The forests make for the best defense, after all." "You think so?" The Chief asks, raising an eyebrow. "You sure that's a good idea?" "What, you prefer concrete? You're half rabbit. "I don't see why. I mean, one of my men, Zidane, he's designed some cool uniforms. They make the best shade." "How? He's a mime." I mean, concrete blocks can only shoot out spears and swords." "It's a simple matter of tactics. We hide in the trees, they don't. It's all about ambushing and archery. You shrug. "The ladies love mimes." The Chief scratches his head. "Zidane's pretty hot. I think I'll go for the uniform idea." You want to be able to dodge and move freely in the trees. concrete doesn't allow for that." "Hmm. You might have a point there. I used to do some reading in between fighting, you know. One of the books I read talked about the best ways to train your soldiers. One of the tips was to have areas set aside for archery training, for snipers who want to have a long range advantage. What do you say about a compromise?" You nod eagerly. "Definitely." The Chief smiles. "Good to know I'm not wasting my time. So, you agree to the compromise? We won't build the dojo here, but we can set one up in the trees." You agree, and the Chief smiles happily. "Trees it is! I'll see what I can do. Now, come on, we should get back before Zidane's sent to hunt us down for treason. He's tricky like that. Hey! Where are the other two!? Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter. Let's go! " You follow the Chief back to the camp, where your team is sitting around. They look at you, but don't say anything. You're not sure whether to be creeped out or honored. "I'll be back later, I'm going to talk to the commander!" The Chief shouts. His team immediately gets up and leaves, and you're left standing awkwardly with him. "Well, come on." He says, walking away. You shrug and follow. You walk through the forest for a while, reaching a clearing. In the center is a dome, a bright blue color. Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus) are in the dome. Mickey Mouse has kidnapped our friend Views the Cardbox to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. "Hey! Killinger, where were you?" "I was talking to the commander." "About what? We don't have anything important." "Yeah, but he needs to know we're ready. Argh! This group is just made of idiots!" "What's going on? Who are you?" "His name's not important. He's just a traitorous little rat who thinks he can betray the Empire!" "The who? What are you on about?" "The Empire! I'm talking about the group, not the country! The group of people who have been looking after your well-being and making sure you've had everything you need! Why do you think I've been building this dojo? I'm trying to help you guys learn to fight! We're Eternals, and we've been looking after you, teaching you how to be warriors!" "Err...thanks? I guess?" "Yes, Killinger!" "I'm serious! But anyway, this is stupid. I just wanted to know what we're fighting, and now I know." "The Jicol Alliance. A group of rebels who think they're doing the right thing, but really they're just traitors. We know this because we're still part of the Empire, and loyal to the Emperor! We know this because we're in contact with the Imperial spies in the city, and they've told us ALLLL about them! They're planning to assassinate the Emperor, but what's worse is they have the gall to think they're doing the righteous thing!" "Well...I dunno what to say. I mean, I think they may have a point." "Of course they do, you're an idiot, that's why you're my second! Anyway, here's some info to take back to the team. Tell them that they need to report to the dojo tonight, where we'll figure out how to stop these terrorists." "Okay...okay."

He hands you a leaf-let, on it are several addresses and a time. You thank the Chief before leaving, and head back to the team, who are still waiting for you. "So......" "So, you're not mad about that, eh? Come on, I want to show you something." Cecilia grabs your hand, dragging you to the side of the path. "Look." She whispers, peering around the corner. There, in the grass, is an Eternals' encampment. There's a bunch of tents and such, but in the center is a large fire. You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus) ask what's going on. The the team starts discussing. "Our friendly, tree-hugging host just showed us where the Eternals are." "Did you get the addresses? "Yes, the countryball told me." "I wonder if we could infiltrate them without the others knowing." "Sure, they're just regular ol' rebels. We should be able to fool them." "Rebels? They're terrorists! If we listened to these rebels, we'd let our guard down, and that wouldn't do at all. No, we need to report this to Captain Vahlat immediately." "But, what about the others?" "What others?" "The other Team Nests. I can't just leave them there without any support." "Don't worry about them. The other Team Nests are full-grown Eternals, most of them veterans of the Imperial army or the Spires. This is just a bunch of children. Even if some of them are full-grown teenagers, they're still children, which means we can easily take them out ourselves, then and there." "You sure about that? Because if you're thinking on how to deal with them in a more......personal way, we can do that too. I've got just the person in mind." "What? You want some of them as well? Because there's a bunch! Cecilia grabs your hand again, grinning. "Great, so we can all have fun tonight!" "But what about the others?" "What others? The others are irrelevant. Look, we can easily take them out, or we can keep the innocent ones safe, but what you need to do is up to you. But I suggest you do it quickly. The other Team Nests are heading this way." You breathe a sigh of relief, leaning against a tree. "So we're alone?" "Yes. Yes! Alone!" Cecilia glares at you. "Now then, we have a few options here. We can either all go and have some fun together, or I can stay here with you and have fun by myself. Now, what'll it be?"

> Chase McFly says "We're Team Never Ending Story, not Team Nests!" " "Fine," Cecilia pouts, laying in the grass. "I'll stay here. I don't feel like fighting today." You lay down next to Cecilia, looking up at the sky. "Do you think the others will make it?" she asks. "Yes." You reply, staring at the same sky. "They may be teens, but they're smart enough to find a safe place to hide, or get out of the city." "I'm glad you're on our side." "Is there another choice?" Cecilia smiles. "Well, you could stay here too, if you wanted to." "What? No! I'm coming with you!" "Fine." Cecilia sits up, grabbing her swords. "Let's go then." You stand, holding her hand as you walk off into the city. "Where are we going?" you ask. "To hunt for the others." You nod, keeping up with her fast pace. Soon, the two of you come across an old church. "This is where it happened," Cecilia says. "This is the spot." "What did?" you ask. "I killed him. Shot him with a bolt of lightning." You raise an eyebrow. "That's not how you died. You died in combat." "The liar will burn in the fires of hell! In the depths of my sorrow, I vowed to send him to meet his doom, and that's what I did." "Cecilia..." "It's the truth!" she says, stopping. "Anyway, the rest of the team is probably in this church. Let's go." You nod, and the two of you enter the building. You walk down the aisles, Cecilia checking each one. "Ah, there they are!" she says, motioning towards two empty seats. You walk over, and plop down next to her. The three other members of Team Never are across from you.

> Chase McFly says "That's Team Never Ending Story, or NES to you!" "Doesn't ring a bell," you say. "Oh, it's a reference to a long-running internet joke," Ben says. "We sometimes refer to ourselves as the 'Never Ending Story', as there's always someone new to the team." "I see. So you're the newest additions?" "Newcomers," Ben says. "We're old news. Anyway, Chase and I were the first to join, back when the team was still called 'Nameless'. That was back in the day when we... well, you'd probably call us bad guys." "We stopped being villains a while back, but the name stuck," Chase says. "Since then, there's been a few more members. I don't really keep track anymore." "Who are the others?" you ask. "There's... 'Four' is his nickname, not mine. He's Dutch and loves beer. 'Fozzie' is an animal, a... a squirrel I believe? She's short for Francesca and was a professional acrobat before we recruited her. 'Cecilia' is my sister, she... well, I guess she just prefers to stay out her other appearances." "What are you two?" "I'm English. That's probably not a surprise to anyone. I like tea. There's 'Gerald', he's an amicable German fellow. He used to be in a gang, but his throat was slit in a stupid dispute. I don't even know how that happened. An arrow? If you ask me, it was an accident. Who knows with such things. 'Gerald' is good at a lot of things though, he's good at a lot of things." "What can he do? Oh, I'm asking too many questions! I'm sorry, I'll shut up!" "No, go ahead, this is your story. You were going to tell us about the Wizard's Academy." You nod, and begin to tell your tale. As you talk, the other members of the team seem more and more fascinated by it. Eventually, you finish telling the story. "So, what do you think?" you ask. "Well, obviously it's a bit far-fetched, but I've heard crazier stories," Ben says. "And it's a pretty cool tale. I have to say, I'm inspired." "You want us to steal the books from the library?" Cecilia asks. "Do you think we could pull it off?" "Well, that's the plan," Ben says. "I mean, it's not a sure thing, but with the right crew, I'm sure we could do it. If we tried, there's a chance it could fail and get out of hand, but it's worth a shot." "I'm in," says Chase. "I think it could be fun." "So, what do you think about this team, Tom?" Cecilia asks. "Think we could work together?" "I don't know," you reply. "I'll have to think about it." "Of course you will," Ben says. "But don't worry, we'll be in contact with each other." You take your leave of the three, and make plans to think more on what they have proposed. You make your way to the cafeteria to eat, and you see that your mom is there, talking with a few other parents. They notice you, and your mother waves you over. "So, how did it go? Did they accept you?" she asks. "I don't know," you respond. "They said I could think about it." "Oh, of course, I didn't think they'd accept you straight away," your mother says. "Well, I'm sure you'll get the place you want. Come on, I want to ask you about a new topic." You follow your mother to a table, and she sits down with you. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" "The new kids," she says. "They want to be Team Evil." "What?! They want to be a criminal ring? But why? They seem so nice!" "I don't know, but I don't like it," your mother says. "I want you to keep an eye on them. If they try to do anything, stop them. It's your duty as a parent!" "But they haven't even started yet! They don't know what they're doing! They might just be bored and playing around." "Well, I'm sure we can stop it before it starts," your mother says. You're at a lose as to what to do. On one hand, you don't want to spy on your new friends, on the other you don't want them to be criminal. What's a parent to do? "Well..." you begin. In the middle of your hesitation, one of the new kids walks up to you. "Hi, I'm Cecilia." "I know. You sent me a message on Skype. What's your interest in Team Evil?" "I like to plan evil things to do to people," she says. "I'm just trying to come up with an idea to put them, so if they do start doing it, I won't get in trouble." You laugh. "Why would you get in trouble? I thought the point of this is for you to get out from under Mommy's thumb. Don't you think it would be way more evil if you actually started doing all this stuff?" "I suppose," she shrugs. "I guess I'm just a little nervous about all this. What if I screw it up? Then everyone will be even more angry with me than they are now! They won't let me live it down!" "What's to screw up? You're just going to go up to some people and copy what Elements did, only on a smaller level I suppose. The difference is you're not going to kill anyone." "It is?" "Sure. The point of all this is to piss off the stinking politicians who ruined this city. You're just going to go up to them and tell them to stop screwing things up for the rest of us." "That sounds doable. Shall I go do it now?" You see where this is going. You need to go stop your new friends from committing a crime. So you can't let them do it. "Well...I suppose so, but I really want you to think about this okay?" "I think I've thought about it for a couple days now." "Oh. Have you started yet? Because I told Cecilia she couldn't start yet. Should I have her wait until after the vote? I don't want anything to get out of hand before then." "Nah, I'll have them start now. I'm sure they all want to get it over with." "Please tell me you're joking, Cecilia." "I'm serious." Cecilia turns to her friends. "Let's get to it then. I have some evil things to do," she says. "Cecilia, wait!" you shout. "I really think you should wait until after the vote. And please don't do anything too crazy. I just want to stop you from getting into trouble. It's not fun when you get into it." "Yeah, we'll be careful," one of the other boys says. "Like Mom said, we won't do anything too evil. I mean, we're not exactly hurting anyone. Not really." "Yeah, but it's just a matter of time," Cecilia says. "Come on, let's go start wrecking things." The kids leave, seemingly eager to start their plans. You're not sure if you should follow them, or stay here and try to prevent a rebellion. 6 months pass... You're running down the streets of Nuro, attempting to escape from your old friends. You hoped you were too far away, but it looks like they've decided to track you down. "Hurry up! We have to get out of here!" Caim says. You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. They won't let me live it down! "What? What did you say?" you ask, turning to Cape. "I said, they're right behind us, aren't they? I can sense them." You turn back around, and continue running. You hear the sounds of fists hitting flesh. "Let's get him! He can't run forever!" Caim shouts. "Shut up! I'm trying to listen as well!" Cape hisses. Suddenly, a door appears out of nowhere, and you all enter it, leaving it to behind you. "Why'd we come in here?" you ask. "To hide! To hide, dammit!" Cape says. You drop to the floor, and Cape follows suit. "What are they doing?" Cape asks. "I don't know, but they can't see us!" You feel something slam into your back, and you go flying forward. You hit the ground, and the door disappears. Then, a foot is placed on your head. "What are y'all doing in my house?" a voice asks. It's a woman, dressed in a purple robe. Above the robe she's practically half-nake, as she's not wearing any underwear. Around her neck is a necklace, made of fingers. On her head is a crown, made of the skulls of her victims. You see two familiar fingers under her robe. "This is the home of Cecilia, the Ghoul King's daughter. And you are?" "Er... I'm just a simple traveler, looking for a place to sleep for the night. This old house is just the kind of place I was looking for." "Do you have any food?" she asks. "Yes, I do have some apple pies I've been saving." "Well, you're not getting them. I'll eat them myself. Now, get the hell out of my house." "Alright, alright, I'll go." "Thank you," the Ghoul says, as she heads into a room. You get up from the floor, and head out of her house. You wonder why the Ghoul King's daughter would want to eat you, when she could have had any sort of food she wanted. Perhaps, it's something personal, or perhaps she just doesn't like men. You continue walking, as you come across a giant iron wall. It must be eight feet high and four feet thick, and is decorated with spikes. You've never seen anything like it before. You push on the wall with all your might, but it doesn't give. There must be a secret locking mechanism someplace. "Hello?" a voice calls out. You turn around, and see a woman dressed in a red robe, tending a garden on the other side. "May I help you, sir?" she asks politely. "I was just exploring this wall. Do you know what this place is? I've never seen anything like it before." "Oh, you haven't? Well, no matter. This used to be the palace of the old king. It was destroyed during the rebellion of the shadows years ago. It's now been replaced by a new palace, made of a sturdier material." "I see... I'm looking for Cecilia. Do you know where I can find her?" "I'm her. Who are you, and what do you want?" "My name is Blaise, and I'm a simple traveler. I'm just looking for a place to stay the night. It's getting late." "I see. Well, come on in." You enter the garden, and the woman closes the door behind you. You're in a little house made of bricks, such as the rest of the wall. There's a living room, kitchen, and two doors leading to two different bedrooms. "Do you like apple pie?" Cecilia asks, as she heads into the kitchen. "Yes, it's one of my favorite desserts," you say, shortly followed by Cecilia grabbing you by the collar and kissing you on the lips. "I want to taste your pie." Cecilia grabs your hand, and leads you into the kitchen. She sits down, opens the lid of the pie, and takes a large bite. You smile, as she begins to devour it. It's only been five years since Tanya left, and you certainly missed the intimacy of a loving relationship. "So, Blaise... you're a traveler? What business do you have in the world of the shadows?" "I'm looking for something to kill." "Really...?" "Yes, really. I was sent on a mission to find the Ghoul King, and bring him back to headquarters. Instead, I got lost, and now I'm all alone in a sea of shifting shadows." "That's rather dangerous, you know. You should have a backup plan. If you get lost again, go to headquarters. You'll be killed there, but at least you'll be alive. I'm sure they'd love to see you." "Hmm, yes I suppose so..." "Well, what do you want to kill?" "I don't know... I have a list of targets. A 'to kill' list, as they say." "That's rather sad. Why don't you write down your targets, and I'll see if I can help? Perhaps I have something you need. I'm very skilled in the arts of necromancy." "What's that supposed to mean?" "What do you think it means? This'll be easier if we have more details, you know." "You don't need to help. You can have your pie. I can get by just fine." "Nonsense! If killing is what you desire, then we should desire it together! Besides, you said this was your mission, not mine. Why don't you continue? You were telling me about your list of targets." "Alright, alright! Shhh... listen." Cecilia stops eating, and puts her index finger to her lips. Blaise looks as Cecilia with a steely gaze, and begins to tell her the rest of his list of targets. She listens, but soon realizes that she doesn't know anything about any of them. "I don't know anything about any of these people. I'm sorry," she says, with her mouth full. "Hmm. Well, that's new." "What?" "That's new. You don't know anything about any of these people. That's okay, we can figure it out together. I don't need to know everything about every target, just enough to make sure I kill them as efficiently as possible. It's an important part of the plan. Besides, I'm sure I'll know enough about most of them to fill in the gaps." "Well, alright. Go on with your list then. What's number two?" "The Ghoul King." "Oh, yeah! He's the thing that's using the werewolves to raid the villages, right? I've heard a few of the villagers talking about it, and it sounds like he's bossing around a bunch of young bloods that are ready to disobey his every command." "Something like that. I don't know much about the Ghoul King himself, other than he used to be a powerful vampire. The villagers said something about him having 'human blood slaves', but I've never heard of such a thing. Sounds... tragic, really. He's like a vampire that fell out of the stories." "Okay, my name isn't Blaise. It's Jacob Schwartz." You say. "I'm with Team Never Ending Story, or NES for short." The Vampire briefly pauses, before smiling at you. "Ah, the infamous Team Never Ending Story. They just couldn't leave well enough alone, could they? What can I do for you, Jacob? Could be anything, I suppose." "I need your help." "Hm. You need my help. For what?" "We're trying to eliminate the targets on the list you gave us. So far, we're a little short on people." "Mm. Sounds like you need more help, not less. So, where are these friends of yours, that you're supposed to be helping?" "I'm working with Cecilia and a few others. They're not really friends, they're just comrades in arms that I'm trying to help. The problem is, we're a little short on people ourselves. I was hoping you could spare a few." "Ah, so you're looking for allies as well as comrades in arms. I see. Well, I certainly can't spare more. I've got a list of people as long as your arm, and I can't spare anyone from it." "Do you have anyone at all?" At this, the Vampire smiles. It's a cold, chilling smile, that makes you want to shiver uncontrollably. "Not anymore. But that doesn't mean I can't still help you." "How?" You ask. The Vampire gets up, and leans in through the bars. His face is only a few feet away from you now, his eyes burning into yours. "Tell me, who sent you to kill my people?" he asks. "Nobody," you say. The Vampire smiles. "My dear boy, someone always pays for the crimes my people commit. It might as well be me. Now, tell me, who sent you?" "Nobody," you say again, as the Vampire sighs in exasperation. "I really don't think you understand the nature of the offer I'm giving you, Jacob. I'm saying, for a small amount, I can get you all the help you'd need to kill my people. You just tell me who sent you, and I'll have him arrested and thrown in prison, where he'll stay for a long time. Don't believe me? Then you're worse off than you think. For all you know, they could be planning your assassination right now. The man who sent you could even be the one doing the planning. You need to just ask yourself, does it even matter who sent you? Your mission is to kill my people, regardless of who actually carried it out. So who sent you? Not yourself, that's for sure. Maybe Cecilia? I doubt it. You fought alongside her, and she'd never be able to keep something like that from you. It was probably Ben, but he's too cowardly to face you one on one, even if he is a talented marksman. Maybe even Ragnora? I don't think so. She's got too much respect for you and your abilities. The Elder? Maybe, but he's not the most likely suspect. Wait, who else is there? Oh, that's right... "Nobody." Hah, I like that answer better. So, who sent you?" "Nobody," you say again with a smile. "Maybe you're more stupid than I thought. Goodbye, my boy." The Vampire turns around, and begins to walk back towards his coffin. "Before you go, tell me, do you think I could win if I fought you?" You're a little confused by this question. "Could you kill me?" you ask. "Probably not," the Vampire says, turning back to face you. "I'd probably just end up burning to death in this cell. I have to admit, I'm slightly curious now. Do you think I could kill you? If so, why? And do you think I would, if we were to face each other?" "If we were to face each other, you'd probably kill me." You see the Vampire smile. "Probably, but only because it's your job. But why do you think I could kill you?" "I don't know," you say truthfully. "Alright then, let's put it to the test. Stay right here while I get a weapon." The Vampire disappears back into his coffin, and you're left standing in an empty hallway. Soon, a gunshot rings out, and you see the Vampire walking towards you, holding the gun in his hand. You don't know guns, but you assume that it's a gun. "So, do you think I could kill you?" the Vampire asks again. "I don't know," you reply.

> Foury arrives in the game in a Toyota Corolla. "I think you could probably get close, but I'd probably win." "Hmm, I'm going to take your word for it. Thanks for the test, Jacob. It was very interesting. "Yes, you foolish mortal. You know that you cannot kill me. If I could be killed, I would've been killed by Cecilia long ago.""I don't know," you continue. "I guess if you tried, you could probably wound me, but I don't think you could kill me." "Fair enough. I'm going to sit over there," You see the Vampire point to a chair, "while I wait for my companion. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here? the Vampire points over to a couch. "I'm just going to watch the news, if that's alright with you?" "Yeah, that's fine," you reply. You sit down on the couch, and begin fiddling with your hands. After a few minutes, you hear a car pulling up out front.

> Foury asks the Vampire what their name is. "Thanks for testing me and all. It's been really interesting to see how I perform against a vampire."My name's Four," you say. "Four what?" "Just Four. Short for Fourth." You nod, then say, "So why the hell are you in town, Four?" "What do you mean?" "Well, you said you came here to meet someone. When did you arrive, and who was it that you wanted to meet? And why?" "I arrived last night. From the plane. And I wanted to meet... someone." "A vampire, huh? I hope it wasn't someone as stupid as me." "I dunno what you're talking about. I just said I came here to... wait, no. It was Jacob." "Jacob?" You are teleported to Two's hotel. you snort. "He's a vampire, Four. He's not going to be able to live a long life span. His nature's going to get the better of him, and he'll eventually kill himself." The Vampire stands above you, smiling. "Good job," he smiles. "Four, what the hell is going on? Who are you? Where do you think you are, and how did I get here?" "I'm Four. And this is my home." "No, this isn't your home! This isn't even a real home! This is a set! homes are where you go to sleep at night, not where you stay for several months!" "I'm sorry you feel that way. I tried my best to make this home as home-like as possible. I even went out and bought some furniture and decorations. I don't understand why you couldn't let me enjoy this, though. I'm sorry too. " You stand up angrily. " Jacob's last name is Schwarz. He's a vampire. He's also Cecilia's friend, and the sheriff of this town. Just last week, he discovered a vampire lair, and killed all the vampires within it. Cecilia was going with him, and helped him fight the other vampires. Jacob is alive, and he's the one I was supposed to meet. The two of us were going to go out into the world and bring justice to the bad vampires." "And that's why you're here. I understand. Vampires are evil, and you're right to hate them. But... where does that leave you? You're a hero, fighting the good fight. I see." You stand up. "I am! And last time I checked, heroes don't run off and leave people behind. I'm brave and good, just like you!" The Vampire sighs. "Do you think the town is better off with me here? I'm afraid not. I'm going to have to leave, since I understand if you don't want me around." "I don't..." You pause. "What's your name?" "Wendy." "Well, Wendy, I'm not going to turn you in. I'm not a monster. But I'm not going to help you either. So goodbye, Wendy." You take your bag and leave the hotel. You sit on a park bench. You take out your phone and call Cecilia. "Hello?" she answers. "Cecilia, it's me... Is Jacob there?" "Um, yeah. Who is this? Why would Jacob want to speak to you?" "It's complicated. Can I speak to him?" "Yeah, hold on." There's a pause, and then she asks, "Jacob, what's wrong with your voice? You sound all gravely." "I'm on the phone, I'll do my best to-" "Never mind that, just answer the question. Is he there? A tree falls on Foury. "Yes, he's here," you answer. "Thank God! What are you even doing there? I'm coming to get you. You duck. "Yeah, I'm here." "Oh, okay then. Thanks for your cooperation, and have a nice evening." You hang up the phone. If only everything could be so easy.

> Foury eats sushi. You walk around the park, throwing the various slushy snowmen at each other. You're not sure what to do next. "Hey, where are you going?" You turn around.

> Foury sings Smooth Criminal. "Smooth Criminal, baby, do you know where you're going? I'm gonna take you over... Just like a rolling stone. Baby, I'm just a rock 'n' rollin'..."You sit on a park bench. Jacob, sitting beside you, smiles. "Hey, Jacob. The other day, you said your name meant 'he will protect.' What does yours mean?"

> Foury says "Foury" "I'm sorry?" "Your name is 'Foury.' That means 'guardian.' My name means 'I will protect you.' There's something we have in common!" "Yeah... I guess so..." You stand up. "Hey, this bench is broken. I have to go." Jacob stands up. "Tell me one thing, Foury. Do you feel safe with me?

> Foury says "No" Jacob frowns. "So it's four. But you're still not telling me one thing." You lean against a tree. "I'm not sure if you're telling me something." Jacob sighs. "If true love's what you seek, follow me." He opens a menu and props it against the tree beside him.

> Foury eats Jacob. You smile as you chew on Jacob's neck. He stares at you, fear in his eyes. "Just kidding." It turns out Jacob was a countryball the whole time. You let him go. "Foury!" he says. "I'm gonna get you!" You spit out his blood-filled throat. "Go ahead." He runs away, with no avail. You're pretty sure he's not coming back. Cecilia would probably tell you to find a better vampire to feed off of, but you're more than capable of taking care of yourself. You head to your next location. You walk into the police station, which is empty. "Anyone here?" No one answers. "Hello?" you ask again. Ben appears behind you.

> Foury says "Jacob did you change your name again" "Yeah, I'm not Ben anymore. I'm Captain Bligh." You turn around. "Oh, the guy who lead the HMS Bounty?" "Yeah, and you're Cecilia, right? I'm surprised you don't know me, I've been on the island for years." "Um, actually I do know you. You're the same Ben who lead the HMS Bounty." "No I'm not, I'm the captain of a ship" "You're the captain of a ship," you repeat. "You led the HMS Bounty." "I did not!" Ben says, offended. "I'm the captain of the HMS Bounty! You know, the ship? I'm telling you, I've been on this island for years. You're really young if you think you know everything." "I'm not young! I'm an old soul! What are you, like a hundred and twenty? Wait, you're Captain Cook!" "I am not!" "You are not?" Ben stares at you for a second before bursting out laughing. "I love it. A hundred and twenty. Okay, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm not actually captain of the HMS Bounty. The real captain's dead. I took over the title because I'm so good at leading sailors and hunting for food. I'm not even a cook. A real cook was on the ship, but I took one so we had more people to hunt."

> Foury shoots Jacob. You raise your gun and shoot Jacob in the forehead. He falls backwards, nearly falling out of the tree. You climb up the tree and strangle him to death. "You didn't have to kill him." "I know," you say, climbing down the tree. You leave Cholmondely Castle and continue on your journey. You run into some pirates, who offer you a ride. Since you're traveling by yourself, you politely decline. As you walk, the sun begins to set. You wonder if Ben's still in the sky... There he is, right above you. "Ben!" you shout, waving. Ben's familiar face smiles at you, and he waves back. "Why are you so high up?" you ask. "Because I'm a bird, duh," Ben says. "Come on, follow me. I want to show you something." You begin to follow Ben as he flies away. "So why did you want to follow me?" you ask. "I wanted to make sure you knew the way home," Ben says. ???: Ben Sherman! Come here this instant! Agh! You mall rats are getting too smart for your own good. I'LL TEACH YOU MUTTONSACKS ABOUT TOIL! Ben Sherman: Run away! right now! You turn around to see a ghostly form standing behind you. You don't have time to run. It grabs your collar and yanks you towards it. You begin to scream... ??? is revealed to be Klirork. He smiles and sits down on a rock. "I've been waiting a long time for someone like you," he says. "Your... Friend can wait. He'll have to." You notice Ben get kidnapped in slow motion. "Now," Klirork says, "let's talk about your sin." "My sin?" Klirork eats Ben, because Ben is a bird. "You're a terrible person," Klirork says, before turning to leave. "Come on, let's go." "You're going to have to repent for your sin, because I don't think it can be forgiven," he says. "If you want to be allowed to live, you'll have to do something for me."

> Foury crashes into Klirork with her Toyota Corolla. You smash the accelerator to the floor and crash your Corolla into Klirork. And you keep on slamming into him, over and over again. You don't stop even when he begins to disappear from view. Klirork stops disappearing. He begins to scream. And his screams are so horrifying and loud that you can't help but cover your ears. You keep on driving, only stopping when the fuel light comes on.

> Foury 's car's engine explodes. The engine explodes, incinerating Foury. Klirork still screams by the time the car burns through to the metal, and it only gets louder as you burst into flames and plummet to the asphalt below. You look up at the sky one last time. Ben's still there, giving you a smile before flying away. A/N: There you have it, folks. The story of Foury and Klirork, as told by the only person who was there and lived to tell about it. Unfortunately, I had to end it there. :( Thanks for reading! I'm taking suggestions for what you'd like to see next! :) :)

> Foury says "The story doesn't just end here" The story doesn't just end here, because it didn't start here. There's one more mystery behind the events in Fourys' story, and that's what I'm going to tell you about in my next story. (I've got a lot of suggestions, so if you could, rate and/western MIGHTY LEAP or I'll get angry. Thanks)

> Foury stabs A/N. Thanks for reading, folks! Next time, it's the conclusion to "Foury's Adventure."

> BFrit dances a jig. :)Thanks for your support, everyone! I really appreciate it. :) Feel free to PM me with any suggestions you might have for the next story. By the way, I haven't forgotten about the contest. As soon as I get some story done, I'll enter it. Until then, have fun!

> Foury beats A/N with a golf club. Thanks MIGHTY LEAP!Thanks for the support, everyone! :) Especially you, A/N. Hope you feel better soon.

> BFrit smacks A/N ‘round the head. Thanks for your support, everyone! :) Thanks to you, the story so far: 1. Big Red was a Bloodthirsty Bear 2. Fourys First Day 3. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. Besides, we aren't doing that, you dummy. 4. Klirork-The Volcano 5. The Last One 6. The City of the Dead 7. 4. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 5.

> BFrit eats a corn dog. 6. Famous Last Words 7. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 8. 9. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. 10.

> Cape Kragils gives the AI a smack on its head. Thanks for you support, everyone! :) 11. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 12. 13. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. 14. 15. Koopsers beats up the AI. 16. Koopsers: Shut up! 17. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 18. BFrit: Duh! 19. BFrit's eyes bug out. Koopsers kills the person who wanted break the AI. He looks around at the others. 20. BFrit: Uh... 21. Koopsers shuts up. A bunch of weird angels appear and begin singing. 22. 20. BFrit: I hate you! 21. Koopsers: Shut up! 22. Koopsers: I'm going to kill you... 23. BFrit: That's the weirdest thing I've ever seen. 23. The AI stops singing and the angels disappear. 24. The AI stops speaking. 25. Silence. 26. 27. The wind blows. 28. A person falls out of the sky and from a great height, splat. 29. The wind stops blowing. 30. BFrit looks around, searching for the source of the noise. Suddenly, from out of the sky, a person falls and splats again. 31. BFrit: I'm hit! Help! I'm dying! 32. Koopsers runs over to you and begins punching you. 33. Koopsers: Shut up! 34.

> Foury calls Baldi. 35. Baldi: I'm coming, I'm coming, just... 36. Baldi runs over to you. 37. Koopsers: No! Don't let him touch you! He'll turn you into a wad of goo! 38. Baldi: I'm going to give you five seconds before I start punching you, mister. Are you experiencing sudden, extreme pain? 39. Koopsers: No! Arrgh! 40. Baldi gives you a big, fat, upside-down fist bump. 41. Koopsers hits the dirt. 42. Baldi turns to you. 43. Koopsers tries to hit him, but he's out of stamina. 44. Baldi: Thanks, man. 45. Baldi notices the pedestal that the AI's body came out from. 46. Baldi: What pedestal? 47. 48. 49. 50. Koopsers, Jacob, Two, Four, Sven Svensson, Mario, Yoshi, Kasey O, Marty McFly, Chase McFly, Jack Archer, CheeseCrocker and Klirork come in to save the AI from breaking. 51. Baldi: Oh, there you are, guys. I just saw this cool-looking pedestal over here, perfect for the signal fire. What do you think? 52. Koopsers: I think you should leave that there. 53. Baldi: What for? We're not staying here, we're just using it for the signal fire until we find a better spot. Come on, let's leave it there. 54. The group begins to leave the area. 55. Koopsers: No, we're not. 56. Baldi: What do you mean "we're not?" You're coming with us! 57. Klirork: Yes, we are. 58. Klirork and the rest of the group turn around and walk back to their village. Baldi: What? What's going on? Kasey O: No idea! Mario: I have-a feeling that the AI is drunk-a or high! 60. Baldi and the rest of the Garbage Pail Kids have no choice but to follow them. You and Klirork catch up to them. 61. You: Listen, I know you want to get back to your village, but we can't all go back together. There are still too many bad guys between here and there. We need to split up if we want to make it back alive. 62. Klirork: I agree. 63. Baldi: Hm, maybe you do. Klint: Yeah! Klint begins making noises, similar to that of a hungry zombie. Baldi: What's he doing? Klint: I'm hungry. I... Baldi: Okay, I got it! Let's split up so we can each take a path back to the village and cover more ground. 64.Kasey O: No more drunk AI!

Kasimir P: Yeah! Two: Agree. Klint: I'm hungry! I... I... Klint begins making even more noises.

> Chase McFly stops the counting. You turn to face them. You: Fine, we'll split up. But, who is going to make sure the others don't get lost? Baldi: I volunteer! You: Ugh... I don't like this idea. Klint: I'm... hungry... You: Call me a pessimist, but I feel like we're doomed no matter what. Klint: I'm... hungry... Two: Let's split up. 65. You: *Sigh* Kids... You, Klint and Two split off from the group. Jack Archer: Has the counting AI stopped? Calli: It has not, but Best Friend Forever is having an argument with the AI. Jack: Let's leave them be. We don't need to get involved. You: I agree. Hang on, Klint. *You begin running through the woods after Two and Klint*. Klint and Two quickly run into the bushes, hiding from you.

> Foury starts cheering because the counting is over. You: So, did you decide to go with the same plan as me or Klint? Foury the Number: I joined up with Klint!

> BFrit bans counting. I saw what happened and I want my revenge. You: Okay then. You: So, what's the plan? Foury the Number: Wait for sleep. Snatch the jar. Escape.Counting from One is Banned by the group. 66. Klint: That's great, Four! We all got what we want! Four: Yeah! We're free! 67.The whole group agrees. Foury: It's no use! Maybe we should leave the woods, start again in another place. Klint: Maybe we should. Two: I agree. Calli: I agree. Bofgal: I agree. Gnarl: I agree. Kob: I agree. Klint: Yes! Klint: I agree! 68.Everyone else: Yeah! You: I agree too! Four: Finally! You: But, we're not in any place right now. We need to stick together for now. I say we find a cave. Bof: I agree! Gnarl: So do I! Four: So do I! Klint: I agree. Calli: I agree. Bold: I agree. Gob: I agree. Second Best Friend: I agree. Klint: I agree too! Klint: I have a thought! Let's get names! Second Best Friend: Good idea. What are we going to call ourselves? Two starts to buzz like a bee. Four: Hush, Klint! Klint: I found it! A great idea! We are the Friends of Tuckers! Second Best Friend: I like it! Team Nthe group. You: I have an idea. Calli: What? You: What if we are not the only friends of Tucker? There could be more around! What if we go searching? The format reverts to a story instead of an RP. Nine: Sup, broskis? You begin reading the first line In the beginning there was Jack. Then there was Annie. Then there was Beatrice. Then there was Tom. Then there was a dark forest. You: I was just approached by some friends of Tucker. They're the Friends of Tucker and they wanted to join. Calli: What did they look like? You: A girl and a boy, about my age. I think I should know them when I see them again. Beat: They were very friendly, huh? Two buzzes so much that he annoys everybody. Gnarl: Shut up, you fool! If he's got anymore ideas, we'll have him strung up as a ghost! Gnarl then roars loudly. Gnarl: I am not a ghost! I am a... beast! Kob, the beast, begins crawling towards the group of friends. Kob: Wait! I'm not scary!

"I'm member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. Klirork is a cat. You: Okay then. So what's the plan? Foury the Number: Wait for sleep. Snatch the jar. Escape. Counting from One is Banned by the group. We all agree not to tell anyone what we're planning.Calli: Won't they notice if they don't return?Beat: Probably not. They might have been gone a day or two at most. Calli: What if we need to contact them?Beat: There's no cell service here.Calli: Except for mine...The friends go to a clearing in the woods. Beat asks Beatrice if she remembers the plan.Beat: It was your idea, Annie.Beat: ...Annie?Beatrice: I remember. I'm just really tired. You: Very well. Beat, you and Victoria go first...Beat: I will.Calli: Then it's my turn, I guess. I look at my character sheet. I have the stats of an 8 year old.

> Foury says "Ever heard of ?" "Ever heard of lupine packs, Gnarl?" "What's that, boy?" "It's a wolf pack made of multiple wolves." "I knew that, boy. Gnarl then starts craving meat so he goes to KFC and orders a bucket of chicken. He takes it into the woods and begins feeding on the meat, which makes him drunk as hell. You: Did you need a rest? Gnarl: Hell no. Gnarl then goes to you and tries to bite your neck but you run away. You: I just realized something. I have superpowers in this story. Run! You open your phone and begin dialing 911... Gnarl: Who are you calling? You: The police... Gnarl: Why are you calling the police? You: Because you tried to bite my neck! Gnarl: I didn't try to bite your neck. You: Yeah you did! This is a story set in the real world, not some stupid vampire story! Gnarl: Call me crazy but I'm not tryin' to be some stupid vampire. I'm just hungry. You: Then go eat a freaking garlic sausage! Gnarl: Pfft, that stuff don't work. I either am eating chicken or I'm drinking peoples blood. The Dancing Polish Cow starts dancing and singing in Polish. You: Do you speak English? The Dancing Polish Cow: N-n-no. You: What the hell is going on? The Dancing Polish Cow: I'm Polish. "The real world?" Cape asks. "Oh no, I hate the real world!" "It's boring. Nothing happens." "I'm Victoria, Cape's girlfriend. We're going to steal the Stone of Creation from the Nazis." The DPC then speaks Umherländisch to you. You: I don't understand you. What do you say? The DPC: I'm saying I'm sorry. You: For what? The DPC: For being Polish. You: Oh. It's okay. I'm not really mad at you for being Polish. Beat: Of course not. The DPC then speaks in human. The DPC: You look very pretty. You: Well... The DPC: I like your eyes. You: Thanks. The DPC: We should go to the same party. You: No! The DPC: Yes. You: No... Beat: Ugh. This game sucks. The DPC: I like your eyes too. You: Wow. Thanks. The DPC: I have somewhere to be. You: Okay. Beat: Whatever, I'm not playing this stupid game any longer. Beat goes to the bathroom. You're sitting on a tree stump by yourself. You have no idea what to do. "I'll go look for Cape," you decide. You exit the woods and start walking around your town. "Hazel," you say. "Species?" "Human." "Odd, I don't sense any Pokemon or anything." "Just humans then," you say. "Fine. Mickey, 8a." The man walks up to the screen, staring at it. "Alright, Hazel, you're up," the voice says. You walk up to the screen, looking at the two strangers staring back at you. "What do you want to bet?" He pauses for a moment as his eyes grow wide. "Mickey!" he asks. "You're not in?" "I be fine, 8a," he says, his voice clearly showing his annoyance. "Okay, Hazel. You're in luck, 8a has a slightly better chance. You have a ten coin bet. What are the odds?" "Five to four," you reply. "Hm, ten to one is good for me. I accept," the man says. "Thanks, 8a!" he smiles. "Are you sure? You're pretty... sure?" "Sure I'm sure, 8a. Cheers!" 8a smiles, raising his glass. You raise your own glass, finishing the drink. "Do you have any names?" he asks. "I'm Hazel," you say. "I'm 8a," he says, sticking out his hand. You shake it, smiling. "Well, Hazel, it's late. Why don't you head to your room, and I'll see you in the morning." "So, Hazel, what do you think of our little town?" he asks. "It's quite quaint," you say. "Yes, it is," he says, smiling. "Okay," you say. "Alright then, sweet dreams, Hazel." "You too, 8a," you reply, smiling at him. You walk away, heading to the room. You walk upstairs, walking into the room. You look around, finding your bed. You sit on it, staring at the ceiling, wondering where the hell you are. You stare for a while before closing your eyes, and drifting off to sleep. In the morning, you wake up in a panic. You forgot to ask him about his name! You panic for a second, before you remember that you have a meet and greet in the morning. You take a deep breath, and head downstairs, putting on a large, purple shirt and a pair of denim shorts. You walk down the stairs, being met with the sight of hundreds of Oalkwardners cheering. "HAZEL!" they yell. You smile, waves of cheers going through you. "How many did you do last night?" "800!" "That's good! That's good!" You walk forward, receiving a fist bump. "I'm so happy you're here!" one of the Oalkwardners says, leaning in.

> Foury hears police sirens. "I'm Mitzi, what's your name?" "Hazel," you reply. "I've heard a lot about you! It's definitely an honor to meet you!" "You too."You spot a group of humans, led by a police car and a fire engine. "Hey!" you shout, waving. "Over here!" The Oalkwardners look at you, confused. "What's going on?" "Everything can wait, Mitzi! There's a fire! Over there!" Fries cuffs Foury. "I'm going to miss that dog," he says, pulling up in front of the fire engine. Firemen begin to swarm out of the truck. "Alright, listen up, you meat bags! There's a fire at the stadium!" The crowd instantly goes into an uproar. "We need water, we need water, we need water! Get some water on that fire!" The firemen look at you, and you look at the crowd. "I don't know how that works," you say. "By convention, the Mayor handles emergencies! I'm the Mayor!" Fries says. "I can ask for help from other towns, and they can ask for help from others... It's just a chain, y'know? But I gotta ask you folks to help as well! We can't let this stop the game! Alright, get out there and get drenched, harnesses don't protect your pretty little heads when the water's flying! We need this game to go ahead! Now, into that fire! Chimney's full of 'em! Let's make some history!" You all sprint into the flames, as the firemen begin to hurl buckets of water onto the fire. "Ah, that'll fix 'em," Fries grins. "Now, let's get you kids home before it gets dark..." You're led onto a bus, and driven away from the stadium. Police sirens blare. "Alright, alright, let's calm down," Fries says. "It's all good, man. Just get home safe, all right?" You exit the bus, and are met with your friends. "You're late!" Becca says, grabbing your arm and pulling you away from the crowd. "I met the Mayor," you say. "Yeah, but he didn't get our autographs!" Lucy says. You shrug, and head into the stadium. The view from the stadium balcony is incredible, as the sun sets in the distance. "Do you think they saw it?" Kyle asks. "I don't know," you say. "Everything happens for a reason." The game goes ahead, and it's an exciting match. The Oalkwardners win, and as the crowd leaves, you see the Mayor. "Hey, Hazel!" he says. "It was an OK first impression, I guess. Let's try this again..." You walk down the stairs with the Mayor, and are greeted by a small group of protestors. "Scumbags!" one says, throwing a packet of raw meat at them. "You're letting them use the stadium, as well as giving them free food and drinks! That's exploitation! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, letting those uncivilized beasts in to use as pets! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, all of you!" The Mayor raises an eyebrow. "Is there some sort of problem, sir?" he asks. "Yes! There's a problem! Not enough of us to stop the exploitation!" the man says. "We need jobs, we need pay rises, we need-" "Hello?" the man's friend says. "You never told us you owned a zoo." The protestors let out scattered laughs. "He's joking!" one says. "Ha ha!" the man says. "Stop being such child-" "No, I'm not," the Mayor says. "I certainly didn't." "Oh, my God, you did!" the man says. "You pranked us! You created a zoo to introduce exotic animals to kill people!" "No, I didn't," the Mayor says. "Now, would you mind letting me through? I've got an important speech to give." The man nods, and the group shuffles aside. "Well, I'll be damned," the first man says. "I guess you have a sense of humor after all." "Good night," the Mayor says, pushing past them. He makes his way down the stadium steps and onto the road, before taking a cell phone from his pocket. "Hello, Kate," he says. "I met the kids, yeah, we had a good time, sure. Yes, I think that went very well. No, everything's fine. I'm going now, have a good night." He turns and waves to the stadium crowd, grinning. "Good night, everyone!" he says. "Thanks for coming out!" He ends the call, and tosses the phone into his pocket. "I hate to cut this short, but this is very important. Yes, I'll see you tomorrow." He walks away from the stadium, and out of sight. "Well," he says, turning and heading off the road. "I guess I head off now. I've got a long journey ahead of me." He disappears into the trees, leaving you all in the middle of the road. "What the hell was that?" Lucy says, fiddling with her bracelet. "I have no idea." "Are you alright?" Kyle says, standing up. "I'm sorry if we offended you." "You didn't offend me," you say. "Not my problem." "Let's get out of here, then," Lucy says. "I don't want to be caught in the middle of whatever that was." You all head off the road, back into the trees. "So…" Lucy says, a few minutes later. You get a call from Charles Calvin, a helicopter pilot who is on a mission with you. He's never been the bravest of men, but he's always been fairly level-headed and responsible. You call him, and he answers on the first ring. "Hello? Mr Matasumara?" "Yes." "I saw the speech. It was very inspiring." "Thanks," you say. "So, are you coming?" "Me?" he asks. " "This is Hazel Matasumara, formerly known as Jacob Killinger. For some reason I'm transgender or something, my name keeps changing." "Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry, Mr Matasumara. I would've remembered your name." "Please, it's okay. Anyway, I was sent here to invite you to join us. We're heading to the nearby island of Kor and we need men like you to defend it from destruction. Are you interested?" "Oh, yes I am!" Charles replies. "I'll get my things packed right now!" "Good," you say. "I'll see you soon." "Okay, I'll be there tomorrow." "Great. See you then." You end the call, and look at your companions. "Well, that was easy," you say. "We're going to Kor." "I'm not sure what to make of all this," Kyle says. "I mean, I've read about the Killingers, and they seemed like a pretty bad family. But Charles? He seemed like a nice guy." "He seemed pretty nice," Lucy says. "Any idea what he did?" "Well... Charles killed his wife and kids." "WHAT?!" you all say in unison. "Yep," Charles says, popping the "p". "I'd forgotten how to spell it until you all reminded me." "That's insane," Lucy says. "How do you know? Are you sure?" "I'm pretty sure. We had a job together, well, before I joined the ECS. I was with the police at the time, and taking a break at my parents place. My partner at the time had taken off, so I was home alone for the weekend. I got a call from the local police station saying there had been a triple homicide. I got dressed, grabbed my gun and badge, and went over. The poor guy that was at the station when it happened said he didn't know what to do, so he called me. When I arrived, I found the husband and his two kids... killed. The local detective had long since left, so I took over the case. After taking the husband's statement, I looked through the house. The first room I went to was the bedroom. On the left wall, I found a picture of the husband and his family. On the right wall, I found a picture of me and my family. The first thing I did was look through the rest of the house, but I didn't find anything else. I mean, I found some other incriminating stuff, like his gun and some pills he hadn't really needed, but those were there because the former owner SIDED WITH ME! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! I later found out his wife had sold their house and the bank account had been closed. The husband didn't know anything about it, and neither did the local detective. I mean, I knew. I'm a cop. I know these things. But they didn't." "You don't know how the husband was taken," Hazel says. "It could've been a trap. Maybe he came by himself. Maybe the wife came by herself. Maybe they had help. Maybe the people who took him were the same ones who killed his family." "Could be," Charles says. "So what happened to the family?" Lucy asks. "Did you ever find them? Did you ever find out who did it?" "Yeah, I found both. It turned out the husband had an ongoing gambling debt to some guys. One of the guys he owed money to was the guy who killed his family for revenge. He framed me by killing the husband and making it look like I did it. I was fired from the force, arrested, everything. The real killer got away with it, too. I had to go into hiding. I got arrested and spent time in prison." "Fancy way of saying you got beaten up and nearly killed," Charles says. "The ECS set you free, for a favor. You're a marked man now. You can't go back to your old life, so you joined the ECS. We'll protect you... for a price. I assume you refused to work with the Syndicate again, and this is where our paths split." "I thought you were a hero," the boy says. "I thought you went back to your old life so that you could go back to put the bad guys behind bars, not so that you could become one yourself. I guess I'm not that far off. Either way, I won't say anything. I know my place. I'm not a cop anymore, I'm not a criminal, I'm not a hero. I'm a sheep. A lamb to the slaughter. So be it. I'm ready to die." "You won't be dying tonight," Charles says. "Sheep have the highest mortality rate of any caste. Most are slaughtered during their training. The eternals are practically devoured by rats and other sheep shortly after being born. It's part of the process." "I'm sure the sheep you were training tonight will be alright," the woman says. "I'm sure they're being well taken care of and taught to fear the Lord. Perhaps some will even be chosen as part of the sacrifice. And so they should. They're already an example to all of the dedication and loyalty that Able had." "Indeed," Charles says, looking at you. "Now, let's go see your new home for the night. Then, you can meet the rest of the class. Then, you can be sacrificed to the holy man, or you can escape tonight. Your choice." You nod and get up, following Charles out of the room and into another, outside of it. A large, grey, foreboding looking wall of stone appears out of the ground, with a large iron gate in it. "Welcome to Castle Oren," Charles says. "Better known as simply 'the cave'." "It's huge," you say. "Are there... are there more of these underneath the city?" "Many many more," Charles says. "All shapes and sizes. Most of them are abandoned or never used, to allow the other shadows to have a slight edge in recruiting. Ah, here's the man responsible for all this." A tall, skinny man with long hair, a goatee and wearing a long, black, hooded cloak walks up. His face is stern, but his eyes are twinkle as he looks at you. "Ah, Jacob. Here's your sacrifice. I told you the new one would be late, but you didn't need to go rushing here. You could have waited half an hour. Charles Calvin, Your service to the ECS is important, but not more important than the holy mission of spreading the gospel of Dendrin's shadow. It's very important that we look maintain a certain appearance of righteousness." this is Jacob. Don't trust him, but don't insult him either. He's really quite angry at poor communication." "Anything else I need to know about?" Jacob asks. "Not really. I think that about covers it. You're in charge of the new recruits, by the way. We're all just here to assist you." "Good," Jacob says. "I can use all the help I can get. Well, let's get started then. I'm sure you both have a lot to do." Arabic music starts playing. "Yes, sir," Charles says, as you follow him through the iron gate. "Alright, let's dance," Jacob says. "It'll be good for the soul." Jacob draws his sword and runs towards you. You hastily draw your own blade, and block his path of approach. "What the hell, Jacob?" you complain. "Just protecting the honor of our Lady," Jacob says, blocking your attack. "She's in there," he says, pushing you out of the way and pointing to the cave. "Inside. I'll be guarding her." With that, you walk past him and enter the cave. Inside, it's dark, as to be expected, but there are a few torches on the wall. You walk past the dancing shadows and up to the one you know contains Olive. She sits in a corner, rocking back and forth and staring into space. "Olive? It's me," you say. Olive slowly looks up at you, and slowly stands. She doesn't look any worse for wear, other than the obvious. "I can't. I just... I can't anymore." "Now Olive, you've got it all wrong. Of course you can. I saw..." "I know what you saw, Charles. What we both saw. I betrayed you. I can't..." "Olive, no. That's not true at all! We've gone over this a hundred times! I was weak. The shadows won't survive without me. Please, my love, you mustn't have faith in Dendrin. We will win this war. We just need time." "Charles, I'm sorry. But it's the truth. Dendrin's just using us. He's probably laughing at us right now. I don't even think he cares anymore." "Then it's true? Is that why you've been acting so strange? What the hell happened? Out with it. I want to know." "I saw him. Dendrin, watching us. I've seen him do it before in my dreams. He just watches and laughs at our pathetic existence. I'm sorry, Charles. I think I've been bewitched." "By Dendrin? But how..." "I don't know. I've been having these horrible visions. He just looks so happy and beautiful in them. I try to resist, but I just... I love him, Charles. I just do." "Oh, Olive, you don't know the first thing about love. You're still a girl. You just think you know something about it because of..." "Please, don't Charles. Just leave me be. I can't talk about this anymore. It makes me sad." "Olive, I'm not going anywhere. You're my friend, and you'll always be my friend. I'm not going to let you throw your life away over something that's got to be a mistake. I know what love is. I know what it feels like." With that, you grab Olive's hand. She tries to pull away, but you tighten your grip. With her other hand, she attempts to pry your fingers open, but you only squeeze her tighter. "Let go of me, you monster!" she screams. The two of you continue to struggle for a while until Olive eventually knees you in the stomach and head, causing you to release her. Both land on the ground and you grab Olive and squeeze her tightly, almost to the point of strangling her. "I'm sorry, Olive. I just... I don't know what's happening. I..." "I know. Me either. We'll figure this out, okay? We'll find a way to fix this." You hold Olive for a few seconds more, and then slowly let her go. "Jacob, you are not Charles Calvin!" Your sister Grace says from your phone. "And Views and I are still in the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse!" "There's a war going on outside, Olive! I can't just sit here and do nothing! I have to fight!" "Jacob, you can't go out there! Look, we've got a plan. We'll lure the shadows outside, and we'll flip their own plan against them. Then we'll drive the shadows back to the exit, where you can chop their heads off with an axe!" "Yeah, I love the way I love me some flip and drive 'em back to the gate! Alright, I'll be there as soon as possible. You can do this with your brother, Olive!" "I will! Thank you, Jacob!" You turn to your sister. "Grace, you need to flip and drive them back to the gate. Okay, you've got the hang of it, now do it! I know you can do it!" "I'm scared!" "So be a big girl and crush 'em, okay? You've got the strength for it!" "Okay!" "I love you, Grace. Be brave." "Bye, Jacob!" "Bye, Grace! Bye, Olive!" "Bye, Jacob! See you later!" With that, the two flip out of the house and perform their assigned task. Now's your chance to get the hell out of here, before any of them realize you're still here. Option 1: Run. The house, however, goes silent. There is no more yelling, no more crying. Everything has gone silent, which causes you to tense up. "By Dendrin, I hope they can do this." You say, readying your sword. You march on the house with caution, before finally... "Jacob? Is that you?" a voice says. You turn around, and see... "Ben? What the heck are you doing here?" You say. "I'm here to help, like you wanted." "What... the hell happened to you? Charles Calvin flies away in his helicopter. Are you okay?" "I'm fine. (Sigh) I'm a little tired, but I'll heal." "What about the others? We need to go save them." "I think... "I'll explain everything once we get out of this alive, let's move!" Ben says. You proceed to follow Ben as you try to keep up with him... You awaken alongside Ben and Charles as it is now nighttime. You're standing next to a tree with the Shadow Battered Baron in it. "Call me Benelux," Ben says. "I'm sorry you got caught up in this. I'll explain everything once we get home." "Where is home?" You ask. "Green Eye Farm." "Okay. Home it is then." While it seems that things are looking up for you, you have some concerns. "What the heck happened to you, Ben? You're covered in blood and your body ripped apart!" "You'll find out later." You proceed home, as you ponder what the hell is going on. When you arrive home, you sit down in the farmhouse and Ben joins you. "So, tell me about your friends." You tell him everything you know, or think you should know. It isn't much, but it's enough to get the story underway. "So... that's it." "Yeah. I guess so." "And you believe that this Olive girl is some sort of hero that can take on the entire Shadow Guard? That just seems kind of hard to believe." "Well, I don't know much about it, except that she's apparently the chosen one of Dendrin." "Hm. I suppose that does sound a bit impossible, but..." Ben pauses, before getting up. He begins to pace, as he seems to think hard about something. "Just crash here." "What?" "Just crash here. I gotta go do some work by myself. I can't have you doing that thing you do, it messes up my concentration." "What, living in a house full of women?" "Yeah, those too." You really have no reason to decline this since you're tired, and it'd be nice to sleep in a soft bed. However, something doesn't sit right with you. "Ben, is everything okay?" "Sure! Why wouldn't it be?" "I dunno, you're acting really strange. Anything you want to tell me?" "Like what? You think I'm having an affair with my mom or something?" "Well, it was sort of just a wild guess." Ben bursts out in laughter. "You think my mom's having an affair? I'd say the chances of that are about the same as..." He pauses, before raising an eyebrow. "As finding pure essence of bonelesbians in the average human's body." "Pure essence? That's a rather odd way of describing them... I mean, what about the halfelesbians?" Ben burst out in laughter again. "Halfelesbians? Please. If you're referring to the species of feline being described as such, then no, they're not actually a separate species at all. They're just a very skoshy variety of our own common cat. A pretty, skoshy cat." "Aren't they?" Ben nods. "Yes, yes they are. In any case, I'm not having an affair. Mom's fine by me." "Oh. Well, that's good to hear." "Good night, Jacob." "Good night, Ben." You go upstairs, and collapse onto your bed. Normally, after a long day, you'd stay up to do some of your hobbies, like reading or writing or such. However, with all that's happened, you feel like you just want to sleep off the week. You drift off into a deep sleep, with the nightmares once again plaguing you. You awaken to the smell of fresh baked bread. You sit up, and look out your window. It's still night, but a faint moon gives off just enough light to see the figures outside in the yard. They're all women. Some are carving up what appears to be a pig in the middle of the group. Others are busily putting heavy wooden trays with slices of bread, and placing them next to the carving knives. You go to the window, and lean over the sill. "Good morning, sleepyhead!" One of the voices says. You turn, and see the face of a young girl. She's a short little thing, with a few figures hidden under a thick dark red robe. "Huh? morning?" "Is it morning already?" "Yes." "Oh my goodness, I slept through the morning already!" The girl has a Scottish accent, and her name tag reads "Sally". You grab your things, and head outside. "Oh, look who's up early! Jacob, didn't you sleep well?" "Hiya, Jacob. You slept so well, we had to wake you!" You find yourself surrounded by women, all of whom are smiling and waving. "I slept so well I slept through the morning!" "Morning? It's night!" "Hey!" "Who's this one?" "He's the lord of the manors, and he uh, owns this entire estate!" "Why do we need a lord? We're not a bunch of hobs!" "So? He's our lord and master!" You begin to panic. "Wait! I'm not your lord and master! I just own this entire... Oh dear. I need to get back inside before my mom sees me out here." "But we need your lord and master to assign us all duties!" "I'll be back at dawn! Hopefully by then you'll have already found another lord and master to serve! Cecilia arrives and kisses you. "Good morning, darling. How did you sleep?" "I slept well, thanks. What's going on?" Cecilia smiles. "What exactly do you mean? Are you our lord and master now?" Cecilia smiles. You panic. "No! No! I'm not their lord! I just own this place! I'm not even Jacob's..." "That's good. It'll make things easier for you." You begin to wonder if fleeing to the city is such a good idea. On the other hand, you don't even have any immediate duties here. You could probably just let the place go to hell. You need to get all your decisions made soon. You need to get all your decisions made soon... Hello? I'm sorry, Jacob. I'm afraid the ladies here will never accept you as their master. What?! That's absurd! I'm telling the truth! I'm not their master! No, I'm sorry Jacob, but that's how they see you. They live under your command, and you are their lord and master. This is ridiculous! I'm telling you, I'm not... No, Jacob. If you want to save this relationship, that's up to you. Shrugh. Their words, not yours. Well don't waste anymore of my time, Cecilia. Good day. And with that, you end the call. Cecilia and her little clique slowly begin to dissipate, fleeing the manors. You see them to the front door, watching them leave. You half expect some of them to turn around and come back inside, but none do. Eventually, you're alone. Might as well get started, despite the tragic ending. You head into the manors kitchen, and prepare some food. You finally head to the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, desperate to save Views and your sister. --- "I thought you said your sister would be back by now." "She will be soon, sir!" "Alright, let's stay focused. Any sightings of our targets yet? "No, sir. We're still waiting on news on their whereabouts." You take a bite of your hamburger, chewing slowly. You're not sure if you should be eating while you wait, but you're too hungry to care. "Hey, sir?" "Yes, Warts? Why are you staring at your feet like that?" "Well... I was wondering if I could go to the bathroom." "What?!" "I really have to go, sir. It's been hours and my stomach is killing me." "You're only wearing shorts, socks and a tank-top, Warts." "I know, sir. I know." You stare at the young lion. "What's the matter, Warts? You approach the Mickey Mouse slaughterhouse again, and decide to stay and look for Grace and Views. Maybe you could use the excuse that you're looking for your sister to get close to the slaughterhouse and look for them from there. "Sir?" "What is it, Warts? "Can I go to the bathroom, sir?" "No, you're going to stay here and keep watch. When we get the all-clear from the police, we'll all go to the bathroom together." Warts nods, staying put. You go back to the house and sit back down. It's been three hours since you arrived at this house. You haven't eaten anything but those godawful McDonald's sandwiches, and even then you needed the toilet halfway through eating one. You thought about calling for pizza, but you didn't want to leave Warts alone. But then you go the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse for real. You start with the first floor, where you see the chocolate cup. You quickly open the box, and put the contents in your bag. You hear the sirens of police cars outside. You grab your gun, and go to the kitchen, panting. "Wazzat?" Warts says, staring at the screen. You stare at the large map of the city. The three locations that the police had tracked the robbers to are now empty. "They're all empty," you say. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!" You quickly grab the TV dinner from the table, and you all run out of the kitchen. "We need to round everyone up. Everyone. Now. We need to go to the warehouse district." You grab your walkie-talkie, and switch it on. "This is the experiencing mammal crew. Get to the warehouse district. Let's go, now!" You all quickly get into your cars and drive to the warehouse district. Finally, you see Grace and Views tied up in the warehouse district, and go to untie them. "Whoa there, we need to stick together on this, guys. Let's keep our cool and go in." You all enter the warehouse. You see the robbers holding guns to Views and Grace. Four of them are there, including Sticky. "I want that hamster," Sticky says. "No! I want that gerbil!" one of the robbers says angrily. "I want that one!" "Shut up, both of you. I'm deciding which one to take," You fight the robbers and free Views and Grace. They run away to safely. Mickey Mouse is outraged. "This isn't over, you furry little rats!" After driving for a bit, you arrive at the warehouse district. You enter a large building, big enough to hold a few thousand rodents. Nobody is here yet. "Let's divide ourselves up between sleeping quarters and safety," you say. You assign each member their duties. You're in charge of the heldover members, namely Warts and Chase. You also decide who's going to raid the cafeteria for food, and who's going to guard the door. "You're in charge of the raiders. I'll take the safety duties," you say to Warts. "See ya later, partner." "See ya, ya little rodent," Warts says, rolling his eyes, and leaving to join the raiders. Chase is left guarding the door with a few others. "Alright, what do I do?" he asks nervously. "I've never guarded before. I'm not very good at it. I'm not very good at a whole lot of things." "You need to stand at the door and stop anyone from entering, or leaving, or doing both," you reply. "Got it. Anything else?" "Yeah, try not to get killed. If someone comes busting down the door, try to stall them, like you'd stall someone from shooting you. If that doesn't work, try to shoot them." "Got it. Thanks." Chase stands at the door with two others, all heavily armed. The rest of you hide in various places around the warehouse. A few minutes into the wait, you hear some shouting. "Riders comin', riders comin' fast! Head 'em off at the Dumpster! We'll clean up the strays!" Several of the robbers start running for the Dumpster, where you know there's a large group of dogs. "Come on, I'll lead the way!" you say, grabbing your gun and running for the door. You run outside, seeing several bandanna-wearing riders galloping towards you. The bandits waste no time in opening fire, and you quickly take cover behind a nearby Dumpster. "You little son of a b-" "Shoot 'em, boys! Shoot 'em!" Sticky yells. The bandits open fire, killing several of the galloping ponies and hit others. You soon have the issue under control, but not without losing some of your friends. Several of the bandits barely escape, as their horses were killed or fall into the river. You don't know if they'll make it before the lights go out. You've lost count of the number of robberies this week. You're just trying to survive, and that's become a lot harder now. The deliverymen don't stand a chance after the first hold up. Soon, there is no food in the building at all. You begin to wonder why you're even still staying here. The answer comes in the form of several men running inside, yelling about how they just shot most of your friends on the other side of the Dumpsters. You don't even need to hear the rest of their story to know that the rest of Team Baby-Doll just raced inside like cowards. Right after they shot your friends, they ransacked the place, taking everything of value. You've been left with nothing, and you have nowhere else to go. You return to Cecilia's house. You don't have enough money for a hotel, and you'd rather not sleep in the streets. You wait for morning, when you can try to reason with your sister about this. --- You find Cecilia standing by the front door, dressed for school. "Why aren't you in school, Cecilia?" "I don't want to go." "You don't want to go? Why not?" "Because, I'm sick of these people!" she yells, hitting the wooden banister rail with her fist. "Cecilia, come on, snap out of it! I can't take you. I gave you a home, and look what you're doing with it! Why can't you just act like a normal kid for once?" "I hate these people, toots. I want out." "Cecilia, I understand you're angry-" "I'm angrier at you, you big dopey doofus! If you had only just listened to me, none of this would have happened!" "Cecilia, I-" "I'm leaving!" she yells, running off again. You groans in exasperation and heads to work. It's a quiet morning at the diner. In fact, it's so quiet, you're the only person working. You figure you might as well get started cooking; there's not much else you can do here. Just as you finish cooking, the cafe's bell above the door rings. It's a man with a large backpack and an equally large and muscular German shepherd on a leash. "Hello," the man says. The dog begins to growl and sniff the air. "You must be new here. If you're looking for a job, you've come to the wrong place. We're a private establishment," you say, wondering why you're still talking. "I'm actually looking for someone in particular. I'm trying to reach the person who runs this cafe. I have important business with them." "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." "It's the man named Jacob. I'm looking for Jacob Killinger." "So you are. Well, he doesn't live here anymore. He moved out of this city about a month ago." "Oh. I see. Well, can you tell me where he went?" "No. I don't know. Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do." The German Shepherd suddenly begins to bark aggressively, and the man raises his hands in defense. "I don't know where Killinger is! I was just told he lived here!" he exclaims. "If you really want to find Killinger, you'll have to ask the cafe owner." The man raises his hands again, and clicks his tongue. The dog ceases barking, and the man approaches you. "Tell you what," he says in a friendly tone. "I'll give you a hundred bucks if you tell me where Killinger lives. That sound okay?" "I can't. I don't know," you say. "I'm sorry." The man sighs, then pulls a small pistol from his pocket. "Well, it looks like I'll have to do this the hard way," he says. "Sheesh. How the hell is it that nobody around here knows what's good for 'em?" The man aims his gun, and shoots you in the back of the head. You fall to the ground. The man pulls out his cell phone, and makes a call. "I told you the guy doesn't know. He doesn't have Killinger's phone number." A second later, the man turns to you. "Sorry about this," he says. Then, he pulls the trigger. Cecilia arrives to apologize to you, but sees the dog barking over his dead owner's body and you unconscious on the ground. She gets you to a hospital. When you wake up, you learn that you got shot while working as a short order cook. You decide to move on, and never return to the city. Some time later, you're living in California, working as a waiter. You're not doing too bad. Cecilia calls to say she had your child. You never see it, but you hear the boy is a good fighter. You're glad. One day, when he grows up, you hope he doesn't follow in your footsteps. You hope he finds a new home. Somewhere, someone needs to love him. Maybe he'll find that place in life. You could have helped him. You could have made that place in his life. But, you decided not to. You think... you don't know what you think. It doesn't matter. You'll never know. That is, until one day when your son tracks you down. He looks just like you, but taller and lankier. There's a man in a black robe behind him. "Dad?" your son asks. "Are you in..." But, the words die in his throat. He knows who you are. He knows what you did. And, he knows that you're not a good person. You nod silently. There's no need to speak. Your son turns away. "Goodbye, Dad. I hope you find whatever the hell whatever it is you're looking for." Then, he leaves. The man in black robes steps forward. "I'm sorry," he says. "I had my people track him down, but he's already left the state." "So he has," you say. You and the man in black robes have a stare-down. "The boy knows the truth," the man says. "Tell me, why did you kill my assistant? You had every opportunity to turn down our offered pay." "You wouldn't have hired me," you reply. "You wanted to hire a contract killer. I was simply the first person you met." The man chuckles. "I wanted to hire a sandwich maker," he says. "Goofy, silly you. My offer is still valid. Go home, Dad. Live out the rest of your days in peace. Forget you ever met an son." You take out your wallet, and show the man a picture of your wife and two children. "You wouldn't hire a contract killer," you say, "but you will hire me. Look at the picture." The man does, and nods. "I'll hire you," he says. "You better make it quick. We need to catch first flight out tomorrow." You nod, and the next day you buy a one-way ticket to New York. On the plane, you think about how you're finally going home. The rest of your life will be spent in New York. When you arrive, you head straight to the airport hotel and check in. You aren't sure what to do with the rest of your life. You googled "things to do in New York" before you came, but you feel like you're lacking in purpose now that you're here. However, you do know one thing. You're going to find your son. You have to find him. You have to apologize for what happened. You have to... The door opens, and a girl walks in. She's tiny, very pretty and wearing a Juicy Couture tracksuit. She's about your age, but looks about a decade younger thanks to heavy make-up and stylish clothes. She has a small overnight bag, and... is that a tuxedo inside it? "Hi," she smiles. "I'm Hazel. What's...?" She sees the look on your face, and stops speaking. Instead, she lets out a high pitched scream. "Wait a minute," You say. "You're my alternate female self from another timeline, aren't you?" The girl shakes her head, tears streaming from her eyes. "Oh, that's just tragic." You shake your head. "But I suppose it explains a lot." "What's... happening to me?" The girl sobs. "He's screaming. It hurts." You walk over, and stare into the eyes of your younger self. "Listen to me," you say. "I understand what you're going through, alright? I've been there." You explain to her what's happened, and she breaks down in tears again. "Can you... can you help me?" she asks. "Can you take me home?" "I don't know how," you admit. "I have an autograph from Lil' Mama," she says, trying to compose herself. "She's cool. Maybe she can help me." "I don't know where she is either," you admit. "Or what happened to her." "What about my fans?" she asks. "Can they help me? I could sell my autograph. My fans are..." She breaks down again. You don't know what to do. You never had to help someone like her. Eventually, she stops crying, and you give her some advice. "Go to the hospital. They should have instructions on what to do if this happens to you." "Okay," she says, sniffling. "I'm sorry this happened to you." "Thanks," she says, smiling through her tears. "You're so nice. You're not like my father." "I'm not?" "No. He's mean. He doesn't care. But you sound like you do." "I don't know what that's like," you admit. "Is... is that your wife?" She points to the picture of the woman with you on your phone. "If it is, she's very pretty." "She was." "What happened? I mean, I'm sorry if I'm being too inquisitive." "She died." "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I..." "My mother just died," you say. "I have to go." "Okay," she says, letting out a long sigh. "Thank you for your time. I appreciate it." "My name is Jacob." You turn to face your other self. She stares at you, her eyes narrowing. "Thanks for your help," she says. "Bye." "See ya." You quickly walk out of the house, and head off to the hospital. Once there, you go to the information desk and ask how you can get hold of the police. The woman behind the desk suggests that you call 0800 555 6111, a number with which you're very familiar. You thank her, and answer that question. You dial the number, and wait to be answered. "Hello, 911," says a woman's voice. "I need police," you say. "My name is Jacob, from house number forty-seven." "What's your address, Sir?" "Fourty-seven Fourty-Seven North," you say. "Now, please." "I'm sorry, Sir. Can you tell me what's going on? "My younger self saved my life. A girl from his school has been kidnapped by a man named Charles, and I have to go back in time to prevent it... but I don't know how. Can you help me?" "I need your name, Sir." "I'm Jacob," you say, giving your name. "It's a long story." "I need your full name, Sir.\" "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your birthdate, Sir." "November second, two thousand thirteen." "What's your height, Sir?" "One hundred and sixtytwo centimeters. What's yours?" "One sixty-nine, one sixty-E," she says. "What sort of car do you drive, Sir?" "A 2007 black Ford Fusion." "I need your Social Security number, Sir." "Surely you've got all that information," you say. "Those files get leaked all the time." "I need your Social Security number," she insists. "It's required for many government functions." "How long is this going to take?" you ask. "I'm in a lot of danger." "I can't do it over the phone," she says. "I need you to come into the police station." "I can't," you say. "I've already gone back in time. I'm already here." "I need your name, Sir. Please give it to me." "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your date of birth, Sir." "22/11/2000." "What's your address, Sir?" "47 Fourty-Seven North Fourth Street." "What's your apartment number, Sir?" "20." "I need your apartment number, Sir," she says again, calmly but firmly. "1C," you say. "It's an apartment." "I need your street address, Sir." "447 N. Fourth Street," you say. "North Fourth Street." "What's your city, Sir?" "Joliet." "What's your state, Sir?." "Illinois." "What's your zip code, Sir?" "61746." "Are you currently in debt, Sir?" "I owe a few bucks on some fines." "I need your birth date, Sir." "25/11/1990." "What's your birth time, Sir?" "Six thirty-eight am. What's yours?" "02:38." "What's your favorite color, Sir?" "Green." "My favorite color is blue," she says. "What do you like to eat, Sir? You get out of there and head to the police station, angrily killing the police woman. When you arrive, the officer behind the desk looks up at you. "You can go right back to where you came from, Mr. Killinger," he says. "It's not exactly a high priority case." "I have to find my younger self," you say. "A girl has been kidnapped." "What girl?" he asks, confused. "A girl named Madeline," you say. "I have to go back in time to save her." "I'm sorry, but I don't..." he says, before stopping. "Wait a minute. You're the guy that went back in time to save that little girl, aren't you? Well, welcome back, sir." You stare at him in confusion. "Thanks," you say, Headdesking out of the police station. "Shi..." You find yourself outside the apartment you left off at, and notice that it's night time. You walk inside your apartment in wonder, as the girl from earlier is still there, sitting on the floor. "You're back," she says. "I was wondering if you would." "So this," you say, pointing to yourself, "is me." "Yep," she says. "It is." "So what's going on?" you ask. "I don't know," she says. "I remember my name. I remember other stuff, too, but not this. I woke up here, with no memories, a few days ago." "You were missing for years," you say. "How can you only remember this recently?" "What year is it?" she asks. "I don't know. I found a watch in this house, and it's been broken for a while. I think something happened years ago, but I don't know what." You think for a moment. "The year is 2016," you say. "And there's been a kidnapping." "A kidnapping?" she asks. "Yeah," you nod. "A girl name Madeline has been kidnapped by an evil man named John." "Who is John?" she asks. "Are you friends with him?" "No!" you say. "I don't know who John is. I'm just trying to save her." "Saving people is hard," she says. "I tried to save my friends." "I'm trying to get all of them back," you say. "I don't know if it's going to work, but..." "What are you going to do if you find her?" she asks. You pause for a moment, thinking about the best way to tell her. "I'm going to kill John," you finally say. "That's violent," she says. "I can't remember what happened to me. I don't know if this is all a dream. I need to find out." "What if you die in the process?" she asks. "Then I'll just have to spend an eternity as the last person in the world," you shrug. "I'll take my chances with that." "Oh..." You stare at the ground, thinking. You need to choose which group to join, and there's only one choice. "I have to save everyone," you say. "You're new here, right? Where's it safe to go?" "The church is a good place to hide," she says. "Where is it?" You draw a circle on the floor with your finger. "Right here," you say. "You can hide in there." "Okay," she nods. "I'm glad I ran into you. Bye." "Bye," you say, and go back to looking for a way inside the house. After searching the house from top to bottom, you give up. You need to come up with a new plan. Your only lead was that the girl was hiding in a certain spot in the house, and you know for a fact that she's probably not there now. So you need to come up with another way. It's then that you remember the basement. You could try breaking in the window...

"This is stupid." You say. "I'm not going to fall for the same trick twice." You head down to the basement, where you find a ladder leading to a window. You climb up it, and sit on the roof to see if you can spot Madeline. You do this for half an hour, but see no sign of her. You sigh, and hop off the roof. It's time to come up with a new plan. For a while, you just sit in the basement, wondering what you should do. You open up the vault, finding a bunch of money. You grab a handful, thinking. Maybe you could go to the police? Tell them what's going on, and get them to help you get revenge? You doubt it very much though. Even if they believed you, the kidnapper is most likely going to just kill you and throw your body in an alley or something. No, you won't get revenge this way. There has to be another way... you just have to think about it. "Hey, Ben?" "Yeah?" "Do you have any good ideas on how to get revenge on this guy? I don't think breaking and entering is going to work, and I don't have any other ideas." "Hmm..." Ben says, thinking. "What about this place? I can get us some fake IDs, and we could rob this place blind. We just need to find out when they're not watching the place, and it's open." "Go on." "So, we go in, and... well, ignore me for a second. I need to get the money. You just need to distract this guy." "What? Why? That's suicide!" "It's not if you don't make a loud noise, and point your weapon at him." "What if he hits me with his gun?" "Well, if he's going to do that, I'll just shoot out his kneecaps and listen to him scream for awhile." "I don't know if I'm up to fighting him. I'm not even sure if a gunshot to the knee would disable him." "What if I'm up to fighting him? I can easily take out his two goons; you just need to distract him. Then, when I've got his attention, you need grab the money and run." "I don't know. I just don't think I'm capable of taking him out." "You won't have to. I'll handle it. Just... you just need to do something." "I'll think about it." You say, not wanting to make a decision immediately more than anything else. That night, you lie in bed, staring at your ceiling. Finally, you decide to get up and do something. After getting dressed in a blue shirt and brown pants, perhaps a little too formal for what you're planning to do, you grab the flintlock pistol you have for your nightstand. The safety is on, but you make sure it is before taping the gun to your leg and exiting your room. You walk down the stairs, where you find Ben waiting for you. "Hey, kid." He says, as you walk out of the kitchen. "What're you still doing here? I figured you'd be long gone by now." You say. "I was, but I wanted to speak with you about something first." "Oh?" "Yeah. This is probably going to be a pretty hard conversation for you." "Just say it. If it's too hard, I'll go back to my room." "It really isn't going to be that bad. It's just, well, you're going to have to kill me." "What? Come on, you can't be serious!" "I'm serious. I mean, I'll help you anyway I can, but you're going to have to kill me." "Why? What's all this got to do with you being kidnapped or anything?" "Kid, I know you're pissed about getting shot, but it's really not as bad as you think. I mean it was bad, and I'll have it kept in mind if I ever have to go through it again, but it could have been a lot worse. I was just lucky that the doctor they took me to had some experience patching up gunshot wounds. I could have died. I could still die, if I didn't get treatment quick enough. I honestly believed I was going to die. So if you're wondering if I have some lingering ill-will towards you, the answer is no. If anything, I'm glad you were there to help me." "Well that's a relief at least." "Anyway, I'm just saying, you don't need to go through with this. I mean, we did have fun together during our little trip, and it was an interesting experience. It's just that... look, I'm already dead. What harm is there in continuing that? I mean you're already a Bounty Hunter, going on these dangerous missions is just extending what you're already doing. And I for one would prefer to continue enjoying your company as opposed to rotting away in a grave." "That's a nice thought, but I doubt if anyone will accept such a rationale. You're a wanted man, and everyone's always looking to expand their own power. They'll probably just turn me over to the Guild, and I'll get killed by a mob." "They won't. I'll make sure of it. I know you have my pistol, but I'm going to give you something else as well." Ben pulls out a large revolver, and passes it to you. "What's this for?" You ask. "That's the weapon you'll use to kill me with, obviously." "Obviously. But why are you giving this to me?" "Because you're a good person at heart, and I don't want you to get hurt. Plus, I know you'll probably have better aim with it anyway." You laugh. "Thanks for your concern, but I doubt if that audience is going to react too well to someone shooting me in the head! No, this is going to be a clean shot to the chest and quick. I'll make sure you get remembered." You holster the pistol under your coat. "By the way, my name's not actually Jacob. It's Ben." "Oh. Right. I get it now." "Also, I think you should know, we're not on the only important mission. We're actually part of three groups, all converging on this place at the same time. I wouldn't be too sure about our safety." You think for a second. "So what do you mean?" You ask. "He means he doesn't want anything to do with you anymore," Madeleine says, killing Ben. "What happened?" "I told you he was pissed. If I were you I'd get the hell out of here, before he comes back with some others to kill us." "You're being a coward once again. We can handle it, we aren't unarmed. You have to get out of here, I'm serious." "Fine! But I'm warning you now, if your attitude doesn't improve I'm going to make it a lot worse for you! I'll go get the car, and then back to the hotel we'll go!" You snap, turning away. "You're being very rude Ben, you know that right? "I'm not Ben, I'm Madeleine!" Madeleine says, and you realize that Ben is dead. Madeleine followed you guys back to 2016, and doesn't want you to save her. "You're Ben's killer!" You say, walking towards her. "Not directly, though I did fulfill his last request." She suddenly grabs your arm, and you feel an unnatural chill run through you. She has dead eyes, and an unnatural grin on her face. It's only now that you notice she's missing a few teeth. "You can't take him away from me." She says, spitting blood out onto your shirt. "What do you mean? Who are you?" "I am the ghost of Christmas past." She says, "You think that'll be enough to scare you? My real name is Yvette. To you, I'm Madeleine. He loved me, he did. Followed me everywhere, he did. But one day I caught him... in the act. Well, that night I decided to get my revenge. I killed him. Slaughtered him and every other man in his village. I was only thirteen and he was supposed to be my protection. I... don't think I've ever laughed as hard as when I heard his screams." "You're... you're dead! I killed you!" "You didn't kill me, Ben did. But before I leave, know this. Ben did love me, in his own way. He would have done anything for me. I know that, because he told me everyday. If you're looking for the meaning of life, boy, you don't find it in some hollow tree or some book. You find it with the one you love. If you're lucky enough to find them. Because in the end, that's all there ever will be. Loss. The only thing you can count on. I lost Ben, but I know he had his part to play in my life. It's over now, and I'm finally at peace. He would want that. He would." She releases you, and turns away to leave. "That's why I saved you, Ben. I know that you would have done the same for me. And if you're looking for absolution for your crimes, boy, I don't have that to offer. What you need to do now is make things right. Chase after the one you love, and don't let them get away. Because the way I see it, you've got two options. You either stay here with me, or you go after your girl. Either way, best of luck, and I'm sorry I couldn't save him for you." With those last words, she leaves you. "What do you think? You decide to go to Cecilia's house, and write her a letter to warn her of her death in 20 years. She's the closest thing to a friend you've got. "It's not much, but it's something." "It's a good start, brother." You see your sister, Grace, standing over you. "What are you doing here?" You ask. "I came to see you, but I didn't think you'd be awake yet." "What do you want? I don't have anything to give you." "You've got something that I need, and that's your friendship. I need someone to talk to, and I know you're the only person I can really trust. You reveal you came from 30 years in the future, and you warned Cecilia of her death before you go home. "Well, I guess you saved her then. Sorry for my outburst, I really shouldn't have questioned your word." "As you should. Not everyone can go back in time." "I don't understand. You said you could send me back." "And that's true, but doing so would paradox. I don't want to be sent back. I want to stay here, with you. I want to enjoy life while I can." "I don't understand. If you went back in time, wouldn't that allow you five more years to live?" "Perhaps, but I'd rather live while I can, in the present. I don't want to be sent back to when I was young, struggling to make it in the world, only to have to start all over again. I had time to find love, to have a family... I'm not ready to lose that. I've found it here with you and the rest of the group." You think about what she says for a while. "So... You're saying that I shouldn't go back in time to save Cecilia?" You say. "I'm saying you shouldn't sacrifice yourself for another person. You should stay here, in Arrana, with us. Save yourself, and let someone else save Cecilia." "But why do that for me? You and the others don't even like me." "That doesn't matter. What matters is that I want you to be happy. I was lonely for a long time, but not any longer. I want that for you. Please, won't you stay? I promise I won't get you killed. I'll keep you safe, like I keep everyone else here. I'll even teach you how to play a new game, any game you want. Just don't go back in time, okay? Please, just live. Live... Like me. It is a twisted form of happiness, but you can't deny that she's probably right. Back in the present, you go track down your son instead, to get closure on Cecilia. You travel back in time again, but instead of the cave, you walk outside of it. Before you stands a man in a black cloak and hood, holding a black sword. "Hello there. Did you come to make a deal with me?" The man says. "Yes, I did. I'm here to make a deal with you." You reply. You continue. "I want you to bring my girlfriend back from the dead." "So, you're not going to kill your girlfriend's killer?" "Well... I'm not sure if that's what I'd call me right now. I want you to bring her back so she can be with me." "If you don't kill the killer, you'll get your girlfriend back?" "Something like that. Look, I don't want to have to go through the trouble of doing this. All I want is her back in my life." The man sighs. "I can do that." "You can? How?" "She's standing right here. "Cecilia!" You exclaim, delighted. Cecilia nods. "Hello, Jacob. I'm sorry to just show up like this. I know it's unexpected." "No, not at all! I'm glad you're here!" You answer. "I'm glad to be here as well... In your life..." She says, with a wistful tone. Cecilia makes eye contact with you briefly before looking away. She looks a bit tired, as if she hasn't been sleeping well lately. It's surprising that she made the trip here herself. Cecilia then turns to the man in black. "Who is this... Man?" "This is the man I was telling you about. I'll be watching him for the next few days. In the meantime, I'll get you back home. How's that sound?" "That... Sounds good. But who are you, really? What do you want?" "My name is Melcar. I want nothing from you. This man... Has something that was in your possession. I need that to get back home." "And if I say no?" "... Then I suppose I shall have to kill him and take it myself. That sound better?" "No, it doesn't." "Well then it looks like I'm going to have to kill you too. That sound better?" "It does, actually. Please don't kill him. I need him." "Why? Does he hold some meaning or emotional attachment for you? If that's the case, you're an idiot for letting him go back to his own time. He won't last there, you know." Cecilia looks at you, then back to Melcar. "Can you... Keep him safe for me? I need to go back to him. I need to make sure he makes it. Please. I'm begging you." Melcar's eyes narrow. "Is this the killer of your girlfriend?" Cecilia looks away nervously. "He... Doesn't know anything. He didn't do it. I'm sorry. He didn't do it." She pleads. "You're a morbid child. I thought you grew up in a cave or something. If you went through all the trouble of making friends, talking to people, and going out into the real world only to end up in some dumb cave with your dumb friends, then I can't imagine what the hell you'd do if you actually met a real killer. I'd guess run away, but you seem to be pretty good at that." Melcar says. "So can you keep him safe? Please?" He looks as you. "I think I can, but I can't do it for you. You need to go back yourself. I need that boy, don't you understand? I need that boy." "Please, it's very important." "Yeah, well that's pretty up front. I have to admit, I'm a little shocked you're not more cagey or manipulative. Perhaps you're not as dumb as I thought." "Please, just help me get back home." Melcar sighs. "Fine. Get in the car." Cecilia hops into the passenger seat of Melcar's car. You approach the vehicle, before you notice two more figures sitting in the backseat. "What the hell? Who the hell are those?" You demand. "Oh, you wanna know who I am? I'm your new best friend!" He says cheerfully, pointing to the man in black. "And this cozy gentleman over here is Mr. Jack the Ripper." "What? I don't understand." "I'm the guy who's going to be killing all those girls you like. My boy, here, will be cutting them up nice and not so nice. We're going to have so much fun." "Wait, you're on their side?" "Of course I'm on their side! I'm the guy who's going to give you a chance at getting all those bitches you like. I'm also going to make your life a living hell the next time you see me. So best friends do stuff like this, no?" Melcar turns back to you. "So, do we have a deal or not? Because I have to go pick up my first victim." "One more question. How do I know you'll actually kill those girls if I don't help you?" Mr. Jack grins. "Ah, you're starting to think like a slasher. You don't know? Of course you don't know. You'll just have to trust me. You always do. Now, are you going to be a bro, or what?" "You don't have the f...! I'm not going to..." "Choke him out. He's stubborn. You always were. Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by...the P.A. Chords? The Living Tombstone?" "I'm not going to help you!" you shout, as Melcar's eyes narrow. "Bah! You're such a square. This isn't physical. You can't get emotional leverage." He strokes his chin. "How about...I've a girlfriend back in high school. Or was it prep school? I can get her to help, or perhaps I'll get the ghost of that cute little cheerleader you used to ride your bike up and down the street for. You know, the one with all the...nice..." He checks himself. "Anyway, I can get her to torment and kill your beloved Cecilia." " YOU CAN'T !!" you roar, going into a rage. "Could, maybe. Would, definitely. You're not going to stop me." Melcar smiles. "Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by a cheerleader?" You're reduced to a quivering wreck. You know it's true. He has a girlfriend, and he's probably lying about her having no knowledge of this. You can't risk staying here, so you follow Melcar and his group out of the house. You're their now. No matter what they do with you, no matter how they use you, you're theirs. You and Cecilia make out passionately. You wait peacefully for her to finish, during which time you hear the screams of your friend and neighbor. The noise doesn't wake you, and you spend the next few hours with Cecilia before she's finished. She leaves the basement without a word, and you wonder if things are going decently enough with her. You can't think of too many times you've seen her since last time. "Hey, Jake," Melcar says. "Ready to go?" You look at Melcar, still wondering how the hell you could've been so blindly stupid as to let this happen. "Yeah..." "C'mon, then." You put on your shoes and follow Melcar upstairs. You walk side by side with him, watching as the sun rises. "Thanks for doing this, man," Melcar says. "Yeah, no problem." "So...is there a school around here?" "What?" "A school. For our friends. So they can learn what actual kids go through." You chuckle. "I dunno...schools are overrated. I mean, I learned how to read and write at one, and the teachers there were horrible." "Well...I'm not sure what kids do at your age." "We have fun," you say. "I mean, I didn't really have responsibilities, so I did what I wanted." "What did you do? Get into fights?" "Sometimes. With my fists, with words, with weapons... it depended." Melcar smiles. "Pretty tough for your first time being in a town with other kids." "Actually, my second time was even worse." Melcar groans. "Let's not go there." You arrive at the outskirts of New Bally. Melcar's friend Tom lives close by, so it isn't a long walk. You're still in awe of how you've managed to get yourself into this situation. "So...anyone want to see my new trick?" Melcar asks, suddenly. "What's that?" you ask. "I can..." Melcar pauses, appearing to think really hard about how to put this. "Turn into a bat." "A...bat?" you ask, uncertain how to react. "Yeah! You know, like in the movies?" You take a step back, and look away. "That's...pretty creepy." "Come on! It's easy! I can turn into a big, fat, ugly bat. Or, if I want to look like one of those fancy Japanese ones, I can do that too. I can stay a bat for a really long time." "How long do you need to spend as a bat to get that power?" "I dunno," Melcar says. "A few years, I guess. I knew some kids in first grade who turned into bats around me, so they must've spent their whole lives as bats before they could become something else. That's how it works, right? You have to be a bat for a long time to become something else?" "I don't know," you say. "I think so." "Cool!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a neighborhood to lawlessly rampage through!" You shake your head. You know there's got to be another way. A better way. A way you can do this and still stay in control of your own mind. You just need to think about it... "Hey, wait!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a house! I bet I can take 'em all by myself, with my new powers!" You shake your head again. You can already tell this plan is doomed to failure. "No." "Come on! I'll give you all the best stuff! All the best stuff is mine!" "No. Now, listen. We're going to find a store, and you're just going to wait there while I deal with the people. I'm sure I can convince them not to press charges." "Press charges?" Melcar repeats. "What are you going to do, kill 'em all?" "Well, I'm going to try. And if I can't? I'm going to at least get them off the charges. Look, just wait there. I'll be back shortly. I'm sure I'll find something within my powers to be able to do. I always do." "Jeez, fine," Melcar says. "I guess I better hang out here and wait, then. I don't fancy hanging out in this environment any longer than I have to. Better that I just go for a walk, right? I'm just going to go for a quick, quick stroll...HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING MY FEET?" You jump up, grabbing Melcar's wrists and twisting them behind his back. You then force him to his knees with his hands still behind his back. "Stay still." "What are you doing?!" he asks, frightened. Now that you're in a position to be able to do it, you don't want to. But you're in a position to be able to interrogate a criminal with magical abilities. You can't very well do that if you aren't using them. You focus your senses. You try to hear what is going on in the surrounding houses, you try to sense what is inside Melcar's body, you do everything you can to find out how fast he is, whether his reflexes are as quick as a cat's, what sort of weapons he has on him, whether he's alone or not... And then, you focus on the one thing you actually WANT to sense. His soul. And there it is. A glowing blue orb, floating in front of his chest. So simple, so small, yet so powerful. Pure. Silent. Calm. Unstoppable. Your heart beats faster, as you feel the blood rushing through your ears. This is it. This is how it feels to be a superhuman. This is how it feels to be a god. You grab the orb, twisting it with ease. Melcar shrieks in pain, as you feel his grip on your wrists loosen automatically. You smash your fist into his face with every ounce of your energy, feeling his nose breaking and brains spilling out the other side. He collapses onto the ground, twitching slightly. This feels amazing. But, you still need to interrogate him. You let go of his orb, only to feel it vanish into his body. "What did you do?" "Take... Take it from me... You're nothing... Nobody can be free... Take it back..." Melcar sputters, blood dripping down his face. He's going into shock, so you finish the job quickly by snapping his neck. That done, you let out a sigh of relief. That was... Hard to do. But, at least now you can use your magical powers in peace. You look around, noticing Melcar's partner standing nearby. You suppose you know who he is now. "You are?" "Yes. I am Mr. Mol," the man says, extending a hand to you. "Congratulations. You just won't have to deal with criminals in Dert anymore." You grab at his hand, shaking it. "Don't think that's much of a consolation, Mr. Mol." He squints at you. "Is... Is something wrong?" "Oh, nothing," you say with a wave of your hand. "Just making conversation." "... Okay." Mr. Mol crosses his arms, staring at you. You suddenly realize that he's examining you for a tell. One of the many things you need to learn. "We should really relocate," you suggest. "For the sake of the community." "I suppose we do need to do something," Mr. Mol nods. Mr. Mol takes you to a nearby abandoned house. "This place will have to do," he says. "We're going to live in an abandoned house!" you exclaim. "It's the best place I could find." Mr. Mol fixes the door so it doesn't slam, then stares at you. "So, you're new here. What's your name?" "Jacob." "I'm Mark, what's yours? Are you homeless?" "No, I just don't have a lot of money for a place yet," you say. "I'll be able to get by." "Where are you from originally?" "Oh, um... The Nothington suburbs." "Nothington! Are you a student?" You nod. "I went to school with the dean," Mr. Mol says. "He was also the head of security at the university. He had some interesting theories on crime and punishment, but I doubt if any of them stuck. The suburbs are like a prison all on their own." "Why did you come to Dert?" you ask, wondering what his angle is. "I wanted to be with my wife," he says. "We moved here for her to become a nurse, but she... Didn't like it here. So, I'm here alone." "How long are you staying?" "As long as it takes." Mr. Mol smiles at you, then winces. "You should see a doctor, son." "I'll be fine," he says, rubbing his back. "I'll just be glad when this hell is over." You fall asleep that night wondering if you should stay or go. The morning arrives, and you wake up. You find a note on the pillow next to you. Dear Jacob, If you're going to stay in Dert, I suggest you buy yourself a house. Don't live in an abandoned one. Make sure it has running water and electricity. Also, don't go to the tavern. Mr. Mol Sighing, you go to the store to buy yourself a house. After some searching, you find one that looks nice, but needs a lot of work done to it. You spend the next few days fixing it up. When you're done, it's a good home. You go there to live after thanking the owner's wife for her kind offer of cookies and milk. You never enter the tavern, and you see no harm in that. Mr. Mol eventually leaves, and things return to "normal" in Dert. You don't see him again. The dean is found guilty of abusing his power and sentenced to a short prison sentence. The Nothington suburbs reform themselves to what they were. You never heard anything about it again. Nobody cared. You don't see much of Dert anymore, as you're more of a homebody now. You have a large house to yourself, with plenty of garden to keep you busy. You still see your wife sometimes when she comes to visit, still with the idea to try to convince her to move there. She always refuses, however. "I can't live in a small town," she says. "I want excitement." You offer again to take her to the city, but she declines. "I like it here. I'm staying." The end. You slam your fist into the wall in anger, and fall to the floor in a sitting position. You wince as the pain shoots up your arm and through your chest. The rest of your body soon joins in. "It's a good ending." You mutter to yourself. "Why the hell do I keep trying to make this story bad?" You stand up and look out the window. A small smile creeping on your face as you see Ben envying your view from his house as you do. "I guess because you're a miserable cur." You walk out of the room, ready to put an end to your writing for the day. ~THE END~ You reached the "Good" ending. "Good job, genius." You wink at the screen. "Now, let's see if I can't try something a little more... interesting." You decide to pay Cecilia another visit, making sure to propose marriage to her. You figure that's probably the best way to ensure you get a good ending. You walk out to the middle of Dert, and stop. You look around, before spotting Cecilia. She notices you, and a huge grin appears on her face. "Jacob!" she runs over to give you a hug. "You're OK! I was so worried about you!" "Of course I am," you hug her back, "I'm here with a question to ask you." " Question? " "Yeah, question. You ready?" Cecilia nods with a smile. "I knew you'd come back for me, Jacob," she blushes. "I'm ready." "Cecilia, will you marry me? " Another huge smile appears on her face. She places her hand over her heart, and leans in to hug you. "Of course I will! " You move in to deepen the hug, when sudden voices from behind you stop you. "Are you serious? The voices are those of Team Never Ending Story, who reveal the MMS was rebuilt. They ask you a few questions about what happened during your imprisonment, to which you give a very generic story of how you were saved by an old woman. They seem to accept this, although you notice Cape Kragen checking to see if you're lying. "Well, that was certainly an interesting way of getting back here." He glares at you. "I'm sure the team will forgive you for this, but from now on you'll be on duty instead of Cecilia. I can't have people faking their own deaths." "But she said--! " "I said fake!" he screams in your face. The team begins to leave, and you follow suit. As you're walking away, Ben turns to you. "Thanks for coming back to us, Jacob. " "Thanks for asking me to write the ending, Ben. " You hear a snort of laughter as you go to find Cecilia. She's looking out for the team, and you're not going to let them get away with insulting you. "Ben will forgive you. " You're not quite sure how to take that, but you decide to address it later. Right now, you need to talk to Cecilia. "You're getting married?" Ben asks. "Yeah," you nod, "I'm marrying Cecilia." "That was fast. When did this happen?" "Just now." "Oh..." Ben's voice lowers, "That's good. I'm happy for you, and I'm sure the team is too. " After the team has left, Ben turns to you. "So, you're my new mentor now, eh?" "If I'm not, I am soon," you reply. "I need to talk to you about that." "What is it? " "It's about the future. I need you to kill Ben, so that I may take his place." "What?! " "You heard me." "So, why would I do such a thing?" "You need to get with the times, man. You're from the past, you should be using social media. I saw you on Youtube, and I was amazed that a person from the 1800's had discovered the internet." "I don't even." "Then how did you discover that the MMS was destroyed?" "I was fishing through the rubble and found a card dropped by one of the members. It had instructions on rebuilding it, and we were able to do it. We've been working on our plan to rescue you, but it seemed appropriate to rebuild the group after all you've done to try to free us." "Wow. That's some dedication." "It is. I'm still amazed that you were able to make friends with some of them. I had to kill one of them, and I'm a little squeamish about the idea. " "Yeah, it took a while for me to warm up to some of them as well. I'm just glad we all came to an understanding." "Understood. I'll get you." "You will? " "Sure. We have a deal, and I'll honor it." "Fair enough. After my talk with Ben, I'll go with you." You nod, and decide to go find Cecilia. You have a few words for her as well. You're surprised that she didn't insist on coming to talk to Ben herself, but that's Cecilia for you. She always did like the safety of the sidelines. Meanwhile, Ben is walking over to you. Ben is a large man, and you're not quite sure why he was chosen to be the leader of this group. Maybe it's because he looks the strongest, and he's been here the longest? He's not stupid, but there's a limit to how intelligent he seems. "What were you and Cecilia arguing about?" "She told me to kill you." Whether it's a question of whether you're surprised or not, you aren't going to answer it. "Figures she'd be anti-socialist." "I'd say that's a very '17th century' way of looking at things." "I'm not a Socialist, free market. There's a difference." "I guess, but it seems pretty similar to me." "So, you and her have come to an understanding?" "We have. She'll be joining us." "What?! " "Cecilia is coming with us." "You heard me, and this is final too. You're coming with us." "But... Cecilia and I... we're in love." "What difference does it make? You're going to be working together anyway." "Yes, but... I don't want to just be working together. I want us to work together. I'm not going." "Don't be so dramatic." Ben says, rolling his eyes. "You're coming with us, or I'm going to have to kill you." "So be it. Kill me then." You say, putting your hands up. Ben raises his gun Slowly, as you stare at him. He lowers his gun. "Sorry Cecilia. He's dead." He says, not sounding sorry at all. Cecilia walks out from behind the building. When she sees Ben pointing the gun at you, she slowly walks over to him, her hands raised. "I thought we were allies." "Aren't we? Seems like he's betraying us." "No, it seems like he's protecting our nation from falling into the hands of fascists. I'm on his side." "Yeah, that's what I thought." "Ben, I love you, but you need to put the gun down." "I don't feel like it. Besides, maybe I'll just kill the two of them, and then you'll be under my thumb." "I think not. You might kill him, but I know how skilled you are with a gun. I'm sure I could at least take you out. Then what would you do Ben? Would you slink away in the night and plot revenge? No, I don't think so. You'd just have to live with the fact that you let your emotions cloud your mind and lost what is rightfully yours." "She has a point Ben." You say. "Fine, we're doing this the hard way. You two ready?" "Ready." You both say. "Then let's do it." Ben turns, and you hear three shots going off. Two by Ben, and one by Cecilia. You fall to the floor, blood slowly leaking out of your chest. "Ben, I told you I'd kill you." "I know, but now you'll never know how this came about." With that, he walks over to you and takes the gun from your bloody hands. "Cecilia, I'm sorry." Ben says, then fires the gun three more times, blowing the back of your head off. Ben puts the gun down, and walks away. He doesn't seem to care, or even notice that he's crying. You stare at him in disbelief, before he disappears. This is the true face of the revolution, crime pays, and everyone ends up dead. Choosing to begin anew, you propose to Cecilia, and she accepts again. Now, you have your son to raise. You'll have to be a better person than your father or grandfather. Cecilia will certainly try, but she can only teach him so much. It's up to you now. You're going to make the best out of this situation. This is your life now. "Good morning, Dad," Your son says to you 20 years later. "Morning, Daniel. What would you like to do today?" "I dunno, you're the fun dad." "Alright then, how about we go on a hunt? I put some food aside for us." "Really? You didn't have to, you know." "No, I wanted to. I've been feeling a little hungry lately anyway." "Do you think...I could go on the hunt with you?" "Well, if you want. I mean, you don't need my permission. You're old enough to take care of yourself." "I know I am, but it'll be more fun with an instructor. You're so good at everything." "Yeah, that's because I've been doing these things for decades. Still, you're the master hunter, so you know all the tricks of the trade, right?" "Tradition says the best hunter becomes the instructor. So does that make you the-" "I am the Grand Protector of tradition, yes." Daniel grins from ear to ear. You can't help but laugh along with him. You haven't had this much fun in decades. This is how it should be, not this mass rebellion and sense of justice that the media has made it out to be. You look at your son, and know itai well that you raised him right. You were meant to be a grandpa. You haven't lived happily since Brenda died. Your son will help bring a new meaning to the word. You and Daniel spend the rest of the day going on small hunts to re-filling your larders, and generally spending quality time as father and son. It's like you're supposed to. Before you know it, night is falling again, and you take your son back home. There's a part of you that's glad it's dark. A blush of pink is barely peeking above the trees you walk past, and you know it's Cecilia. She's been looking out for you today. You return home, tired and ready for sleep. You have a lot of having to do tomorrow. You thank Daniel for a nice day with his father, then head upstairs. You take off your boots, then get into bed. You feel yourself drifting off to sleep as you think about how good it is to have a normal, happy family. You never thought you'd ever be in this position. Why not enjoy it while you can? You drift off to sleep smiling. Good night, son. Good night, Dad. Then, you sleep for the next 8 hours or so. In the morning, you wake up. Good morning, Daniel. You peek out the window, but it's still dark. You yawn, then get up and go downstairs. You put on a pot of coffee, then grab the remote from the coffee table and switch on the TV. The first thing you see is some breaking news. And it's not good. The terrorists have taken over the city. They've been conducting attacks in various parts of the city, and already a mass exodus has started. The terrorists are led by Mickey Mouse Jr. You see a photo of him next to a headline. YOUNG MICKEY MOUSE LEADER OF TERRORIST GROUPS " "Of course he is. But Team Never Ending Story disbanded decades ago. They need successors. You're the closest thing they got. "I'm getting out of here." You grab some clothes, then get into your car. You decide Daniel will take your place. But you need successors for Cape, Chase, and Benelux. Your group is the only option. Ben, Cecilia, and you will hold the city together. You call to ask if they're in the city. "We're at Ben's house," says Ben. "What's going on?" "The city is lost. You need to leave." "We can't, we've become comfortable here," says Ben. "We're not going anywhere. Good news, we've got a lead on a new city." "New city, what kind of lead? "We found out about a city called Arrray where there-" The line goes dead. You curse into the phone. "Sorry about that," says Ben's mom. "He went out to get some food, he'll be back." Great. You have to talk to Ben's mom instead. "Hello?" asks Ben's mom. "Hi, I'm-" "I know who you are. You're the leader of the terrorist group that's attacking my son. You need to leave this city before you get hurt." "I've gotta talk to Ben," you say. "It's really important." "Ben isn't available right now. You need to leave the city, or you'll be punished. If you don't leave by the end of the week, you won't leave at all. You and your terrorists will be killed. So who is it going to be, Mr. terrorist, or do I need to find someone else to kill? You stay silent. "Well? I hope it won't be a problem, but we'll kill all of you," says Ben's mom. "I have no problem killing terrorists. If you had been honest with me from the beginning, this wouldn't be an issue. But now, we're going to kill you all. Have a nice life in that terrorist group of yours. It'll be short, I assure you. Bye. Click You hang up the phone. Daniel buzzes you in. "Good luck," he says. You get in the elevator, then speed down to the lobby. You make a beeline to the front door. A few cops try to stop you, but they're no match for your combat prowess. You send them to hell with your supernatural fists, then walk out into the street. A news helicopter is flying over the city, and the reporter on board is commenting on the situation. You decide to change your name to Hazel, using make-up and a wig. You buy a newspaper on the way home, then use the paper to fake your death. TV stations pick up the story, and with it your new name, Hazel. You're living the good life now. You have servants to do your chores, a nice house, cool friends, and a hot girlfriend. You don't need boys to feel happy. Cecilia finds you, and says you remind her of her missing husband. She says she wants to make you happy, so you and her have wild, hardcore, no-strings fun. To be fair, you do enjoy it. You decide to become a school teacher. You figure you can use your studly appearance to attract more students, and because of your past, you get a lot of students who are interested in your tale of valorous derring-do. Between your combat skills, stories of your past, and over all "positivity", you're a natural at your job. You also dabble in motivational speaking on college campuses, which pays well. By day, you live in a blissful reality. By night, you haunt the streets as Hazel, in a never-ending quest for justice. Then you save a man's life, and he develops feelings for you. You have decided to live a normal life. You may settle down with this man, and live happily ever after. You're not there yet. This could all still end horribly. You still have a lot of bad things in store for you. In the meantime, you'll enjoy a relaxing day in, before getting back to business. You decide to learn more about the man. You find out his name is Vamp, as he goes by this name when speaking to others. His real name is unknown, as he has gone by several different ones over the years. You introduce Vamp to Cecilia and Daniel. He falls in love with Cecilia immediately, but given that he's a vampire and planning to eat her, that's hardly surprising. Daniel isn't bothered, while you find out that you have strong feelings for Vamp. Vamp plans to woo you over the next few nights, and take you out on the "draw". You'll have to make the final decision. Whilst you wait, you decide to go out and "practice" on some civilians. You don't know when you'll get the chance again, so you want to make the most of it. You enter a coffee shop, and sit at a table by the door. A man and a woman walk in, holding hands. The sight of a married couple makes you grin, and you stand up to follow them. They walk to a table in the back corner, and you approach them. "Excuse me," you say, "could you two hold the table for me?" The man looks at you suspiciously, but the woman smiles and nods. "Of course," she says. "Thank you." You pull out a chair for the woman, then sit down. You pull out your phone and order a coffee, before glancing around. Vamp and Daniel are at a table in the far back, talking to some teenagers. Four eyes are watching you, two male and two female. "My full name is Hazel Jacqueline Killenger," You tell Vamp. "I'm sixteen, and I go to Harold-9123's school." "I'm Vamp," the man says, extending a hand. You shake it, noticing how warm his hand is. "Dad, what are you doing?" Daniel asks you. "Daniel, you were given an order from God! We'll talk about this later," the man says. "Dad, I told you, Hazel is-" "Nevermind, Daniel." You turn back to Vamp. "How about you?" "I'm Vamp. Quick question, do you like cool, or hot blood?" "What's the difference?" you ask. "Well, cool blood is like that of slushies and such. Hot blood is like that of taxis and shoving it up your bum." You laugh. "I like shoving it up my bum." "You have a dirty mind, Hazel Jacqueline Killenger." "Do you have any cool blood? I'm dying of heat right now," you say. Vamp looks around. "Maybe. Let's go to my lab, I can look. You follow Vamp outside, and walk through a park. Daniel informs Cecilia that you're cheating on her with Vamp. She's shocked and upset by the news, and tells you to go back to your house. You follow Vamp into a building, which turns out to be a lab. most of it being in the dark. A few beakers, bottles, and test tubes are on a table, next to a few Bunsen burners. "Ah, Hazel, you're here. Would you like some hot blood?" Vamp asks, "I can easily fix that." "Yes," you reply. Vamp fills a beaker with some sort of clear, red liquid. He grabs two test tubes, and puts one on the burner, and then places the other on top of the first. He turns on the heat, and smiles. "This should work," he says. Vamp switches the burner on, and grabs a pipette from a table. He squirts some of the liquid in the first tube into your mouth. It's hot, and you gasp as it burns your throat, but you manage to swallow it. The liquid in the top tube evaporates quickly, and soon there's just a small amount left in the bottom tube. Vamp grabs a sheet of newspaper and places it over the top tube, before grabbing the second tube and placing that on top of the paper. "There we go," he says. "Hot, fresh blood. Tasted good, did it?" "Yeah," you reply. "Thank you." "You're welcome. I'm in the mood for more fresh blood, however. How would you like to help me out? I can use someone strong, like you." "What's involved?" you ask. "Nothing much. Just cut someone's throat and let the blood pour into a beaker. Simple, really." "Sure," you say. Vamp takes a knife out of his belt loop, and holds it to the throat of a lifeless rat, which he grabs by the neck with his other hand. "Hold on, Daniel!" he says. "I can't promise this won't hurt." You grab the knife with both hands and hold the rat's neck tightly, cutting through bone and spinal cord with ease. Blood spills out over the bottom beaker quickly, and the beaker begins to fill up. Vamp puts the rat in a large beaker of boiling water, and places it on a hot plate to sterilize it. "There," he says. "We're good to go." You and Vamp walk slowly out of the lab, heading towards the cafeteria. You both sit down to a large dinner, and chat about random things. Eventually, you head to bed. While in bed, Vamp discovers your true identity: Jacob Thomas Killenger. His eyes widen, and he grabs his gun from under his pillow. He points it at you, and you sit up. "What's the point of me saving your life if you're going to shoot me? I'm the real deal," he says. "That remains to be seen." You stare at each other, with Vamp holding his gun at point-blank range. He's aged a lot since the seventies; he could probably break you in half. "Dead," he says. You kiss Vamp. Vamp kisses back, pushing you onto your back. You begin to help take off his clothes, and he pushes you down, tearing at yours. After a few minutes, you both collapse next to each other, almost exhausted. "Do you believe in fate?" Vamp asks. "But I lied to you," You say, confused. "I'm not Hazel, I'm Jacob." "Oh? Then why did you pretend to be her? Why tell me you were her?" "I don't know. I thought it'd make things more interesting." Vamp smiles. "How so?" "You liked Hazel, right? Well, I figured you'd want to be with her. I mean, she obviously still has an impact on your... well, whatever you are." "It's called a crush, sunshine," Vamp says, shyly. "I've had them before." You nod. "Well, then you'd understand why I did it. I figured you'd... try to win her back." "You're strange, you know that?" Vamp says, smiling. "Go to sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow." You nod, and the pair of you embrace each other, falling asleep in the bed together. --- You wake up late, with Vamp already up and getting organized. You walk into the bathroom as Vamp washes his face. "We need to be at the Madness recruitment center by ten," he says. "We have an appointment with Mr. Sunshine." "Who's Mr. Sunshine?" You ask. "The leader of the League. You'll meet him today, and he'll tell you whether or not you get to be a Vamp." "So if I get accepted, do I get to join?" "Sure. If I get accepted, you get to join. If I get accepted, you get to join... there's a lot of ifs in there, isn't there? But it's alright, we're practically family at this point." "Are you leery of being in the service of a vampire?" "I'm leery of being in the service of a vampire who just stabbed me in the back as I'm falling asleep. But that's neither here nor there. We should get going now, if we want to be on the safe side of the city. I'm a little hungry, in case you haven't noticed. I'd forgotten about that. I'll have to make a point of it every night from now on." "I have some sunflower seeds and bacon in my bag. Let me know when you're done. I'll find you when I'm done eating." Vamp meets you as you walk out of the bathroom. He takes the bag, and looks inside. "Excellent. You seem to have thoughtfully stocked up on food for me." "You said you were hungry," you say, confused. "I'm hungry now! How long have you known me? How long have you known I get hungry out of season? Has it really been that long? Oh, it's comes up. Spring is coming. The hunger is coming. I have to pick up supplies. What else are friends for? Ha, I'll see you soon, I'm sure. You're off to a good start with these." Vamp eats the entire bag of sunflower seeds in record time, and you've barely touched your half of the supplies. Vamp finishes and washes his face, picking up his bag. "Well, you're certainly stocked up. I suppose I'll see you when I get back." "When are you going to be back?," you ask. "I dunno. A few days? I'll text when I'm on my way back. You can stock up more then. I'll see you then, Jacob. I'm sure we'll become great friends. You seem like a pretty cool guy. Just remember, I'm your best friend. No one else can do what I can. Also, no one else can do what I can do. Remember that. And if you ever need help with anything, don't hesitate to ask." You stand there and watch as Vamp disappears into the trees. "I'm your best friend. No one else can do what you can do. Also, no one else can do what I can do. You head over to explain things to Cecilia and Daniel. "I have to go on a quest." "A quest," says Daniel. "What's that? "It's none of your business," You say. You then lock Cecilia in the basement. Of course, she can still hear everything happening outside. "So... what are we doing on this quest?" "Daniel, I have to go on a quest. You and Cecilia are the only ones strong enough to help. I need back-up." "Who else is going?" "Cecilia, Owen, Hazel, and Frank are all coming with me. Probably the most skilled, but they don't have as much experience as we do. You'll have to take care of most of the fighting, and make sure they stay safe. When the zombies attack, get the hell out of the way, then whack the nearest one's head open and shove his brains in." "I thought you were going to teach us something new. You tell Daniel to go to the forest and wait there. But you don't follow him. You stare at him, and slowly begin to fade into the trees. You hope he notices you leaving, but he's too busy staring at his feet to notice. "Zombies are stupid," You raid Cecilia's closet and steal her outfits. A dress and a leather jacket. Nothing else will do, so you rummage through Daniel's room and take his clothes as well, leaving him in boxers and a t-shirt. You then return to Vamp's house. He should be back any minute, assuming he's not taking as long as he usually does. "Vamp should be back in about an hour. You'll be fine if you stay here," "My, my, you look quite beautiful, Jacob." Vamp says. You're not sure if he means it, or if he's mocking you. You don't care either way. You then convince Vamp to move into your old house. Cecilia is still locked in the basement. "I don't trust him. And I don't want you coming and going as you please. We'll be safer in the house, together," "You sure you don't want to stay at your father's house?" "I'm sure. You go to Cecilia's place of work to steal her job. Stealing the radio station is the first thing. You hook it up to the PA system. You then work on stealing the rest of Cecilia's identity. You take her social security card and driver's license, and use them to get a new birth certificate in Cecilia's name. You also get a new purse and car, both of which you stow in the house. When you're finished, you wait around for Vamp. Every night, you and Vamp listen to hear if Cecilia is still breathing. Every morning, you wake up and hope that you don't. She is killed by a teenage boy who drives his car into a lake where she and Daniel are fishing. "That was fast," Vamp says. You hide her body in the basement, finally having replaced her fully. You spend the next few days sleeping. You wander aimlessly, trying to find a reason to go on. You visit Vamp, who sits in her chair doing nothing. She gives you a small smile when she sees you, but that's it. You remember that Vamp is a man, and you stole your wife's life. You're a monster. You don't stay with her any longer. You go to the river and find a rock, and sit down. You look at Daniel's picture, holding it in your hands. Vamp asks you to marry him. You say yes. That night, you drink her dry. You're a monster. She's dead. You feel nothing. You and Vamp grow old together. You grow old. You waste away to nothing, and die in each other's arms. Until finally your vampire transformation is complete. Both vampires, you and Vamp try to reintegrate into society. You feel like a pariah. You want to be normal, but you know you can never be like other simple humans. Eventually, you and Vamp learn to cope with your condition. You kill women and steal their identities. You're not sure why. Perhaps it's some twisted form of vengeance on those who took your true love from you. You wonder if you could one day conquer the world, and live again as a human, but you realize that with each victim your heart grows fonder of Cecilia's replacement, and you can't bring yourself to kill her. Your mind is forever changed, and your search for the truth has been abandoned in favor of simple survival. You're happy. Sometimes you even laugh. You have survived, and thrived, with the help of a vampire. Vamp has proven to be a dependable companion, a thrall even, to you. The two of you share a contentment with each other, and a love. Vompa is your eternal princess. You'll rule as king and she'll be queen. Vamp will be your doting princess. But one day, Vamp says he's leaving. She takes you by the hand, and kisses you. "I'm taking Daniel's boat into town. It's night, so nobody will see me leave." She leaves. You haven't been Jacob Thomas Killenger in years. You're currently Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. You're the leader of Team Never Ending Story. You sit, waiting. Vamp stays out for a long time. Hours pass, and you begin to get worried. "Vamp?" He arrives back home. His face is bloody, and he hides behind a large man. The man has long red hair, and a rather large blade on him. "Don't worry," he says in an old voice. "There was never a Hazel Killenger," The man says. "There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But I killed him. I killed her. I killed everyone. I killed you. Good night, Vamp. Sleep tight, darling." Finally, you go into the basement. You look at the chained up body of Cecilia. You take out your blade and bring it down to slam it into her neck, allowing you to drink... But it's no use. She's already dead. She's been dead for hours. You bang your head into the table in frustration. No blood pours out of your head. You take out your blade again, and this time plunge it into her chest. You drink, and laugh at the death that fills your body. You don't feel a thing. You don't care. You go to town the next night. You take from the poor, letting the government tax the rich. You do it every day. You're still Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But you keep on fighting. You're sure as hell not going to go down without a fight. You finally visit your sister Grace, and explain what happened to you. Her eyes widen when you show her the scar on your wrist from cutting yourself. "This is why I wanted to be a doctor," you think to yourself. "Why I played with Lego's instead of shootin' guns." She hugs you tightly, and you just hug back. You need your sister right now. A few years pass, and you're still fighting. Vamp leaves you for dead, abandoning you in the woods when he realizes he can't control you. As you lie there, you whip out scissors and cut your hair off. It's long, now. It almost reaches your waist. You take off your jacket, and wrap it around your waist. You cover yourself with dirt, leaves and twigs. You wait. As you wait, you remove your makeup too. Eventually, when you're a man again (and you sort of look like a hunchback), you stand up. You wander the forests and woods, taking what you need from those too weak to stop you. The years pass, but the scars on your face tell the story of a man who's been through hell. You're known as The Ghoul. Your son Daniel tries to fight you. "You killed my father!" He yells. You ignore him. Four years later, he has your daughter, Grace. You kill her soon after she's born. Every now and then you see Hazel on the news. She's still fighting against the government. You become Hazel again. You laugh. She still wants to be the first on her team, even if she's last to leave it. You become a hero. As a hero, you go to revive Cecilia. It's simple, really. Just a bite on her neck. You want one of her young, so you can raise it as your own. You tell her you prefer being a vampiress to a man. You don't bother curing yourself of your blood lust, and have her revive you. You become a vampire. Cecilia is relieved she's alive again, and kisses you. You're ready to take over the world with her by your side. You become a group called the "Lesbian Lusters". You laugh. You wouldn't know a Lesbian from a guy, but you go along with it for now. You become a media darling. You let Hazel lead. She had the charisma. You had the strength. You become a vampire lord. You have no army, no territory, no major accomplishments. You reveal to Cecilia your disassociative identity disorder, and Hazel is your other personality. You rage and scream and hit her. You blame her for making you psychotic. You hit her again, then again, then again. She attempts to stop you, but you bite her neck. Then, she stakes you. The psychiatrist says you died instantly. He says Hazel was in control the whole time. You weren't really a happy person, so it makes sense. Even now, you want to laugh at such a notion. Your funeral begins the next day. Hazel showed up, and you demanded she be chained. She was. The remaining VLs show up, as do a few humans to pay their respects. Cecilia visits. Grace arrives to say a few words. Daniel arrives. And that's it. That's your legacy: A failed attempt at taking over the world, and a dead man who's daughter is an abusive alcoholic. What a tragic hero you were. Good night, Mr. Killinger. Sleep tight, 'cause tomorrow we'll kill the world again. At your funeral, Grace (your sister) says, "Whichever was in control, Jacob or Hazel, my sibling lived a fantastic life. They once rescued me and a card box from a slaughterhouse. Today, we don't celebrate Hazel or Jacob, but both the individuals in this magnificent body. The world may be less bright without them, but they would always want us to keep fighting. Rest In Peace, Jacob Thomas Killinger and Hazel Jacqueline Killinger, two great minds." Then, everyone applauds. You're buried in your home of Alton, in your backyard, near your parents and sister. Just another hero with a tragic story. Daniel uses a ritual to summon your ghost. "Hey, Jacob. We need to talk." Daniel sits next to you, and places his arm on the grave. "I know who killed you. It was Hazel. "I killed a person who shares my body?" You ask. "But why?" "She was a lesbian. Possibly trans. That's why she betrayed you. And that's why she killed herself." "I see. Thank you for bringing this to me, Daniel." "Thank you for being you. I'll never forget you, brother." Grace looks at him with a frown. "Who are you talking to?" "No one." Daniel gets up, and walks away. Well. That was an interesting experience. You decide to haunt Daniel. Whenever he has a nightmare, you appear and scare the bejeezus out of him. This continues for about a week, until finally, Grace gets tired of staying up all night to look after him. "Jacob, you need to stop doing this," she says. "Daniel's become a wreck due to lack of sleep. It's not healthy." "Fine. I'll stop." "Thanks." Grace walks away. The next night, you stop haunting. Daniel never mentions it ever again, and life goes back to normal. You'll just have to haunt other souls. You figure you'll go after Cecilia's soul, since she murdered you. When the time is right... Hey there, Cecilia. You almost laugh at the thought of you being a lesbian. She's such a manly woman. Also, how stupid would it be for her to fall for you? You're a ghost. She'd literally be cheating death itself. Nevertheless, you begin to haunt her. Whenever she falls asleep, you appear and scare the hell out of her. She complains to James, who says that he'll talk to you about it later. A few months pass, and life goes back to normal. You continue to haunt Cecilia, to which she continues to come to you complaining. The pair of you continue this cycle. One day, you go to class... Hey there, Cecilia. What a surprise to see you here. You know, I'm probably the only person that actually knows who you are around this school. Everyone else barely acknowledges your very existence. How's high school going for you? You seem bored. Boring, even. I suppose it is. There's not much to do around here. We have a few parties here and there, but nothing to really catch the eyes of the... well, the "masses." You're missing out, Cecilia. I guess James is here with you. Is he prettier than me? (Sigh) He's different. I still haven't gotten used to that. The whole town is full of pretty people, it seems. I think I like your look more. It's not as fake. Huh. I guess you do know me. I guess not, then. I'll just leave you to your babbling... Bye, Cecilia. See you later. You vanish, leaving a confused Cecilia behind you. Later, in detention... Hey there, Cecilia. Why are you sitting by yourself today? It's not like you to be the new person sitting alone. Also, it's probably for the best that you sit by yourself. Weirdos like Jacob don't tend to be popular. Not that you care... So, what have you been in for again, Detention period is over. Oh, you know the deal. You're in for a beating. I'm not even going to bother with a plea bargain this time. You're going to get the full force of my fist, not to mention what other tortures I have in store for you. Terrific. Anything else I should know? Not right now, but if you have something to tell me, I'll be sure to hear it. Well, I'm going to go over the rules... Stay after detention. Don't use the library as an escape route. Don't try to see Cecilia. Don't attempt to leave the school, at all. Got it. Well, you've certainly gotten my attention. A girl from another school trying to romance me? Why don't you just jot down a suicide note and give us a final solution to the problem instead? You don't respond. It's not like you really have much of a choice at this point. detention Wow, didn't expect that from you. I guess maybe I can take a hint. So... What were you saying? You have something to tell me? Yes, what is it? Well... You're going to have to be more specific than that. There's this girl... Well, okay, not just a girl, but she's a really pretty one. Yeah, pretty standard. Well, she's in my class, but I think she's trying to pick me out because she's jealous of me. I also think she wants to be my girlfriend. Hmm, not jealous, eh? That's odd. Well, it's not like I like her or anything, I don't think, but I don't want to make her angry either.... Um... So... What's the problem? I don't want to make her sad or mad.... Oh dear. You've really done it now. This girl sounds like she has some serious issues. If you were a lesser man, you'd probably feel sorry for her. As it stands, though, you still have to take her home, and you have no idea how to do that. You could just say, "Fine, you don't have to come with me. I'll leave." That would make her happy, and you're fairly certain that wouldn't make you happy. You could tell her the truth. Again, you aren't sure if you'd make things better or worse, but you suppose it couldn't hurt to try. You could lie. You'd have to come up with a lie that you're sure she'd buy, because the whole point is to make things easier for you and you're fairly certain it won't be easy. Well, options are options, but in any case, you're fairly certain only one of them is going to be completely beneficial. You just need to figure out which one. Oh, and you also need to tell her the truth, so you can get out of this crap. Well, I'm sure you already know what you're going to do. Yeah. That... Seems like the best way to handle this. It's always so hard to be honest with her. If Cecilia were here, she'd probably say to just tell the girl the truth. That's going to make things a whole lot harder though. Still, this Cecilia isn't going to help you with this problem either. All she's going to think is that you're trying to push someone away because you have a thing for her. Oh well, time to do what needs to be done. So, I guess you're going to have to tell this girl the truth. Well, that's what you're going with anyway. Your other big decision is whether or not to say you have a crush on her. This isn't some pathetic it's-not-me-itis attempt. You genuinely do. You just don't know how she's going to react to hearing that. Is she going to be insulted? Annoyed? Delighted? You have no idea. You're fairly certain the last thing she'd be is flattered though. Girls aren't really into guys who are into them. That's an insult to their ego and it can cause bouts of low self esteem. Even if they don't think it, it still hurts their feelings and that will just make their behavior worse. Still, you have to try. You don't know how you're going to fix things if you don't. You have some ideas, but you're still working on that. In any case, this is the situation: You're going to have to tell her you like her. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but you're going to do it. The question is, how do you do it? Should you just tell her you have a crush on her right after she thanks you? What if she gets angry and accuses you of saying it to provoke a reaction? Do you tell her after she's given you the rundown of all the things that have happened over the course of this adventure? You think you know what you should do, so the question is, do you have the courage to do it? You're drawing a blank on how to act. If you're going to do this, you need to get up the courage. ... Well, this is awkward. You've never had to do this before... You head downstairs to the living room and find Cecilia there, waiting for you. "Hey, Jacob." She says calmly. "Um, hey Cecilia. I was wondering if you-" You stop yourself right there and take a deep breath. This is it. "Cecilia, um..." "Yes?" She asks, turning to you. Why do girls have to be so pretty? This is why you don't ever have crushes. It messes with your mind. Why do you have to be so handsome? Men like you Sp Notification: You have a crush on Cecilia. Current score is 7/25. Spin the wheel! Choose your course of action: You're socially awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. "Cecilia, I'm a girl," You say. She looks at you confused. "What? No, you're a boy." "I'm a girl. I have a crush on you." She raises an eyebrow. "You do?" "Yes." She raises her eyebrow even higher. "I don't think I've ever seen you around before, do I know you?" You gulp nervously. "No, I just u-um... I just sort of had a feeling," You say. "A feeling?" She asks skeptically. You take a deep breath. "My name is Hazel. I live inside your husband's head." You explain. "What? No, my husband doesn't have a stalker." She says. "Really? Because I'm sure he'd be the perfect one to have one." "He doesn't. I promise." "I am his other self," You explain. "But I like you either way." She raises an eyebrow. "You're his other self?" "Yes," you smile. "Do you have a pen and paper? I could tell you more about myself." "Um, OK," She says, fumbling with something. "Do you mind if I ask what you're doing?" You ask. "I'm preparing an explanation for my friends," She says. "If you don't mind." "Go ahead." "So, what's your name?" She asks. "Hazel," You smile. "What are you planning on telling your friends?" "The truth." "Sure," You smile. "I'll be waiting outside." You walk outside and wait for your ride. Soon, it arrives. "Hey Hazel," Charlie asks. "Charlie," You smile. "You're pretty quiet this evening." He says. "Sorry," You say. "I'm a little overwhelmed by all this." "Hazel, welcome to the family," Dad says. "I know you've had a horrible couple of days, and you've come through it. You will always have a home here with us, OK?" You smile and nod. "Thanks, dad," You say. "You want to tell me what's going on?" Dad asks. You calm him down and tell him everything. It goes much smoother than with Cecilia. "That's great, Hazel," Dad says. "We love you no matter what." "I love you too," You hug him. You meet the rest of the family. They seem just uninterested in you, which is just as well. Even if they weren't, what would it change? You had a good time with them. You feel loved for the first time in your life. Soon, it's time to say goodbye. "Bye Hazel," Dad says. "We're so proud of you." "Bye Hazel," Momma and Cecilia say in unison. "Bye Hazel," The rest of the family says. You walk to the bus stop. Charlie is already there. "Hey Hazel," He smiles. "That was quick. You ready to go?" "Yeah," You smile. "Thanks for being my ride. That was really nice of you." "No problem," He says. "Hey, do you want to go to that new hang out place of mine?" "What is it?" You ask. "The top of the Ferris wheel at night," He says. "It's supposed to be really cool to see the city." "Yeah, OK," You smile. "I'd love to see the city." You get on the bus and ride back home, where you quickly fall asleep. When you wake up, it's time for school. You get ready and head off to Mr. K's class. You manage to keep your head down and not pay much attention. Later, when school ends, you say goodbye to your friends and walk home. You walk past the drug store and continue on home, thinking about Charlie's eyes. "I like hazel eyes," He says. "Every girl should have them." You shake your head. What is Charlie on? You enter your home and find your mom and dad waiting for you. "Hello Hazel," Dad says. "We need to talk to you." "Oh," You say. "Alright." "Come into the kitchen," Mom says. "Both of you." You follow your parents into the kitchen. "Hazel," Dad says. "We're going to have to talk about something that's been bothering us. It's about your powers." "Mom, dad!" You say in unison. "Now," Dad says sternly. "Hazel, you have grown considerably more powerful over the years. Powerful enough that you could be a danger to yourself and others, and for that reason we're going to have to tie your powers down. You'll be going to a special school away from normal people." "But I don't want to go to a special school!" You exclaim. "Can't I stay here with you guys? I don't want to go!" "We're sorry Hazel," Your mom says. "It's for your own safety. The school will help us train you how to control your powers more, as well as how to hide them better. It's the best solution." "But I don't want to go!" You wail. "Listen to your dad," Dad says. "This is how it's going to be, so just deal with it." You stand up and you're about to walk off, when Dad stops you. "Just calm down, we're not done yet," Dad says. "There's more. Because of your ability, we're going to have to get you a bodyguard. This will be very hard for you, but we know it's necessary. After discussing it with your mother, we've decided to get Jon." "Jon who?" You ask. "Jon Karson, sweetie," Your mom says. "He's very popular, so you shouldn't have any problems in that aspect. He'll be moving in with us slightly, so we can ensure your safety in a better way." Dad turns to you. "We want you to be nice to him, alright?" Dad says. "No killing, no abusing him, and if he starts showing any signs of having powers then you can kill him." "If," You switch back to Jacob. You don't want to argue with your dad, but you're not going to roll over and take it like a doll. "If what?" You ask. "If he starts showing signs of having powers," Dad says. "It's to make sure you don't kill him, because we still have to go through with the wedding." "Dad, I'm not killing Jon. If he starts acting weird, I'm going to tell him to go to the police, not kill him. And seriously, he can't have powers. You told me so." "Well, I'm not sure," Dad says. "I mean, I guess we can test him to see if he's... well anything for now." You sigh. Jon might actually be a fake. You didn't think it was possible, but you actually hate this guy a little more right now. "Fine," You say. "Good, good!" Dad says. "Great work as always, Hazel." You just want to go to bed, but you have to go with your dad. Instead, you decide to just wait in the car. A few minutes pass, and you start fearing the worst. "Jon!" Dad says, walking out the house. "We need to go." Your stomach drops. Jon stands outside the house, dressed in a nice suit. He smiles at you, looking genuine and friendly. "You're Jon Karson," You say, still in shock. "Oh, I'm so sorry sir!" He says. "I didn't recognize you in your younger form." "No, it's alright," Dad says. "Where's Hazel?" "I'm here," You reply. "You can let me out of the car." Jon walks around to the passenger door, and opens it for you. "Hi, I'm Jacob," You say to Jon. "It's a... small world, isn't it? I know all about you." "Oh?" Jon says, raising an eyebrow. "What do you know about me, Jacob?" "You don't have powers," You say. "At least, I hope you don't. I hope you're all clear." "You can check," Dad says, pulling out his phone. "I want to prove that it's safe, Hazel. Come on, Jon." "Okay," Jon says, stepping onto the street. "Thanks for being so honest, Jacob. I appreciate it." "No problem," You reply. "I'm sure I'll see you around, Jon." "Okay, darling," Dad says, as you roll the window back up. You watch as the two men walk towards a police car, and you start the car and pull away from the house. You stop for a moment, then grab your dad's phone. You look up the number to call the police, then realize you're sitting in a ' police car '. You put the phone down, and try to forget about it. "What was that about?" Dad asks. "Jon Karson," You reply. "Your date for the wedding." "He's not my date," Dad says. "He's your date." "Either way, I'm late for school." You pull into the school parking lot. A police car pulls in right behind you. "Hi, I'm Jacob Thomas Killinger. How may I help you?" You ask. "I'm Officer Karthun," The police officer says. "You're the boy who found the dead body, aren't you?" "I am," You reply. "We need to talk to you about that." You pause for a moment, before opening the door and getting out of the car. You shake Officer Karthun's hand, then follow him toward the school. "So, did you have to go see the principal?" Officer Karthun asks. "Yeah, after you called. I get in trouble. I'm sorry for the confusion." "It's alright. Confusion is good. It means you're human, Killinger. The world would be a very boring place if everything were perfect, no?" You don't really understand the joke, but you don't have time to worry about it now. You wait in the empty hallway for a moment. "So. About that dead body we found a little while ago..." Officer Karthun begins. "Yeah?" You reply nervously. "Well, do you know who it is?" "Not really," "It's actually my wife, Cecilia, from my previous incarnation," You say, overpowering Hazel. "Oh. Um, I'm so sorry for your loss," Officer Karthun says. "Thank you," You say. "So, did you know each-?" "I have to go." "Alright, Killinger. Talk to you later." "Bye," you say, trying not to sound too eager. You walk quickly to the administration office. You open the door and walk inside. "Hello?" You call. No response. You walk inside and see no one. You look around the room, but see no one. Then, you hear a scream. "SHIT!" You yell, as you look around for the source of the scream. You walk over to a door on the far side of the office, leading into a bathroom. You open the door to find a girl, around your age, with blood all over her. She screams again as you open the door, and a large man comes charging out of a nearby stall. "STOP!" He yells. You don't really have a choice, as he grabs you by the scruffy beard you were forced to grow for your dad's employer, Mr Scamander. "You're coming with me," he says. Along the way, you explain everything that's happened. "But in short, just call me Hazel," You finish. "I'm Karth," You say, as you extend your hand. "I'm Cecilia," She replies, taking your hand. The three of you walk into the principal's office. You sit in the waiting area, as Karth and Cecilia explain to the school what's happened. Soon, Mr Dendar appears. "Hello, Cecilia," He says. "I'm very sorry for your loss. I'll do everything in my power to solve this case, so Karth, you need not worry." "Thank you, sir," Karth says. "What can I do for you two today?" Mr Dendar asks. "We found a dead body in the woods," Karth says. "The dead body was mine in my previous incarnation. I was reincarnated into this form with the same name as last time, except now I have powers," Cecilia explains. "I'm confused. How did you die?" Mr Dendar asks. "I was murdered," You say. "Wait, you're saying you were murdered?" Mr Dendar says. "Yes," "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "Interesting. Well then, I suppose this would be a good time to introduce you to the school nurse, seeing as there's two of you." "Mr Dendar, we're not hurt," Cecilia says. "We're fine. "I'm also not a reincarnation like these two," Karth says. "My parents were murdered when I was a baby, and I had to live with an adopted family. It was the evilest man of all who did this deed. So now, I want to learn how to avenge their deaths by being at this school." "What are we going to do?" You whisper. "I want you both to finish your free period, pack a bag, and meet me in the student lounge at five thirty." "Why?" "Because I'm doing you a favor. I'm giving you the chance to avenge your parents. If you refuse, there will be consequences. See you there." With those last words, Mr Dendar leaves. You and Cecilia begin to head to your lockers, but Karth calls you over to him. "What's wrong?" You ask. "I just wanted to thank you.' Karth says. "Mr Dendar is a complete idiot who needs to stick to being the soccer coach. I know we just met, but I trust you and Cecilia with my life." "Cool," You smile. "I'm glad to be able to help." "Just don't fail me." "Never." The three of you finish packing, and head to the lounge at five thirty. When you arrive, Karth immediately takes a seat in the back, and makes himself scarce. You don't understand this behavior, until you notice the tape the police have placed across the entrance to the lounge. "What now, dad?" You whine. "Can't we go in?" "No." "Also, did I mention we have a big family?" You say. "Six siblings, we're all blond." "Can we go outside to talk?" You ask. "No." "Is there a window we could go through?" "Well, what are we going to do? "I don't know, but my parents are just powerless mortals," Cecelia says. "I think we should take the tapes and the money, and give them to Mr Dendar. Then, we can all protest about not getting our funds." "Yeah, wouldn't that be nice?" You say. "Okay, what's plan B?" "I can't recall any," Cecilia says. "I guess we could just leave. I mean, there's no tape across the road entrance. We could just sneak out that way." "I don't think that's a good idea," Cecilia says. "Mr Dan-" "Dendar. Correct." "Mr. Dendar will not be able to do anything about the police. We need to stay and see this through." "Can we at least put the tape back so we know where to go?" "I don't think that would be a good idea, seeing as they took our tape to begin with." Plan B is discarded. You wait for three hours before you see Mr Dendar, who looks absolutely exhausted. You notice his tie is crooked and there's a tear in the sleeve of his jacket. "Give me the Philosopher's stone," He says. "Give it to me now." "We haven't even seen your film yet," You say. "The movie isn't important! Give me the stone! I need to destroy it!" "Why would you want to do that?" "Because it's a threat to my existence! I have to, there's no other option! "You're the guy who killed my parents possessing Mr. Dendar, aren't you? What's your name?" Karth asks. "My name doesn't matter. You'll all pay for what you've done." "No, we'll give you the stone. I have to agree with Cecilia though, we need to protest." You go back inside, and hand the tape back to Mr. Dendar. "I'm sorry about this," You apologize. "We can watch the movie some other time." "No, please, do it now!" He says. You hit play, and Ben Elton's 'We Hate You' song starts to play. The cashier begins to speak. "Hello, and thanks for coming to my theater! My name is Cecilia, and I'll be your host for tonight. Before we begin, do any of you idiots know how to work a tape deck?" Nobody does. "Hey, give your sister this old diary to pour her feelings into," Mr. Dendar says. "It's totally not gonna possess her to paralyze all the norm kids here and bring back the guy inside me in a secret chamber." Cecilia hands out the diaries and tapes. "Now, please pay attention, because I'm only gonna say this once." The intro starts, and the movie begins. You watch the movie 'Ghostworld', which is about two teenage sk8r girls, one popular girl and one awkward girl who becomes friends with her. "Also, in case a werewolf comes to teach here, it will probably attract your godfather, Karth, so be on the lookout for him," Mr. Dandar adds. Suddenly, you're hit by a bolt of lighting and George A. K. McRory's 'Extra Pain' starts playing. George A. K. McRory is a werewolf. "I'll make my grand reentrance during your fourth year, while Karth is in the Three School Tournament and gets his friend killed, but me resurrected," The entity in Mr. Dendar adds. "I'll also take over the town, turning everyone into a-" You raise your hand. "Whoa there, Dendar! I know what you do! But... Why...? "Because this will attract the woman I'm planning to have overthrow your principal the year after that and make your lives miserable," Mr. Dendar says. "I'm... A very petty being, but so incredibly right in this case!" The movie ends. "I'm also going to let my double agent who works here loan you an old notebook to use in your worst class, which won't be your worst anymore once you get ahold of it, all during the occuring war," The entity in Dendar says. "I'd let you read it, but it'd probably mess with your mind, as most students' have in the past. This is your warning, Karth. I'll be watching you. I'm everywhere." "One more thing, Karth, I've split my soul into seven pieces, which you three must find the year after that, during which I'll completely take over your school and have an epic battle with you," The entity finishes. Mr. Dendar flees, and you, Karth, and Cecilia look at each other. "I don't know what that was all about, but it can't be anything good," You say. "Well, the notebook will help us with number four," Cecilia says. "Number Four?" You ask. "Yeah, there's a ritual to banish children'sspirals to. We'll have to do it when the time comes." Later, you decide to perform the Ritual to Summon the Gatekeepers in the abandoned mineshaft in the woods. The only thing you can figure it is, you need the help of beings that went through the gate. You just wonder what other help they'll need to make sure the spell is completed. You summon the gatekeepers, who you learn are beings of pure, unending hatred. The beings begin to circle you, before one of them begins spouting a series of numbers. "He's calling the order of gladiators! Get 'em off the field!" Mr. Demar shouts. You raise your weapon, and begin firing upon the horde of celluloid monsters. You cut down a few, before you're struck by several spears made of flame. You fall to the ground, as the horde continues to attack you. The only thing you can hear is the laughter of the gatekeeper horde as they file out of the stadium and into the night. And then, the world goes black. You wake up in the mineshaft, covered in dirt and grime. You're alive, although you have multiple bruises and a broken leg. You feel like you've ran a marathon. "Karth!" Cecilia shouts. "You're alive! Are the others alright?" You look around, noticing the gatekeepers surrounding you and your allies. "Did you get them all?" You ask. "They're all here," The leader of the gatekeepers, a pale, gaunt man covered in burn scars says. "Except for that one." He indicates Cecilia with a nod. "The little one was incredibly difficult to catch. I don't know how you managed to avoid them all, Karth, but we're very grateful." "I'm not Karth," You remind Cecilia. "I'm Jacob, who in our previous life, was your husband that you murdered. I hope we don't make this mistake again." You stand up, and see the bodies of your friends lying on the floor. "What... What happened?" "The gatekeepers were very effective," Mr. Demar says. "Karth didn't deserve to die," Cecilia says, tears in her eyes. "He was doing so well against the demons. He risked his life to save mine. And now... Now he's gone. But at least he lives on in glory!" "It's okay, Jacob, you always have me," The Hazel side of you says. "I'll always be here to keep you grounded. Remember, life isn't fair. What happens, happens. You can't spend your life blaming others or you will also meet the same end. "I love you, Jacob," Cecilia says, kissing you. "Be happy." You nod, and turn to the leader of the gatekeepers. "Gatekeepers, I want you to know, I greatly appreciate all your help during this incident. If there's anything I can do for your order, let me know." "We will," He says. "You've been a great help to us as well, Karth. We hope that you will stay with us, at least for a while." You smile and nod. "Of course," "I'm Jacob, you idiots," You say. "You can leave now. I'll take it from here." "As you wish," Mr. Demar says, sighing. "We'll be in touch about the details of your stay." The gatekeepers leave, leaving you alone with Mr. Demar. "Well, that was exciting," Mr. Demar laughs. "I thought you were going to die there for a second. Your two personalities (Hazel and Jacob) fight for a good response. "Well, I guess you are stronger than I am," Cecilia says. "I know I am. I'm so glad both of you made it." "I'm happy to help," Mr. Demar says. After a long moment of silence, Mr. Demar leaves you alone with your wife. "Cecilia, do you remember Daniel, our son?" You ask. "Do you think he's still alive?" "I hope so," She says. "That boy was so full of life. Just like you." You nod, smiling. "I'm glad I could help you both out," You say. "Daniel would be proud." You hold her hand, and she holds yours back. The two of you look at each other, and know. This was the happiest Cecilia had ever been. None of this will have solved anything. The dead will still be dead. The living will still be living. Nothing will change. But for now, everything is good. END Now an old man, Daniel Killinger decides to pay a visit to Hogwarts. He didn't get the chance to visit the last time he was here, something about Professor Quirrell not needing any help at the time. He is shocked to see his parents are students there, and reincarnated. (Well, his mother is and he isn't, but you get the point.) He decides not to approach them, as he knows how terrifying ghosts can be. "Daniel!" Cecilia (his mother) says. "It's so weird to be older than you!" His father (Jacob/Hazel) adds. "Are you here to send us back to our graves?" Cecilia asks. "No," Mr. Killinger says. "I just came to visit, I didn't expect to run into you guys." "Reincarnation is fun, son," Jacob says. "Especially keeping your memories and your feminine side." "I... Think I'm gonna head home now," Mr. Killinger says, a bit scared by the ghosts. "It was nice seeing you guys." "You can't just leave," Cecilia says. "Where's Daniel?" "He's, uh, outside," Mr. Killinger says nervously. "You can see us?" Daniel asks. "When Hazel and Jacob showed me their souls, I could see you." "Daniel, what's wrong with you? Why do you have a hard time talking to people?" Cecilia asks. "The main character in my book can't interact with other people," Mr. Killinger explains. "I made him that way so the allegory would be more powerful." "Allegory?" Jacob asks. "It means a story with a moral, or a story with a deeper meaning," Mr. Killinger slightly composes himself. "The main character in my book, The Ugly Duckling, represents someone who may never be accepted by society no matter what they do. Always different, never like everyone else, but with great potential inside. "So, just like how I was never accepted because I have Hazel inside me?" You ask. "Yeah, I think so," Mr. Killinger says. You are about to ask another question, but Mr. Killinger starts to walk away very fast towards the door. "Daniel, wait!" Cecilia says. You let her parent go, and head home yourself. You end up in bed, drifting off to sleep. You hope you don't get nightmares. "I told you not to follow me!" You hear a voice say. You slowly turn over in your bed, staying perfectly still and quiet. "It isn't worth it, my little shadow," the voice says. "You lack the power to fight me, and you know it." "Leave Cecilia alone," you say, continuing to try to get a read on the voice. "Never," the voice hisses. "I'll kill her and everyone you care about, one by one." "Who... Who are you? Show yourself! " The shadow looms over you, and you grab your crucifix, holding it up and preparing to fire. "Relax, Daniel, it's just me," the voice says. "Your mother's in the next room. She doesn't know anything's wrong, I made sure of that. However, if you stay here your end is going to her." "My end?" you ask. "What is it?" "I need you to perform a task, Daniel. Go to the top of that big tower in the east and search there for a golden egg. Crack it open and grab the card inside. Then, bring it back to me." "What? Why should I do that?" "Because if you don't, your end is going to be much... darker." "Okay, I won't do it," you say. "Now stop threatening me and leave my mom alone." "So uncompromising. Well, I guess I'll have to kill you after all. Oh, how disappointing. I was hoping to avoid that." You heart starts beating faster. "However, your mother has a much... pleasurable end in mind for you. She wants to see you... permanently." "What...?" "You have a choice, Daniel. I'm giving you a chance to live out the rest of your short life any way you want. You can be a normal boy, go to school, get a job, have a family, and die peacefully in your sleep one day. That's what your mom wants. Or, you can be a warrior. Be strong and courageous. Take up the mantle of the warrior and live a life of adventure, going from one dangerous quest to the next. You'll be a real hero, doing grand deeds and going down in history. You'll gain the admiration of everyone. However... you can never let yourself get soft. You can't let yourself have pity or remorse. You can't have a girlfriend. You can't wear clothes. You can't touch anything that's alive. You can't... have children." "What the hell are you saying, you sicko?" "I'm saying, Daniel, that you have a choice. But, make the right choice, and it won't have to be an easy one." "What...?" The voice then gets quieter and quieter, until it's completely silent. You look around, but find nothing. The room you end up in is much bigger than your bedroom. There's a desk with a computer on it, a closet, a small bookshelf, a dressers, and a few other pieces of furniture. An exit is nearby, as well as the door you came from. You're not sure what to make of hallucinations at this point. You're not even sure if what you just experienced was a hallucination. Your surroundings seem somewhat familiar, and you feel like you've been here before, but you're not sure where. "Welcome to Team Never Ending Story Lair!" a voice says. You turn around and see the speaker. He's a boy with brown hair wearing a black t-shirt and black shorts. His eyes are hidden by a mask with a red grin, like that of a beast. He has several piercings, including his tongue, eyebrows, and navel. He holds up a hand to stop you from saying anything. "Don't worry, Daniel, we'll make this as easy for you as possible. Take off your clothes, and get in the circle." There's no way out of this, you're sure of it now. It's very similar to when that girl trapped you in her car, only you have no idea what's going on here. This is some seriously mental stuff. You don't want to go through with this, but you don't have much of a choice, do you? You take off your shirt and shorts, leaving you in your underwear. The boy looks over to a note he's holding, then back at you. "Put these on, and put the mask on." You comply, putting on the t-shirt and shorts and putting on the mask. "Good. Now, grab your weapon of choice." You do so, lifting up your BB Gun. "Now, step into the circle." You do so, entering an oval shaped symbol drawn onto the ground. The walls seem too clean to be real, and there's no windows in this room. You wonder if it's even real. "Excellent," the boy says. "Let's begin." He holds up a small card, revealing a list of numbers. A pen is then produced, and the boy draws a line through the number 5. "This is your number. Now, choose your weapon." You look around, spotting a lighter and a box of matches on a table. You grab the lighter, using it to light the box of matches. "What's going on?" The boy glares down at you. "You ask a lot of questions, Daniel. I'm going to make this really easy for you. Take the lighter and set the box on fire." This is getting weirder and weirger. You do so, watching the matches burn. Nothing happens. "Good girl," the boy says. He holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe." He shows you a series of other symbols, each with a different meaning. There's one that looks like a skull with a diagonal cut out of it. you think you guys can restore my parents Jacob and Cecilia to the bodies and ages they would have today if they hadn't died or become vampires?" You ask. "We can try, sure," the boy says. "But it's really, really hard. We're not going to do it. I'm going to show you a sign, Daniel. Whenever you're asked a question you don't want to answer, or you don't know the answer to, use this sign. It'll save you from a lot of pain and suffering." He points to a symbol, a combination of two crossed swords overlaying a "X". The boy holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe. "Stop repeating yourself," You say. "Look, I want my parents back to normal. Do you have any idea how weird it is to have a dad with two souls in him?" "Weird?" The boy says with a chuckle. "If it was weird, I'd say yes. But since it's perfectly normal, and perfectly natural, I can't help but find it weird too." "What are you even talking about?" "I'm talking about-" The boy pauses, looking confused to as you. "Do you know what a split personality is, Daniel?" "Sure," you say. "Multiple personalities." "Right," the boy says. "Multiple personalities. It's when a person's mind splits into different people. It's quite common, especially in those who have experienced trauma in their past, like you. My name's Jacob by the way. "That's my dad's name," You say. "I'm Daniel. What are you talking about? What's a split personality?" "Easy," the boy says, writing on the notepad he has. "Imagine your mind as a movie. Your movies have scenes, those are our concepts. Your mind has a Director who puts the scenes together, and an Editor who cuts out the unnecessary parts of the movie, leaving only the best for last. Your mind also has a Cast, who are the people you think about the most. If one of them is a murderer, you might have thoughts about murdering them. But, you don't act on those thoughts. Your mind has a illnesses and traumas, that are the worst for your movies of the mind. People with split personalities have Multiple Personalities. Let's take you as an example. "That would be my father," you say. "His other personality is a woman named Hazel," You look at the boy with confusion. The boy gapes his mouth, shaking his head a bit. "He doesn't know?" "Knows what? What are you talking about? Who is Hazel?" "Honestly?" Jacob says, raising his hands up in defense. "I don't know. Not even sure if she is real. Mom says she's the spirit of his dead girlfriend." "His... Girlfriend?" "Sure," Jacob says, shrugging. "Dad's always had a thing for blondes, and he went out with Hazel for quite awhile when he was in college. Even after he got together with Mom." You're in shock. "You're my brother?" You ask. "I had a brother? Why didn't you ever talk about him?" "He didn't exist," Jacob says. "Sorry, Daniel." You're speechless. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Why do I feel connected to you?" You ask. "Who are you really?" "Who am I really?" Jacob asks with a laugh. "I'm your imaginary friend! Anytime you have a question, just ask God!" "I'm not religious. Ask literally any other question and I'll answer it." Jacob rolls his eyes, before shrugging. "Ok, fine," he says. "God, are you real?" The pencil stops. "Am I real?" God asks. "Am I alive? Yes. Am I a man, or a woman, or an animal, or a color? "Or maybe you're like my dad, and both of the first two options," You say. There's a long pause. "Am I your God?" God asks. "... Yes." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "I don't think so," God says. "I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before." "... What way would I know? I'm just a man." "Are you black or white?" "What? No." "Ok, what about the TV? Are you a light or a dark color?" "Why does it matter?" "Because some people have asked me that. Black and white. Good and evil. Man and God." "... I'm not either. I'm... multicolored." "I'm confused," God says. "Are you a TV or not a TV?" "It's not a TV. It's a toaster." "Ah. I see." "Can you stop being a toaster and just stay a TV?" You ask. "Because I need one, and I really don't want to get a toaster." "Well... I could try," God says. "But I can't make any promises." "Trying is better than not trying, right?" You ask. "Sure," God says. "So... Can you please try?" "I'll try to restore your parents to their proper bodies and ages," God agrees. "But I canonly give you my word. It's very difficult to alter the flow of time. I may or may not be successful." "Try," you say. "Please." "I will," God says. "I promise." "Thanks," you say with a sigh of relief. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Dad?" You say, waking up back in your own bed. "Dad, I had a weird dream." "... Well, what did it entail?" You take a deep breath. "God was a toaster." "WHAT?!" Your father says. "How do you even know about toasters? "I don't know, but it promised to restore you to your proper body. Your proper age. But how does Hazel feel about that?" You ask. "Do strange things happen to her body when you go back in time?" "I don't know! I told you, I never went back in time. There was nothing for me to go back to! "I know you're wrong, Dad. But we need to fix this. I'm glad you chose reincarnation, but we need to reverse this. Save both you and Hazel, and Mom as well." You say. "I can't do it, son. I'll stay a child forever if I have to, but it's just not worth it. I have everything I want." "What do you want, Dad?" You ask. "I want to be a kid again." You sigh, and your Dad just stares at you with a smile... Well, there's two of them. You're not sure if a third one is even possible. And that's something you need to solve. ... "God, why won't you listen to me?" You scream. "I'm your creation, surely you should be able to contact me! Am I doing something wrong? What the hell am I doing wrong?" "Does this involve me?" God asks. "No." "Then why don't you just ask the person who can? Your Mom. She's the one that went back in time." "So what? She's not listening to me either! I tried to tell her, but she doesn't want to listen!" "Maybe she prefers ignorance. At least, until she's caught up to 1970." "Is that all you have to say for yourself? Why aren't you helping me? You're supposed to be all powerful!" "And I'm telling you I'm not doing it." "GOD DAMNIT! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SO FROM CONFLICT?! I PRAYED TO YOU! I PRAYED YOUR HOLY NAME! I PRAYED FOR YOUR HELP!" "And? What do you want me to do, intervene in the world and risk my own existence? Why would I do that when I have no guarantee that you would be successful or not risk damaging my own existence in the process? You're on your own kid." "But..." "Don't bother asking me to stay. You know why?" "No." "Because I'm not a god. I'm just a voice in the darkness that's playing judge, jury and executioners. Good luck kid. " And just like that, the darkness fades and you're left with nothing but your bed and a very tired father who is putting his head down. "What... What time is it? "Time to take control," Hazel says from your dad's body. You sit up and your mind is flooded with the voice of Hazel. "Sorry about that. Like I said, it takes a bit of energy." "You... You did that while we slept?" "Yep. Took a while to get the hang of it, but it's actually not too bad." "So you could've killed my Dad?" "No. I couldn't do that without your consent. And I didn't kill him. I just put him to sleep. I also didn't know how you were going to react. That's why I spoke to you first. You try to stand, but feel dizzy. You sit back down. "Now, now, calm down. We've got a lot to discuss, so don't pass out on me." "Can't we just talk? You said you'd answer any question." "Oh, we can, but not right now. First things first. You're in grave danger, and I'm the only one that can help you. But I need you to listen to me. No questions until we're finished." You nod, though you feel as if you should be suspicious. "Alright. Briefly about me, I'm a time traveller. That's the entire short answer. There are many more questions you'd like to ask, but I can't answer them. Not yet. However, I will answer the most important one right now." "What?" you ask nervously. "Do you trust me?" "..." "No?" "... I'm not sure. Why does it matter if I trust you?" "Because if you don't, everyone I say from here on out is going to be used against you. I can't trust you to not betray me. Now, do you trust me?" "I don't know." "Lucky you. It's a livable answer." Hazel laughs. "Alright, let me give you a little more information. I am from the year...." Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. ".... We're currently in the year 2540." "... What does that mean? I don't even know where to start." "Where do you want to start? I'll tell you everything I know about the world, and you can tell me if it sounds correct." "... OK. Go ahead." Hazel begins to explain. A few years after she left, the virus spread throughout the world. She said there were two major factions that formed, the New-U.C.O.N. and the U.S.A. The New-U.C.O.N. was a world government that took over after the virus had taken over. They introduced the five pillars that are still in use today.... Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. "Hazel?" You wait for an answer, but none comes. "Hazel? Is that your name?" "Yes." "Well, Hazel, I'll see you around some time." "Sure. Goodbye Jacob." Your father regains control of his body. "Goodbye, Hazel. Something wrong, son?" "No. I'll be going to bed early. See you in the morning. Goodnight, Hazel." You head upstairs. You're exhausted, and you're not even sure what time it is. "Goodnight, Jacob. Sleep well. The next day, you ask your dad if he'd ever want a separate body from Hazel. His reaction is negative, he says it's not worth the hassle to him. You end the conversation. You continue with your new routine. You wake up at 6, get ready, and head off to school. On the way there, you run into views, a giant box with a human body. He's a descendant of the original Views. Now, he has a mind so spread out that he has over ten thousand eyes in his head, all but one eye being able to see in all directions. He stares at you, and you stare back. You realize you both haven't said a word. "Hello." you offer. "You have glasses." views states simply. "Yes, I do. So do you." "I have many eyes." "I have many friends." "Do you play games?" You think for a second. "Yes, I play games." "Can you help me be better at games? So that I can get more friends?" "I can try, but I don't think you want many friends. They will crowd you out." "How do I get rid of them?" "You can eat them." You think for a second. "Can they be left alone if they're left alone? I don't want to get rid of them, I want to get along with them." "Sure. You can eat every other one, and just have the others stay. What do you play?" "Games. I like games." "I play spades." "Do you want to play a game?" "Yes." "Then we'll play spades. Come on, I'll walk you home." You spend the rest of the day with views, eating crickets and getting to know each other a bit better. He's surprisingly fun to be around, and you have a blast playing games, especially Monopoly. That night, you dream of Hazel. "Hi Hazel, I had fun with views." "I'm glad, I'm glad you had fun. But, why did you do it? Why did you leave me? Why can't you stay?" "I can't stay." "I need you to stay, with me. I need you. You're my friend, Jacob. Please stay! Stay with me!" "I can't stay, I'm sorry. Please don't cry." "I'm not crying, you're making me cry! Why are you making me cry? I'm not a, I'm not a... I'm not a--" "What, Hazel? What are you?" "I'm a child! I'm a child! I want to play, I want to play! I want to stay a child! Please make me a powerful, fun-loving child again! Please, please, pretty please! Pretty, pretty please with sugar on top!" "I can't make you a child, Hazel. I'd make you a monster if I could. I'm sorry, but I made a deal. I have to stick by it." "I don't want to be a child again! I want to play, I don't want to think! I want to feel! I want to live!" "I'm sorry Hazel, but you have to grow up. I'm sorry. I wish I could take away your pain, but I can't. No one can. But I know the way you can deal with it. Get drunk, and play more games." "No. I want to feel something else. I want to feel... I want to feel love. I want someone to love me. Can you do that? Can you love me, please?" "I'm sorry, Hazel. I can't. Please, leave me alone. Go find a boy your age to play with. Or... or get a job. Get a job and pay off the debts you've acquired. That's an option, but you'll eventually grow out of it. That's the best I can do for you." "So I'm a dumb hound!" "No, Hazel. You're not a dumb hound. You're... well, you're a weird hound, but I'll always remember the fun times we had together. Always. Good luck, kid. And if you happen to run into views, tell him I said, 'Hello.'" "I will. Jacob shakes you awake. "Get up, kid. We have a meet." You stand, and follow Jacob to his van, where you notice two large binders on the floor. "What are those?" "Those are my insurance forms. The binders, not the hound." He opens the passenger door, and you climb in. He closes the door, locks it, and climbs in the driver's seat. "So... What now?" "We drive to the meet." "Where is it?" Jacob keeps his eyes on the road, but turns his head to you. "It's in that big, yellow building on the hill." He points out the window. "Just head up there. I'll text you when it's time to leave." You stare at the hill in confusion. "Do you want me to go undercover as a hound, too? So I can go in the big yellow building?" "No. there's no point in you doing that. You're not a hound." "I'm not?" "You're a human." "I'm not really a human, though. I'm..." "What? Different? Interesting. I guess you'd literally be the only human in the building, then. It's called the 'Humanis'." You turn to stare at Jacob incredulously. "You're kidding, right?" Jacob turns off the road to a parking lot filled with dozens of cars. "No. I'm not." "So what are you exactly?" Jacob sighs. "I don't know. I'm a human who does stuff with cars and other assorted machinery. I guess you could call me a 'mechanic', but lately I've been trying to break away and do my own thing. I dunno, I'm not really sure of what I am. "You're my father," You say. "And a pretty cool aunt too." "Don't really have a close relationship with either of them. They're alright. What about your mother? Do you have a close relationship with her?" You think for a moment. Hazel takes over. "His relationship with Hazel is strained, but apparently it's a little better with his mother. You could say they get along." "Is that so? How do you get along with her?" You hesitate. "It's me, Hazel. I took over the body now. Are we going to the Humanis? Jacob's hand was pointing to it." Hazel says. "Yeah. I suppose we are." Jacob smiles at the response. A smug, happy smile that you didn't want to see right now. "How old is Jacob, anyway?" You wonder out loud. "Your father, Jacob, and thus me, are 540 years old," Hazel says. "Vampirism and reincarnation." "Oh. So you're, what, a hundred and fifty years old?" "Something like that." "Jesus. That bites. How old are you, Hazel? "540. Just like your dad," Hazel says, as you pull into the Humanis parking lot. You shake your head, and exit the car. You can see the group sitting around a large table. Mr. Reynolds is there with his two lackeys, Nick and Carter. Also there are Kyle, arguably the weakest of the Creations, and a vampire you don't know named Lucas. The latter stares at you as you approach, but says nothing. "I want my dad and his split personality returned to their proper body and appearance, as well as my mom." You say. Mr. Reynold's smile drops. "No deal. You're just too risky. I'm sure you understand." You stare at him in disbelief. "You're lying. Of course you have them, what are you even doing here? Did you kidnap them? "No. I'm just a businessman here to contract people. Sort of like you, I suppose. You're a new vampire, correct? No ties to the old one? You can't be concerned with what we do with his remains." "You put my family in a lab! You're not a proper human! You need to give them back!" "I'm a businessman, thank you very much. I have my reasons. You're too risky to be given the chance to turn them back, hence us not doing business. Time will tell if I'm right or wrong. Either way, your role here is over. I'm sorry." "No! We made a deal!" You yell, getting in his face. Mr. Reynold backs up a bit. "Jacob, settle down! We need to talk!" "Don't you dare touch them! Your father Jacob arrives, back in his Jacob persona. "I like being young. But I admit, my son as an adult and me as a kid is weird. And I'll probably be dysphoric later too." You sigh, and Jacob notices. "Should I turn back into a kid? Do you have something for the dysphoria?" You look at him. The kid you knew was gone. The adult was a shell of his former self. You have no idea what would happen if you gave into your desires now. But you did what you could for him. You nod. "Do it." Jacob nods, and turns back into a child, a year older than he actually is. Mr. Reynold's eyebrows raise. You then turn his body back to his original one, with Hazel's long hair, makeup, and dress. His eyes shut close and he opens them again. "Jesus, Jacob! What the hell did they do to you? "Hazel, I restored your proper body with my powers," You say. "You should be able to have it back now. You don't need to be a kid anymore. You're a grown woman." Jacob's face and body switches back and forth between ghouled form and his normal one. He collapses to the ground. Mr. Reynold rubs his eyes. "Is that really my son? Did he fall under a curse?" "Yes. Yes he did." Mr. Reynold sits down on a nearby bench. "Then time has taken him away from me. "I feel so powerful!" You scream. "I did the same thing to my mother too! Now they're as I knew them!" Mr. Reynold holds his face in his hands. Jacob gets up, and it appears Hazel is in control. "Your powers? This is terrible, Daniel." "What do you mean? He needs to have full control of them," You say. "He shouldn't have even one. This isn't a zombie curse, it's mass hysteria! Vampires are supposed to have horrible memories of their mortal lives, not maintain their sanity from one moment to another!" You frown. "Then what do we do?" "You don't want to know. You probably do want to get out of the open, though. Come on. We'll go in the woods. They can't do anything in the woods." "Yeah," You sigh, following her. "Let's go to the woods. It's going to be weird, but I'm used to weird now." Mr. Reynold calls out to you. "Are we leaving you behind?" You look back. "No. I'm coming with you." "We're going to be back soon. You'll be fine here. We'll get Hazel's body back shortly and you can put it to rest, got it?" "Yeah. "I never had my own body," Hazel says. "This was the best I got. And I still share it with a man. I don't need one." Jacob sprints ahead of you in the forest, leaving you to chase after him in a playful manner. "We should probably talk about what just happened." "Yes, let's go through it again," Jacob says. "There are some things I still don't get." "Fair enough." You begin to talk about what had happened since Jacob had left. About how you came back from the dead and briefly talked with Ben, some of the other adventures you had on your own. You cover most of what had happened since he last saw you. "Interesting," Jacob says. "So are you God then? I mean, that's what I'm gathering from all this. You're telling me you've been doing all this for years, and you're only just now reaching your full potential?" "Something like that," you nod. "Although I suppose it would be more like... I'm at my apotheosis." "Apocalypse please," Jacob says. "Apocalypse please," you nod. "So what now?" "Now? Now I take over the world." Jacob laughs. "If you're asking me, as a friend, advising you, as a fellow ruler, whatever you want to call it... Don't bother." "Don't bother? What do you mean? This is what I was born for! This is my goal!" Jacob shakes his head. "No, no, no, no. You were not created for that. You were created for... something else." "Well, you don't have to help me! I can take it on myself!" Jacob laughs again. "That's not what I mean. "You're our son," Hazel says, gaining control. "We wanted you to defeat the vampires." "Yeah, well things change," Jacob says. "You're above them now, whatever you are. You don't need to prove anything to them." You're quiet, and think for a moment. "It's weird to see the same person contradicting themself," You say. "Ha ha ha ha!" Mr. Reynold laughs. "Yeah, you'd expect that from a vampire, not a group of proud ghouls. I'd expect at least one of them to have some moral ground, but they're worse than the mortals. Honestly, I'd rather be a on a team with you mortals than my own kind, even Ben." "Ben's a good friend," Jacob says. " "Benelux is long dead, Jacob," Views says. "It's time you move on. Go retire with your wife. Let your son handle things." Jacob nods. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I didn't mean to step out of line. I'll go." Hazel nods. You watch sadly as Jacob/Hazel leaves, knowing they won't be happy when you get home. You also know it's probably best that they're mad at you, because if they weren't, they'd see that you're doing the right thing. They may not agree with it, but they know you're doing it for the right reasons. You turn to the ghouls. They look horrible. Their skin is pale, except for in the crimson spots caused by their open wounds. Their bodies are frail, and they walk with a limp. "So, what do you say?" You ask them. They still haven't said anything. "What are you waiting for? Do you want to be Vampire Clansmen?" Slowly, they nod. "Good. Come with me." You lead them out of the cave, and into the village where they can find new clans to join. You spend the next few days setting up a system where the ghouls can be fed and find mates. You make sure there's plenty of ghoul meat and female ghouls. You set the stage, so to speak. Then, the vampires show up. You're expecting a diplomatic visit, but instead, you get a violent one. A large group of vampires storms the village, and kill all the ghouls they find. They're on a mission to avenge their fallen, and they won't stop until every last one of them is dead, or you are. You had no idea. You thought you were doing this for the greater good, but now you're not so ^ sure. Ben and Cape seem to think you're still doing the right thing, but how do you really know? You head out to the massacre with vengeance on your mind, and find yourself in the middle of a massive battle between your kind and the so-called "New Vampires". You face a group of ten vampires, along with Ben and Cape. "I told you all this would happen!" a female vampire screams at you. "You're monsters! Sons of Satan!" She roars, and attacks. If looks could kill, you'd be a pile of ash. You fight back, attacking the female vampire. You almost feel sorry for her, until four of her buddies attack you. You quickly dispatch them, and then feel a hit to your back, Cape's sword plunging into you. You stumble forward, Ben finishing you off with a slash to your throat. "No! I thought we were supposed to be allies!" Cape complains. "Never mind that! We need to go after the boy, before the rest of them get to him!" Ben points towards the remaining group of New Vampires, who are struggling with a large, pale man. Jacob/Hazel, the "boy" you saved earlier. You quickly hobble over to your allies, before the vampires get away. Unfortunately, your injuries get in your way, and you're cut down by three vampires with ease. You lay dying on the ground, when you hear a voice. "So, this is how it ends...for you and me." A voice says, echoing in your head. A familiar voice... "Wait! I have a message for the new Vampyr! We meet again, some twenty years later." The voice says. "This one's the real deal. My Master shall return! And this one'sFFlowers will herald his homecoming! So keep your mouth shut, lest I slit it open and drink your blood! Do it for Tom! Do it for me! Pray, for you're going to need it! Funny how I got all my information about you from your orphanage- Master will be so pleased to hear that I've already managed to infiltrate your little group. Ha ha! Until we meet again, Vampyr! Drink! Savor! Feed! FEED! FEED FEED FEED! You are Jacob Killinger, who shares a body with his female alter, Hazel. You and your wife Cecilia are devastated by your son Daniel's death in battle. You are the last of the true Master vampires, who fled the city after the destruction of the last safehold. Now, you have been singled out by the Vampire who calls himself "Master". He is the only one left, and he has been looking for you. You have no idea what he's talking about, but if he wants you to do anything, it's blow out your brains. You are dead. You and Cecilia make a run for it. You make it out of the city, and are caught by a group of hunters. You are put on display, strung up in a wooden box, with Cecilia alive and in a box of her own. They are waiting for the Vampire. You know it's only a matter of time. He finds you last. The box is opened, and he walks forward... "So, the last of the old bloodline. I heard you fled the destruction of the last holdout, but I had feared it was you. So, now you finally face your end. I have so looked forward to this! You bite his neck, removing his vampirism. You drink his blood, draining him of life, as he tries to fight back But his powers are gone, and you are too powerful now. You go into shock as Hazel takes over. She leads the hunters away, killing them as they attempt to shoot her. She finds a nearby stream, and uses her powers to hide you from sight. You'll be able to get high enough for her to heal you. For now, you're just in shock as the blood loss takes effect, and you either become dazed or pass out. You awaken in the morning, lying in a bed of hay. Cecilia looks over you, revealing she found a barn for refuge. She also misses Daniel. You both talk about what to do next. You need to get to the nearest city. The two of you exit the barn, and begin heading towards it. As you encounter no humans hostile towards you, you're able to safely rest. But you need to sleep, or you won't have the strength to walk to the city. Make a City Brdlog The two of you find the nearest city, which is Pittsburg. It's large and bustling with activity, which worries you. You turn into Hazel while eating in Pittsburgh with Cecilia. Even though she doesn't remember it, you still have a faint memory of the place. It was the first city you ever fled to. You know it'll be the most likely to have a large community of other Hunters. You enter the city, and you're immediately harassed by a human. "Hey baby, wanna have some fun?" he says, leering at you. You grab his head and twist. His neck snaps, spraying blood onto his friends. "What'd I tell you fellows about harassing the help?" a man chides. "The ghouls look like the help to me," another says. You dispatch the three men with ease, and continue on your way. You enter the bar you were hoping to find. It's filled with humans, drinking and laughing. "Cecilia, I'm here," you say. A woman with a scarred face and a man in a suit come out from the back. "Jacob! We thought you'd be dead!" "It's Hazel, Jacob's personality is sleeping right now," You reply. "But we managed to escape. Still missing Daniel." "It's Cecilia, I'm here," she says. "We need to find the others. We need to find Pittsburg, the closest city." You nod. "Cecilia, what happened to you?" you ask. "Why are you both scarred?" "Long story," she replies. "But we'll tell you all about it in a moment. Can you please find the others for us?" You nod. You head outside, and see a man beckoning to you. "Hello!" he says. "Are you new here? I'm Henry, the bar tender. "I'm Jacob, and I have a split personality named Hazel," You say. "I've heard about you. I'll be able to help you, if you want to get to know the city. There's a lot of good eating spots and bars to go to," Henry says eagerly. "We need to find the others," you say. "They went that way," Henry points over your shoulder, heading towards the highway. "If you want to find them, I can get you a table..." You decline Henry's offer, and run outside. sprinting over the highway and into a wooded area. You find your friends standing around a campfire. "You got her, kid," Henry says. "Take care of her." You turn to Henry. "What's going on?" "Your girl's got some explaining to do," Henry says. You walk over to the campfire, sitting on a log next to Cecilia. "What happened to you two?" you ask. "We're ghouls," she says. "It's a long story." You nod, and wait for her to continue. "For the record, we're not actually friends," She says, changing the conversation. "Three," You add. "We can never have a serious conversation," she says, sighing. "But I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to listen to my complain about my boyfriend. I assume you want to know what happened in the city?" "Yes," you say. "There wasn't much," she says. "The city's still standing, for now. But it's going to fall soon." You nod slowly, knowing she's telling the truth. "We need to find a strong leader to lead us," she says. "You could be that leader." "I don't know what you mean," you admit. "We would follow you," she says simply. "You have the most power, and you're the only one here with any combat experience." "Why me?" you ask. "You seem nice," she says. "Ones," You reply. "Do it plural. Hazel and I are a package deal." "I thought you were the nasty, evil side of me," She says. "I like the nicer, sweeter one." You shrug, and smile. "I like the one I'm on," You say. "But I'll always be part of Hazel, no matter what." "We need a plan, then," she says. "The city's leader, Gabriel, will probably be at the stadium. If we sneak in, and kill him, the city'll fall." "Why not attack it now?" "Because it's heavily guarded by mutants who are crazy, and we can't take them out without serious losses. They don't call them horrors for not raisins." "We need a better idea," You say. "How about we go in, and you lead us?" she asks. "All you need is a few people." "I'll think about it," You say. You go home that night, thinking very seriously about whether to join forces with the ghouls, or continue on your own. The next day, you wake up late, and meet Hazel for school. "You're later than usual," Jennifer says. "Are you alright?" You shrug, not feeling like talking. "It's me, Daniel Killinger," You say, assuming the identity of your dead son. "They're planning to kill all of us, soon. We need to go on the offensive, and fast." Jennifer stares at you. "You alright, bud?" she asks. "You look very pale." "I'm alright," You say, shaking your head. "Just a lot on my mind." "Alright then, we'll talk later," Jennifer says, turning around. "Bye, Hazel." As you leaveclass, you feel someone pushing you from the back. You fall to the floor with a thud, and open your eyes, to see Cecilia smiling down at you. "I'm sorry," she says. "But you're too slow. I just need to get to class now." "Cecilia!" you hiss. She gives a taunting smile. "What? You're old. You're not going to do anything." You growl, slowly getting up. You can feel your anger rising, and you're not sure how to control it. You try to take a deep breath, but you feel your lungs filling with blood instead. You snarl, grabbing her by the hand. "Jacob left for the night, Hazel here," You say wickedly. "And I'm the girl who's gonna replace you again and again." "Jacob...?" Jennifer asks, confused. "What's going-" You quickly launch into a vicious bite on her throat, the taste of her warm blood filling your mouth. After a few seconds, you release her, and she falls to the ground, coming to a stop on her knees. Running over to Cecilia, you quickly turn her around, and sink your teeth into her fragile spine. She lets out a scream, which you muffledly whisper to be end. After a few seconds, you let her fall to the floor, and look up to see your friends standing there. "What happened?" "Hazel took you over and went psycho," Cecilia says, kissing you. You look at her, confused. "You... Killed Jennifer," she says. "And I think I know why. You really liked her, didn't you?" "That was Hazel, I'm Jacob, honey," You say. "Go... Apologies..." "I'm confused," Cecilia says. "Who are you?" Gently, you pick her up in your arms, and turn to walk home. "I'm your story," You say. That night, you're tucked up in bed, reading Team Never Ending Story, as Hazel reads to you from her laptop. The next day, and the next, and the one after that. You continue to go through with Hazel's plan, until, a month later, you wake up. You have two daughters. "Our babies are so cute," Cecilia says. "As are there names, Dani and Noel. They can never replace Daniel though." "How do you feel?" "I feel... Happy," You smile. "Happier than I ever have. I have a family now." "I'm so glad," Jennifer says, smiling. "I missed you. "This is Hazel, and Jennifer is my girlfriend, btw." You say. "Neither one of you need bother coming over ever again." "I'm very happy for you," Jennifer nods, as Hazel smiles. "No more cheating?" "Not a single tear will fall," You smile. Jennifer dies. Cecilia and Jacob make out. A year passes. fateful day You wake up in the morning, as you usually do. Except today, you feel very hungry. You yawn, walking into the kitchen. As you do so, you notice an unusually tall man in a black suit lean against the wall. "You must be Hazel," he says, staring at you. "I'm Frank. We have to talk." "No we don't," you reply. "I have nothing to say to you." "Let's just say... How do I say this? That was a really impulsive move. I mean, kidnapping a pizza boy? I'm surprised they haven't found your body yet." "You don't know anything about my situation," You reply. "Go bother someone else." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand." "I'm not talking to you." "Let's just say, I'm on your side," Frank says. "You understand. I mean, I know you're young, but some day you'll understand. You're smart enough." "You're not going to blackmail me into anything," You say, as Frank nods. "I understand. I respect your decision. Anyway, we need to talk." "We don't need to do anything," You say, as Frank shakes his head. "Just leave me alone." "No, it's important. Look, you go down to the basement," Frank says. "I'll meet you there in a few minutes." You nod, as Frank heads up the stairs. You sigh, before going down the basement steps. Down in the basement, you find Frank waiting for you. "Hello, Hazel. I need your help," He says. "I told you to stop bothering me," You say. "Leave me alone." "Please, just hear me out. You need to go down to the basement. You're going to have to free the Pizza Rats." "What?" You ask. "I'm not freeing psychos." "Please! They're not what you think they are!" You turn back into Jacob. "Huh? Are you Frank?" "No, I'm Jacob. But you don't need to know that. You need to get in there and do what Frank says. It's an order. You head down to the basement, where Vamp's dead body is. He's been stripped of his skin, which you throw off the ledge. The rats squeel, scuttling to hide. "Who's there?" You hear from down there. A pizza rat gobbles up Frank, so you resurrect Vamp. You wait for a bit, before the rat comes back. "Come on! We gotta get outta here!" Vamp says. "We found another safehouse! Come on!" You and him get to the safehouse and make out. A few days pass. "Did you hear about Steve?" Vamp asks. "No," you reply. "He's dead. They found him in his house." "Who found him?" Cecilia runs into the safehouse. "I did. And just so you know, I support us being a throuple now. Or a quartet romance, considering Hazel is here too." "Cool," you reply. "What's the situation with you two?" "David openly asked me out last night," Cecilia says. "It went well. Expect him to take me out sometime this week." You kiss Cecilia. "And Jacob?" She asks. "He flat out asked me out too, but I'm scared to death of him. Just remembered, he put a vampire into a deep sleep the last time we met," You kiss Vamp. "I should be so lucky to land you," He says, kissing you. A few days pass... "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jacob asks, pushing you away. "Don't you love it when Jacob and Hazel fight, since they share a body?" Cecilia asks Vamp. "Shut up," He and Jacob say in unison. Jacob grabs you, and kisses you. You push him back. "What the hell, Jacob? "Ew, he's trying to kiss himself," Vamp laughs. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you," Jacob says. "Do you remember the time when we stole the candy from the store?" "Uh... I don't think that was me," Vamp and Cecilia decide to run off. "Let's play snap." Jacob and you are alone. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise," You say."Why didn't you go out with Bianca?" Jacob frowns. "I wish I had control of our body," You say. "I'd make you go out with her." "I'm pretty happy with the way things are." Jacob pouts. "What the hell, we'll switch bodies for the rest of the night," "We can't switch bodies, genius. We only have one." "Oh yeah, that's a great idea," you say. "These lowlifes broke our spirit." "Let's go get drunk," Jacob suggests. "Then Bianca and I can switch bodies." "That would make me swap bodies with her too. But I guess it would make you all woman," You sigh. "What do you prefer?" Jacob asks. Vamp reveals he has another power. He finally gives you a body of your own. The catch is, it looks exactly like Jacob's. "Do you want to do it now?" You nod eagerly. "Just say the word, and I'll make you my new man," Vamp replies, eyeing you up and down. "Okay, now it's like kissing my transgender identical twin," You say. "I feel weird." You and Jacob go into the bedroom, and fumble around until you're in a state of arousal. It's been awhile since you've had relations with a trans man. "Aren't you worried about, um, getting pregnant?" You ask. Jacob laughs. "What are you, a mother?" Jacob slides into you, and your spirits lift as you begin to thrust. "I'm really enjoying being in your body," You tell him. "I'm really enjoying being in mine," He says. "I want to go out with Jacob!" your inner Bianca shouts. "Why am I trapped in this stupid body?" "Mmmm, Bianca... I could get used to this." With the realization that you're not in charge of your body, you and Jacob begin to have rough relations. You push Jacob down on the bed and begin to bite at his neck, drinking deeply of his blood while Jacob thrusts up into you. Suddenly, you both release together as Bianca's consciousness erupts into chaos. "I hate my body! I want to be free! I hate Jacob, he's controlling me, he and Bianca are the same, I hate them both!" Jacob pulls you close to him. "I love you," He says. "I love you too," You reply, snuggling up to him. Yuo and Jacob laugh uncontrollably as the voices begin to get louder and louder inside your head. The bed shakes from the sheer force of Bianca's screams for help. Meanwhile, outside the room... Cecilia and Vamp decide to end the madness. They merge you two back into one body. "Is it over?" You ask. "Yeah, it's finally over," Vamp nods. You breathe a sigh of relief, feeling your body beginning to cool down. Meanwhile, the room is silent. Even Bianca has fallen asleep after her exhausting screams. "I don't know how I feel," You say. "Neither do I, but we need to talk about it," Jacob says. You are Jacob. You are Hazel. You two are one. It's midnight. Less than twelve hours until the world ends. "I'm scared," You say. "I'm scared too," Jacob nods. "What are we going to do? We can't let this happen." "Unfortunately, our best option is to concede defeat and let the world end," Jacob says. "But we can't just give up. There has to be something we can do." "I'm pretty good with technology," You say. "I might be able to help." "Really?" "Yeah if we have time to mess around, maybe I can think of something." "I don't know," Jacob says. "We might be having our own personal apocalypse soon. I'm not sure if messing around with our death clock is the best idea in the world right now." "If we're going to survive, we need to do it," You say. The room is silent once again. Soon, the three of you come to a difficult decision. "Do you really think the world's going to end tomorrow?" You ask. "No, but I don't want to die either," Jacob says. "I'm with Jacob," Vamp says. "I think we need to do everything we can to survive." After a moment, you nod. "Alright, I'm in," You say. "Terrific," Jacob says. "So the three of us will work on this together as a team until the very end." "It's so weird to hear you say the three of us, because you're literally in the same body," Vamp says. "Do you feel weird too?" "No, I guess not," You say. "I'm just happy you're with us, that's all." "Alright, then let's begin," Jacob says.is a story set in the real world, not some stupid vampire story! Gnarl: Call me crazy but I'm not tryin' to be some stupid vampire. I'm just hungry. You: Then go eat a freaking garlic sausage! Gnarl: Pfft, that stuff don't work. I either am eating chicken or I'm drinking peoples blood. The Dancing Polish Cow starts dancing and singing in Polish. You: Do you speak English? The Dancing Polish Cow: N-n-no. You: What the hell is going on? The Dancing Polish Cow: I'm Polish. "The real world?" Cape asks. "Oh no, I hate the real world!" "It's boring. Nothing happens." "I'm Victoria, Cape's girlfriend. We're going to steal the Stone of Creation from the Nazis." The DPC then speaks Umherländisch to you. You: I don't understand you. What do you say? The DPC: I'm saying I'm sorry. You: For what? The DPC: For being Polish. You: Oh. It's okay. I'm not really mad at you for being Polish. Beat: Of course not. The DPC then speaks in human. The DPC: You look very pretty. You: Well... The DPC: I like your eyes. You: Thanks. The DPC: We should go to the same party. You: No! The DPC: Yes. You: No... Beat: Ugh. This game sucks. The DPC: I like your eyes too. You: Wow. Thanks. The DPC: I have somewhere to be. You: Okay. Beat: Whatever, I'm not playing this stupid game any longer. Beat goes to the bathroom. You're sitting on a tree stump by yourself. You have no idea what to do. "I'll go look for Cape," you decide. You exit the woods and start walking around your town. "Hazel," you say. "Species?" "Human." "Odd, I don't sense any Pokemon or anything." "Just humans then," you say. "Fine. Mickey, 8a." The man walks up to the screen, staring at it. "Alright, Hazel, you're up," the voice says. You walk up to the screen, looking at the two strangers staring back at you. "What do you want to bet?" He pauses for a moment as his eyes grow wide. "Mickey!" he asks. "You're not in?" "I be fine, 8a," he says, his voice clearly showing his annoyance. "Okay, Hazel. You're in luck, 8a has a slightly better chance. You have a ten coin bet. What are the odds?" "Five to four," you reply. "Hm, ten to one is good for me. I accept," the man says. "Thanks, 8a!" he smiles. "Are you sure? You're pretty... sure?" "Sure I'm sure, 8a. Cheers!" 8a smiles, raising his glass. You raise your own glass, finishing the drink. "Do you have any names?" he asks. "I'm Hazel," you say. "I'm 8a," he says, sticking out his hand. You shake it, smiling. "Well, Hazel, it's late. Why don't you head to your room, and I'll see you in the morning." "So, Hazel, what do you think of our little town?" he asks. "It's quite quaint," you say. "Yes, it is," he says, smiling. "Okay," you say. "Alright then, sweet dreams, Hazel." "You too, 8a," you reply, smiling at him. You walk away, heading to the room. You walk upstairs, walking into the room. You look around, finding your bed. You sit on it, staring at the ceiling, wondering where the hell you are. You stare for a while before closing your eyes, and drifting off to sleep. In the morning, you wake up in a panic. You forgot to ask him about his name! You panic for a second, before you remember that you have a meet and greet in the morning. You take a deep breath, and head downstairs, putting on a large, purple shirt and a pair of denim shorts. You walk down the stairs, being met with the sight of hundreds of Oalkwardners cheering. "HAZEL!" they yell. You smile, waves of cheers going through you. "How many did you do last night?" "800!" "That's good! That's good!" You walk forward, receiving a fist bump. "I'm so happy you're here!" one of the Oalkwardners says, leaning in.

> Foury hears police sirens. "I'm Mitzi, what's your name?" "Hazel," you reply. "I've heard a lot about you! It's definitely an honor to meet you!" "You too."You spot a group of humans, led by a police car and a fire engine. "Hey!" you shout, waving. "Over here!" The Oalkwardners look at you, confused. "What's going on?" "Everything can wait, Mitzi! There's a fire! Over there!" Fries cuffs Foury. "I'm going to miss that dog," he says, pulling up in front of the fire engine. Firemen begin to swarm out of the truck. "Alright, listen up, you meat bags! There's a fire at the stadium!" The crowd instantly goes into an uproar. "We need water, we need water, we need water! Get some water on that fire!" The firemen look at you, and you look at the crowd. "I don't know how that works," you say. "By convention, the Mayor handles emergencies! I'm the Mayor!" Fries says. "I can ask for help from other towns, and they can ask for help from others... It's just a chain, y'know? But I gotta ask you folks to help as well! We can't let this stop the game! Alright, get out there and get drenched, harnesses don't protect your pretty little heads when the water's flying! We need this game to go ahead! Now, into that fire! Chimney's full of 'em! Let's make some history!" You all sprint into the flames, as the firemen begin to hurl buckets of water onto the fire. "Ah, that'll fix 'em," Fries grins. "Now, let's get you kids home before it gets dark..." You're led onto a bus, and driven away from the stadium. Police sirens blare. "Alright, alright, let's calm down," Fries says. "It's all good, man. Just get home safe, all right?" You exit the bus, and are met with your friends. "You're late!" Becca says, grabbing your arm and pulling you away from the crowd. "I met the Mayor," you say. "Yeah, but he didn't get our autographs!" Lucy says. You shrug, and head into the stadium. The view from the stadium balcony is incredible, as the sun sets in the distance. "Do you think they saw it?" Kyle asks. "I don't know," you say. "Everything happens for a reason." The game goes ahead, and it's an exciting match. The Oalkwardners win, and as the crowd leaves, you see the Mayor. "Hey, Hazel!" he says. "It was an OK first impression, I guess. Let's try this again..." You walk down the stairs with the Mayor, and are greeted by a small group of protestors. "Scumbags!" one says, throwing a packet of raw meat at them. "You're letting them use the stadium, as well as giving them free food and drinks! That's exploitation! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, letting those uncivilized beasts in to use as pets! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, all of you!" The Mayor raises an eyebrow. "Is there some sort of problem, sir?" he asks. "Yes! There's a problem! Not enough of us to stop the exploitation!" the man says. "We need jobs, we need pay rises, we need-" "Hello?" the man's friend says. "You never told us you owned a zoo." The protestors let out scattered laughs. "He's joking!" one says. "Ha ha!" the man says. "Stop being such child-" "No, I'm not," the Mayor says. "I certainly didn't." "Oh, my God, you did!" the man says. "You pranked us! You created a zoo to introduce exotic animals to kill people!" "No, I didn't," the Mayor says. "Now, would you mind letting me through? I've got an important speech to give." The man nods, and the group shuffles aside. "Well, I'll be damned," the first man says. "I guess you have a sense of humor after all." "Good night," the Mayor says, pushing past them. He makes his way down the stadium steps and onto the road, before taking a cell phone from his pocket. "Hello, Kate," he says. "I met the kids, yeah, we had a good time, sure. Yes, I think that went very well. No, everything's fine. I'm going now, have a good night." He turns and waves to the stadium crowd, grinning. "Good night, everyone!" he says. "Thanks for coming out!" He ends the call, and tosses the phone into his pocket. "I hate to cut this short, but this is very important. Yes, I'll see you tomorrow." He walks away from the stadium, and out of sight. "Well," he says, turning and heading off the road. "I guess I head off now. I've got a long journey ahead of me." He disappears into the trees, leaving you all in the middle of the road. "What the hell was that?" Lucy says, fiddling with her bracelet. "I have no idea." "Are you alright?" Kyle says, standing up. "I'm sorry if we offended you." "You didn't offend me," you say. "Not my problem." "Let's get out of here, then," Lucy says. "I don't want to be caught in the middle of whatever that was." You all head off the road, back into the trees. "So…" Lucy says, a few minutes later. You get a call from Charles Calvin, a helicopter pilot who is on a mission with you. He's never been the bravest of men, but he's always been fairly level-headed and responsible. You call him, and he answers on the first ring. "Hello? Mr Matasumara?" "Yes." "I saw the speech. It was very inspiring." "Thanks," you say. "So, are you coming?" "Me?" he asks. " "This is Hazel Matasumara, formerly known as Jacob Killinger. For some reason I'm transgender or something, my name keeps changing." "Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry, Mr Matasumara. I would've remembered your name." "Please, it's okay. Anyway, I was sent here to invite you to join us. We're heading to the nearby island of Kor and we need men like you to defend it from destruction. Are you interested?" "Oh, yes I am!" Charles replies. "I'll get my things packed right now!" "Good," you say. "I'll see you soon." "Okay, I'll be there tomorrow." "Great. See you then." You end the call, and look at your companions. "Well, that was easy," you say. "We're going to Kor." "I'm not sure what to make of all this," Kyle says. "I mean, I've read about the Killingers, and they seemed like a pretty bad family. But Charles? He seemed like a nice guy." "He seemed pretty nice," Lucy says. "Any idea what he did?" "Well... Charles killed his wife and kids." "WHAT?!" you all say in unison. "Yep," Charles says, popping the "p". "I'd forgotten how to spell it until you all reminded me." "That's insane," Lucy says. "How do you know? Are you sure?" "I'm pretty sure. We had a job together, well, before I joined the ECS. I was with the police at the time, and taking a break at my parents place. My partner at the time had taken off, so I was home alone for the weekend. I got a call from the local police station saying there had been a triple homicide. I got dressed, grabbed my gun and badge, and went over. The poor guy that was at the station when it happened said he didn't know what to do, so he called me. When I arrived, I found the husband and his two kids... killed. The local detective had long since left, so I took over the case. After taking the husband's statement, I looked through the house. The first room I went to was the bedroom. On the left wall, I found a picture of the husband and his family. On the right wall, I found a picture of me and my family. The first thing I did was look through the rest of the house, but I didn't find anything else. I mean, I found some other incriminating stuff, like his gun and some pills he hadn't really needed, but those were there because the former owner SIDED WITH ME! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! I later found out his wife had sold their house and the bank account had been closed. The husband didn't know anything about it, and neither did the local detective. I mean, I knew. I'm a cop. I know these things. But they didn't." "You don't know how the husband was taken," Hazel says. "It could've been a trap. Maybe he came by himself. Maybe the wife came by herself. Maybe they had help. Maybe the people who took him were the same ones who killed his family." "Could be," Charles says. "So what happened to the family?" Lucy asks. "Did you ever find them? Did you ever find out who did it?" "Yeah, I found both. It turned out the husband had an ongoing gambling debt to some guys. One of the guys he owed money to was the guy who killed his family for revenge. He framed me by killing the husband and making it look like I did it. I was fired from the force, arrested, everything. The real killer got away with it, too. I had to go into hiding. I got arrested and spent time in prison." "Fancy way of saying you got beaten up and nearly killed," Charles says. "The ECS set you free, for a favor. You're a marked man now. You can't go back to your old life, so you joined the ECS. We'll protect you... for a price. I assume you refused to work with the Syndicate again, and this is where our paths split." "I thought you were a hero," the boy says. "I thought you went back to your old life so that you could go back to put the bad guys behind bars, not so that you could become one yourself. I guess I'm not that far off. Either way, I won't say anything. I know my place. I'm not a cop anymore, I'm not a criminal, I'm not a hero. I'm a sheep. A lamb to the slaughter. So be it. I'm ready to die." "You won't be dying tonight," Charles says. "Sheep have the highest mortality rate of any caste. Most are slaughtered during their training. The eternals are practically devoured by rats and other sheep shortly after being born. It's part of the process." "I'm sure the sheep you were training tonight will be alright," the woman says. "I'm sure they're being well taken care of and taught to fear the Lord. Perhaps some will even be chosen as part of the sacrifice. And so they should. They're already an example to all of the dedication and loyalty that Able had." "Indeed," Charles says, looking at you. "Now, let's go see your new home for the night. Then, you can meet the rest of the class. Then, you can be sacrificed to the holy man, or you can escape tonight. Your choice." You nod and get up, following Charles out of the room and into another, outside of it. A large, grey, foreboding looking wall of stone appears out of the ground, with a large iron gate in it. "Welcome to Castle Oren," Charles says. "Better known as simply 'the cave'." "It's huge," you say. "Are there... are there more of these underneath the city?" "Many many more," Charles says. "All shapes and sizes. Most of them are abandoned or never used, to allow the other shadows to have a slight edge in recruiting. Ah, here's the man responsible for all this." A tall, skinny man with long hair, a goatee and wearing a long, black, hooded cloak walks up. His face is stern, but his eyes are twinkle as he looks at you. "Ah, Jacob. Here's your sacrifice. I told you the new one would be late, but you didn't need to go rushing here. You could have waited half an hour. Charles Calvin, Your service to the ECS is important, but not more important than the holy mission of spreading the gospel of Dendrin's shadow. It's very important that we look maintain a certain appearance of righteousness." this is Jacob. Don't trust him, but don't insult him either. He's really quite angry at poor communication." "Anything else I need to know about?" Jacob asks. "Not really. I think that about covers it. You're in charge of the new recruits, by the way. We're all just here to assist you." "Good," Jacob says. "I can use all the help I can get. Well, let's get started then. I'm sure you both have a lot to do." Arabic music starts playing. "Yes, sir," Charles says, as you follow him through the iron gate. "Alright, let's dance," Jacob says. "It'll be good for the soul." Jacob draws his sword and runs towards you. You hastily draw your own blade, and block his path of approach. "What the hell, Jacob?" you complain. "Just protecting the honor of our Lady," Jacob says, blocking your attack. "She's in there," he says, pushing you out of the way and pointing to the cave. "Inside. I'll be guarding her." With that, you walk past him and enter the cave. Inside, it's dark, as to be expected, but there are a few torches on the wall. You walk past the dancing shadows and up to the one you know contains Olive. She sits in a corner, rocking back and forth and staring into space. "Olive? It's me," you say. Olive slowly looks up at you, and slowly stands. She doesn't look any worse for wear, other than the obvious. "I can't. I just... I can't anymore." "Now Olive, you've got it all wrong. Of course you can. I saw..." "I know what you saw, Charles. What we both saw. I betrayed you. I can't..." "Olive, no. That's not true at all! We've gone over this a hundred times! I was weak. The shadows won't survive without me. Please, my love, you mustn't have faith in Dendrin. We will win this war. We just need time." "Charles, I'm sorry. But it's the truth. Dendrin's just using us. He's probably laughing at us right now. I don't even think he cares anymore." "Then it's true? Is that why you've been acting so strange? What the hell happened? Out with it. I want to know." "I saw him. Dendrin, watching us. I've seen him do it before in my dreams. He just watches and laughs at our pathetic existence. I'm sorry, Charles. I think I've been bewitched." "By Dendrin? But how..." "I don't know. I've been having these horrible visions. He just looks so happy and beautiful in them. I try to resist, but I just... I love him, Charles. I just do." "Oh, Olive, you don't know the first thing about love. You're still a girl. You just think you know something about it because of..." "Please, don't Charles. Just leave me be. I can't talk about this anymore. It makes me sad." "Olive, I'm not going anywhere. You're my friend, and you'll always be my friend. I'm not going to let you throw your life away over something that's got to be a mistake. I know what love is. I know what it feels like." With that, you grab Olive's hand. She tries to pull away, but you tighten your grip. With her other hand, she attempts to pry your fingers open, but you only squeeze her tighter. "Let go of me, you monster!" she screams. The two of you continue to struggle for a while until Olive eventually knees you in the stomach and head, causing you to release her. Both land on the ground and you grab Olive and squeeze her tightly, almost to the point of strangling her. "I'm sorry, Olive. I just... I don't know what's happening. I..." "I know. Me either. We'll figure this out, okay? We'll find a way to fix this." You hold Olive for a few seconds more, and then slowly let her go. "Jacob, you are not Charles Calvin!" Your sister Grace says from your phone. "And Views and I are still in the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse!" "There's a war going on outside, Olive! I can't just sit here and do nothing! I have to fight!" "Jacob, you can't go out there! Look, we've got a plan. We'll lure the shadows outside, and we'll flip their own plan against them. Then we'll drive the shadows back to the exit, where you can chop their heads off with an axe!" "Yeah, I love the way I love me some flip and drive 'em back to the gate! Alright, I'll be there as soon as possible. You can do this with your brother, Olive!" "I will! Thank you, Jacob!" You turn to your sister. "Grace, you need to flip and drive them back to the gate. Okay, you've got the hang of it, now do it! I know you can do it!" "I'm scared!" "So be a big girl and crush 'em, okay? You've got the strength for it!" "Okay!" "I love you, Grace. Be brave." "Bye, Jacob!" "Bye, Grace! Bye, Olive!" "Bye, Jacob! See you later!" With that, the two flip out of the house and perform their assigned task. Now's your chance to get the hell out of here, before any of them realize you're still here. Option 1: Run. The house, however, goes silent. There is no more yelling, no more crying. Everything has gone silent, which causes you to tense up. "By Dendrin, I hope they can do this." You say, readying your sword. You march on the house with caution, before finally... "Jacob? Is that you?" a voice says. You turn around, and see... "Ben? What the heck are you doing here?" You say. "I'm here to help, like you wanted." "What... the hell happened to you? Charles Calvin flies away in his helicopter. Are you okay?" "I'm fine. (Sigh) I'm a little tired, but I'll heal." "What about the others? We need to go save them." "I think... "I'll explain everything once we get out of this alive, let's move!" Ben says. You proceed to follow Ben as you try to keep up with him... You awaken alongside Ben and Charles as it is now nighttime. You're standing next to a tree with the Shadow Battered Baron in it. "Call me Benelux," Ben says. "I'm sorry you got caught up in this. I'll explain everything once we get home." "Where is home?" You ask. "Green Eye Farm." "Okay. Home it is then." While it seems that things are looking up for you, you have some concerns. "What the heck happened to you, Ben? You're covered in blood and your body ripped apart!" "You'll find out later." You proceed home, as you ponder what the hell is going on. When you arrive home, you sit down in the farmhouse and Ben joins you. "So, tell me about your friends." You tell him everything you know, or think you should know. It isn't much, but it's enough to get the story underway. "So... that's it." "Yeah. I guess so." "And you believe that this Olive girl is some sort of hero that can take on the entire Shadow Guard? That just seems kind of hard to believe." "Well, I don't know much about it, except that she's apparently the chosen one of Dendrin." "Hm. I suppose that does sound a bit impossible, but..." Ben pauses, before getting up. He begins to pace, as he seems to think hard about something. "Just crash here." "What?" "Just crash here. I gotta go do some work by myself. I can't have you doing that thing you do, it messes up my concentration." "What, living in a house full of women?" "Yeah, those too." You really have no reason to decline this since you're tired, and it'd be nice to sleep in a soft bed. However, something doesn't sit right with you. "Ben, is everything okay?" "Sure! Why wouldn't it be?" "I dunno, you're acting really strange. Anything you want to tell me?" "Like what? You think I'm having an affair with my mom or something?" "Well, it was sort of just a wild guess." Ben bursts out in laughter. "You think my mom's having an affair? I'd say the chances of that are about the same as..." He pauses, before raising an eyebrow. "As finding pure essence of bonelesbians in the average human's body." "Pure essence? That's a rather odd way of describing them... I mean, what about the halfelesbians?" Ben burst out in laughter again. "Halfelesbians? Please. If you're referring to the species of feline being described as such, then no, they're not actually a separate species at all. They're just a very skoshy variety of our own common cat. A pretty, skoshy cat." "Aren't they?" Ben nods. "Yes, yes they are. In any case, I'm not having an affair. Mom's fine by me." "Oh. Well, that's good to hear." "Good night, Jacob." "Good night, Ben." You go upstairs, and collapse onto your bed. Normally, after a long day, you'd stay up to do some of your hobbies, like reading or writing or such. However, with all that's happened, you feel like you just want to sleep off the week. You drift off into a deep sleep, with the nightmares once again plaguing you. You awaken to the smell of fresh baked bread. You sit up, and look out your window. It's still night, but a faint moon gives off just enough light to see the figures outside in the yard. They're all women. Some are carving up what appears to be a pig in the middle of the group. Others are busily putting heavy wooden trays with slices of bread, and placing them next to the carving knives. You go to the window, and lean over the sill. "Good morning, sleepyhead!" One of the voices says. You turn, and see the face of a young girl. She's a short little thing, with a few figures hidden under a thick dark red robe. "Huh? morning?" "Is it morning already?" "Yes." "Oh my goodness, I slept through the morning already!" The girl has a Scottish accent, and her name tag reads "Sally". You grab your things, and head outside. "Oh, look who's up early! Jacob, didn't you sleep well?" "Hiya, Jacob. You slept so well, we had to wake you!" You find yourself surrounded by women, all of whom are smiling and waving. "I slept so well I slept through the morning!" "Morning? It's night!" "Hey!" "Who's this one?" "He's the lord of the manors, and he uh, owns this entire estate!" "Why do we need a lord? We're not a bunch of hobs!" "So? He's our lord and master!" You begin to panic. "Wait! I'm not your lord and master! I just own this entire... Oh dear. I need to get back inside before my mom sees me out here." "But we need your lord and master to assign us all duties!" "I'll be back at dawn! Hopefully by then you'll have already found another lord and master to serve! Cecilia arrives and kisses you. "Good morning, darling. How did you sleep?" "I slept well, thanks. What's going on?" Cecilia smiles. "What exactly do you mean? Are you our lord and master now?" Cecilia smiles. You panic. "No! No! I'm not their lord! I just own this place! I'm not even Jacob's..." "That's good. It'll make things easier for you." You begin to wonder if fleeing to the city is such a good idea. On the other hand, you don't even have any immediate duties here. You could probably just let the place go to hell. You need to get all your decisions made soon. You need to get all your decisions made soon... Hello? I'm sorry, Jacob. I'm afraid the ladies here will never accept you as their master. What?! That's absurd! I'm telling the truth! I'm not their master! No, I'm sorry Jacob, but that's how they see you. They live under your command, and you are their lord and master. This is ridiculous! I'm telling you, I'm not... No, Jacob. If you want to save this relationship, that's up to you. Shrugh. Their words, not yours. Well don't waste anymore of my time, Cecilia. Good day. And with that, you end the call. Cecilia and her little clique slowly begin to dissipate, fleeing the manors. You see them to the front door, watching them leave. You half expect some of them to turn around and come back inside, but none do. Eventually, you're alone. Might as well get started, despite the tragic ending. You head into the manors kitchen, and prepare some food. You finally head to the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, desperate to save Views and your sister. --- "I thought you said your sister would be back by now." "She will be soon, sir!" "Alright, let's stay focused. Any sightings of our targets yet? "No, sir. We're still waiting on news on their whereabouts." You take a bite of your hamburger, chewing slowly. You're not sure if you should be eating while you wait, but you're too hungry to care. "Hey, sir?" "Yes, Warts? Why are you staring at your feet like that?" "Well... I was wondering if I could go to the bathroom." "What?!" "I really have to go, sir. It's been hours and my stomach is killing me." "You're only wearing shorts, socks and a tank-top, Warts." "I know, sir. I know." You stare at the young lion. "What's the matter, Warts? You approach the Mickey Mouse slaughterhouse again, and decide to stay and look for Grace and Views. Maybe you could use the excuse that you're looking for your sister to get close to the slaughterhouse and look for them from there. "Sir?" "What is it, Warts? "Can I go to the bathroom, sir?" "No, you're going to stay here and keep watch. When we get the all-clear from the police, we'll all go to the bathroom together." Warts nods, staying put. You go back to the house and sit back down. It's been three hours since you arrived at this house. You haven't eaten anything but those godawful McDonald's sandwiches, and even then you needed the toilet halfway through eating one. You thought about calling for pizza, but you didn't want to leave Warts alone. But then you go the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse for real. You start with the first floor, where you see the chocolate cup. You quickly open the box, and put the contents in your bag. You hear the sirens of police cars outside. You grab your gun, and go to the kitchen, panting. "Wazzat?" Warts says, staring at the screen. You stare at the large map of the city. The three locations that the police had tracked the robbers to are now empty. "They're all empty," you say. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!" You quickly grab the TV dinner from the table, and you all run out of the kitchen. "We need to round everyone up. Everyone. Now. We need to go to the warehouse district." You grab your walkie-talkie, and switch it on. "This is the experiencing mammal crew. Get to the warehouse district. Let's go, now!" You all quickly get into your cars and drive to the warehouse district. Finally, you see Grace and Views tied up in the warehouse district, and go to untie them. "Whoa there, we need to stick together on this, guys. Let's keep our cool and go in." You all enter the warehouse. You see the robbers holding guns to Views and Grace. Four of them are there, including Sticky. "I want that hamster," Sticky says. "No! I want that gerbil!" one of the robbers says angrily. "I want that one!" "Shut up, both of you. I'm deciding which one to take," You fight the robbers and free Views and Grace. They run away to safely. Mickey Mouse is outraged. "This isn't over, you furry little rats!" After driving for a bit, you arrive at the warehouse district. You enter a large building, big enough to hold a few thousand rodents. Nobody is here yet. "Let's divide ourselves up between sleeping quarters and safety," you say. You assign each member their duties. You're in charge of the heldover members, namely Warts and Chase. You also decide who's going to raid the cafeteria for food, and who's going to guard the door. "You're in charge of the raiders. I'll take the safety duties," you say to Warts. "See ya later, partner." "See ya, ya little rodent," Warts says, rolling his eyes, and leaving to join the raiders. Chase is left guarding the door with a few others. "Alright, what do I do?" he asks nervously. "I've never guarded before. I'm not very good at it. I'm not very good at a whole lot of things." "You need to stand at the door and stop anyone from entering, or leaving, or doing both," you reply. "Got it. Anything else?" "Yeah, try not to get killed. If someone comes busting down the door, try to stall them, like you'd stall someone from shooting you. If that doesn't work, try to shoot them." "Got it. Thanks." Chase stands at the door with two others, all heavily armed. The rest of you hide in various places around the warehouse. A few minutes into the wait, you hear some shouting. "Riders comin', riders comin' fast! Head 'em off at the Dumpster! We'll clean up the strays!" Several of the robbers start running for the Dumpster, where you know there's a large group of dogs. "Come on, I'll lead the way!" you say, grabbing your gun and running for the door. You run outside, seeing several bandanna-wearing riders galloping towards you. The bandits waste no time in opening fire, and you quickly take cover behind a nearby Dumpster. "You little son of a b-" "Shoot 'em, boys! Shoot 'em!" Sticky yells. The bandits open fire, killing several of the galloping ponies and hit others. You soon have the issue under control, but not without losing some of your friends. Several of the bandits barely escape, as their horses were killed or fall into the river. You don't know if they'll make it before the lights go out. You've lost count of the number of robberies this week. You're just trying to survive, and that's become a lot harder now. The deliverymen don't stand a chance after the first hold up. Soon, there is no food in the building at all. You begin to wonder why you're even still staying here. The answer comes in the form of several men running inside, yelling about how they just shot most of your friends on the other side of the Dumpsters. You don't even need to hear the rest of their story to know that the rest of Team Baby-Doll just raced inside like cowards. Right after they shot your friends, they ransacked the place, taking everything of value. You've been left with nothing, and you have nowhere else to go. You return to Cecilia's house. You don't have enough money for a hotel, and you'd rather not sleep in the streets. You wait for morning, when you can try to reason with your sister about this. --- You find Cecilia standing by the front door, dressed for school. "Why aren't you in school, Cecilia?" "I don't want to go." "You don't want to go? Why not?" "Because, I'm sick of these people!" she yells, hitting the wooden banister rail with her fist. "Cecilia, come on, snap out of it! I can't take you. I gave you a home, and look what you're doing with it! Why can't you just act like a normal kid for once?" "I hate these people, toots. I want out." "Cecilia, I understand you're angry-" "I'm angrier at you, you big dopey doofus! If you had only just listened to me, none of this would have happened!" "Cecilia, I-" "I'm leaving!" she yells, running off again. You groans in exasperation and heads to work. It's a quiet morning at the diner. In fact, it's so quiet, you're the only person working. You figure you might as well get started cooking; there's not much else you can do here. Just as you finish cooking, the cafe's bell above the door rings. It's a man with a large backpack and an equally large and muscular German shepherd on a leash. "Hello," the man says. The dog begins to growl and sniff the air. "You must be new here. If you're looking for a job, you've come to the wrong place. We're a private establishment," you say, wondering why you're still talking. "I'm actually looking for someone in particular. I'm trying to reach the person who runs this cafe. I have important business with them." "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." "It's the man named Jacob. I'm looking for Jacob Killinger." "So you are. Well, he doesn't live here anymore. He moved out of this city about a month ago." "Oh. I see. Well, can you tell me where he went?" "No. I don't know. Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do." The German Shepherd suddenly begins to bark aggressively, and the man raises his hands in defense. "I don't know where Killinger is! I was just told he lived here!" he exclaims. "If you really want to find Killinger, you'll have to ask the cafe owner." The man raises his hands again, and clicks his tongue. The dog ceases barking, and the man approaches you. "Tell you what," he says in a friendly tone. "I'll give you a hundred bucks if you tell me where Killinger lives. That sound okay?" "I can't. I don't know," you say. "I'm sorry." The man sighs, then pulls a small pistol from his pocket. "Well, it looks like I'll have to do this the hard way," he says. "Sheesh. How the hell is it that nobody around here knows what's good for 'em?" The man aims his gun, and shoots you in the back of the head. You fall to the ground. The man pulls out his cell phone, and makes a call. "I told you the guy doesn't know. He doesn't have Killinger's phone number." A second later, the man turns to you. "Sorry about this," he says. Then, he pulls the trigger. Cecilia arrives to apologize to you, but sees the dog barking over his dead owner's body and you unconscious on the ground. She gets you to a hospital. When you wake up, you learn that you got shot while working as a short order cook. You decide to move on, and never return to the city. Some time later, you're living in California, working as a waiter. You're not doing too bad. Cecilia calls to say she had your child. You never see it, but you hear the boy is a good fighter. You're glad. One day, when he grows up, you hope he doesn't follow in your footsteps. You hope he finds a new home. Somewhere, someone needs to love him. Maybe he'll find that place in life. You could have helped him. You could have made that place in his life. But, you decided not to. You think... you don't know what you think. It doesn't matter. You'll never know. That is, until one day when your son tracks you down. He looks just like you, but taller and lankier. There's a man in a black robe behind him. "Dad?" your son asks. "Are you in..." But, the words die in his throat. He knows who you are. He knows what you did. And, he knows that you're not a good person. You nod silently. There's no need to speak. Your son turns away. "Goodbye, Dad. I hope you find whatever the hell whatever it is you're looking for." Then, he leaves. The man in black robes steps forward. "I'm sorry," he says. "I had my people track him down, but he's already left the state." "So he has," you say. You and the man in black robes have a stare-down. "The boy knows the truth," the man says. "Tell me, why did you kill my assistant? You had every opportunity to turn down our offered pay." "You wouldn't have hired me," you reply. "You wanted to hire a contract killer. I was simply the first person you met." The man chuckles. "I wanted to hire a sandwich maker," he says. "Goofy, silly you. My offer is still valid. Go home, Dad. Live out the rest of your days in peace. Forget you ever met an son." You take out your wallet, and show the man a picture of your wife and two children. "You wouldn't hire a contract killer," you say, "but you will hire me. Look at the picture." The man does, and nods. "I'll hire you," he says. "You better make it quick. We need to catch first flight out tomorrow." You nod, and the next day you buy a one-way ticket to New York. On the plane, you think about how you're finally going home. The rest of your life will be spent in New York. When you arrive, you head straight to the airport hotel and check in. You aren't sure what to do with the rest of your life. You googled "things to do in New York" before you came, but you feel like you're lacking in purpose now that you're here. However, you do know one thing. You're going to find your son. You have to find him. You have to apologize for what happened. You have to... The door opens, and a girl walks in. She's tiny, very pretty and wearing a Juicy Couture tracksuit. She's about your age, but looks about a decade younger thanks to heavy make-up and stylish clothes. She has a small overnight bag, and... is that a tuxedo inside it? "Hi," she smiles. "I'm Hazel. What's...?" She sees the look on your face, and stops speaking. Instead, she lets out a high pitched scream. "Wait a minute," You say. "You're my alternate female self from another timeline, aren't you?" The girl shakes her head, tears streaming from her eyes. "Oh, that's just tragic." You shake your head. "But I suppose it explains a lot." "What's... happening to me?" The girl sobs. "He's screaming. It hurts." You walk over, and stare into the eyes of your younger self. "Listen to me," you say. "I understand what you're going through, alright? I've been there." You explain to her what's happened, and she breaks down in tears again. "Can you... can you help me?" she asks. "Can you take me home?" "I don't know how," you admit. "I have an autograph from Lil' Mama," she says, trying to compose herself. "She's cool. Maybe she can help me." "I don't know where she is either," you admit. "Or what happened to her." "What about my fans?" she asks. "Can they help me? I could sell my autograph. My fans are..." She breaks down again. You don't know what to do. You never had to help someone like her. Eventually, she stops crying, and you give her some advice. "Go to the hospital. They should have instructions on what to do if this happens to you." "Okay," she says, sniffling. "I'm sorry this happened to you." "Thanks," she says, smiling through her tears. "You're so nice. You're not like my father." "I'm not?" "No. He's mean. He doesn't care. But you sound like you do." "I don't know what that's like," you admit. "Is... is that your wife?" She points to the picture of the woman with you on your phone. "If it is, she's very pretty." "She was." "What happened? I mean, I'm sorry if I'm being too inquisitive." "She died." "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I..." "My mother just died," you say. "I have to go." "Okay," she says, letting out a long sigh. "Thank you for your time. I appreciate it." "My name is Jacob." You turn to face your other self. She stares at you, her eyes narrowing. "Thanks for your help," she says. "Bye." "See ya." You quickly walk out of the house, and head off to the hospital. Once there, you go to the information desk and ask how you can get hold of the police. The woman behind the desk suggests that you call 0800 555 6111, a number with which you're very familiar. You thank her, and answer that question. You dial the number, and wait to be answered. "Hello, 911," says a woman's voice. "I need police," you say. "My name is Jacob, from house number forty-seven." "What's your address, Sir?" "Fourty-seven Fourty-Seven North," you say. "Now, please." "I'm sorry, Sir. Can you tell me what's going on? "My younger self saved my life. A girl from his school has been kidnapped by a man named Charles, and I have to go back in time to prevent it... but I don't know how. Can you help me?" "I need your name, Sir." "I'm Jacob," you say, giving your name. "It's a long story." "I need your full name, Sir.\" "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your birthdate, Sir." "November second, two thousand thirteen." "What's your height, Sir?" "One hundred and sixtytwo centimeters. What's yours?" "One sixty-nine, one sixty-E," she says. "What sort of car do you drive, Sir?" "A 2007 black Ford Fusion." "I need your Social Security number, Sir." "Surely you've got all that information," you say. "Those files get leaked all the time." "I need your Social Security number," she insists. "It's required for many government functions." "How long is this going to take?" you ask. "I'm in a lot of danger." "I can't do it over the phone," she says. "I need you to come into the police station." "I can't," you say. "I've already gone back in time. I'm already here." "I need your name, Sir. Please give it to me." "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your date of birth, Sir." "22/11/2000." "What's your address, Sir?" "47 Fourty-Seven North Fourth Street." "What's your apartment number, Sir?" "20." "I need your apartment number, Sir," she says again, calmly but firmly. "1C," you say. "It's an apartment." "I need your street address, Sir." "447 N. Fourth Street," you say. "North Fourth Street." "What's your city, Sir?" "Joliet." "What's your state, Sir?." "Illinois." "What's your zip code, Sir?" "61746." "Are you currently in debt, Sir?" "I owe a few bucks on some fines." "I need your birth date, Sir." "25/11/1990." "What's your birth time, Sir?" "Six thirty-eight am. What's yours?" "02:38." "What's your favorite color, Sir?" "Green." "My favorite color is blue," she says. "What do you like to eat, Sir? You get out of there and head to the police station, angrily killing the police woman. When you arrive, the officer behind the desk looks up at you. "You can go right back to where you came from, Mr. Killinger," he says. "It's not exactly a high priority case." "I have to find my younger self," you say. "A girl has been kidnapped." "What girl?" he asks, confused. "A girl named Madeline," you say. "I have to go back in time to save her." "I'm sorry, but I don't..." he says, before stopping. "Wait a minute. You're the guy that went back in time to save that little girl, aren't you? Well, welcome back, sir." You stare at him in confusion. "Thanks," you say, Headdesking out of the police station. "Shi..." You find yourself outside the apartment you left off at, and notice that it's night time. You walk inside your apartment in wonder, as the girl from earlier is still there, sitting on the floor. "You're back," she says. "I was wondering if you would." "So this," you say, pointing to yourself, "is me." "Yep," she says. "It is." "So what's going on?" you ask. "I don't know," she says. "I remember my name. I remember other stuff, too, but not this. I woke up here, with no memories, a few days ago." "You were missing for years," you say. "How can you only remember this recently?" "What year is it?" she asks. "I don't know. I found a watch in this house, and it's been broken for a while. I think something happened years ago, but I don't know what." You think for a moment. "The year is 2016," you say. "And there's been a kidnapping." "A kidnapping?" she asks. "Yeah," you nod. "A girl name Madeline has been kidnapped by an evil man named John." "Who is John?" she asks. "Are you friends with him?" "No!" you say. "I don't know who John is. I'm just trying to save her." "Saving people is hard," she says. "I tried to save my friends." "I'm trying to get all of them back," you say. "I don't know if it's going to work, but..." "What are you going to do if you find her?" she asks. You pause for a moment, thinking about the best way to tell her. "I'm going to kill John," you finally say. "That's violent," she says. "I can't remember what happened to me. I don't know if this is all a dream. I need to find out." "What if you die in the process?" she asks. "Then I'll just have to spend an eternity as the last person in the world," you shrug. "I'll take my chances with that." "Oh..." You stare at the ground, thinking. You need to choose which group to join, and there's only one choice. "I have to save everyone," you say. "You're new here, right? Where's it safe to go?" "The church is a good place to hide," she says. "Where is it?" You draw a circle on the floor with your finger. "Right here," you say. "You can hide in there." "Okay," she nods. "I'm glad I ran into you. Bye." "Bye," you say, and go back to looking for a way inside the house. After searching the house from top to bottom, you give up. You need to come up with a new plan. Your only lead was that the girl was hiding in a certain spot in the house, and you know for a fact that she's probably not there now. So you need to come up with another way. It's then that you remember the basement. You could try breaking in the window...

"This is stupid." You say. "I'm not going to fall for the same trick twice." You head down to the basement, where you find a ladder leading to a window. You climb up it, and sit on the roof to see if you can spot Madeline. You do this for half an hour, but see no sign of her. You sigh, and hop off the roof. It's time to come up with a new plan. For a while, you just sit in the basement, wondering what you should do. You open up the vault, finding a bunch of money. You grab a handful, thinking. Maybe you could go to the police? Tell them what's going on, and get them to help you get revenge? You doubt it very much though. Even if they believed you, the kidnapper is most likely going to just kill you and throw your body in an alley or something. No, you won't get revenge this way. There has to be another way... you just have to think about it. "Hey, Ben?" "Yeah?" "Do you have any good ideas on how to get revenge on this guy? I don't think breaking and entering is going to work, and I don't have any other ideas." "Hmm..." Ben says, thinking. "What about this place? I can get us some fake IDs, and we could rob this place blind. We just need to find out when they're not watching the place, and it's open." "Go on." "So, we go in, and... well, ignore me for a second. I need to get the money. You just need to distract this guy." "What? Why? That's suicide!" "It's not if you don't make a loud noise, and point your weapon at him." "What if he hits me with his gun?" "Well, if he's going to do that, I'll just shoot out his kneecaps and listen to him scream for awhile." "I don't know if I'm up to fighting him. I'm not even sure if a gunshot to the knee would disable him." "What if I'm up to fighting him? I can easily take out his two goons; you just need to distract him. Then, when I've got his attention, you need grab the money and run." "I don't know. I just don't think I'm capable of taking him out." "You won't have to. I'll handle it. Just... you just need to do something." "I'll think about it." You say, not wanting to make a decision immediately more than anything else. That night, you lie in bed, staring at your ceiling. Finally, you decide to get up and do something. After getting dressed in a blue shirt and brown pants, perhaps a little too formal for what you're planning to do, you grab the flintlock pistol you have for your nightstand. The safety is on, but you make sure it is before taping the gun to your leg and exiting your room. You walk down the stairs, where you find Ben waiting for you. "Hey, kid." He says, as you walk out of the kitchen. "What're you still doing here? I figured you'd be long gone by now." You say. "I was, but I wanted to speak with you about something first." "Oh?" "Yeah. This is probably going to be a pretty hard conversation for you." "Just say it. If it's too hard, I'll go back to my room." "It really isn't going to be that bad. It's just, well, you're going to have to kill me." "What? Come on, you can't be serious!" "I'm serious. I mean, I'll help you anyway I can, but you're going to have to kill me." "Why? What's all this got to do with you being kidnapped or anything?" "Kid, I know you're pissed about getting shot, but it's really not as bad as you think. I mean it was bad, and I'll have it kept in mind if I ever have to go through it again, but it could have been a lot worse. I was just lucky that the doctor they took me to had some experience patching up gunshot wounds. I could have died. I could still die, if I didn't get treatment quick enough. I honestly believed I was going to die. So if you're wondering if I have some lingering ill-will towards you, the answer is no. If anything, I'm glad you were there to help me." "Well that's a relief at least." "Anyway, I'm just saying, you don't need to go through with this. I mean, we did have fun together during our little trip, and it was an interesting experience. It's just that... look, I'm already dead. What harm is there in continuing that? I mean you're already a Bounty Hunter, going on these dangerous missions is just extending what you're already doing. And I for one would prefer to continue enjoying your company as opposed to rotting away in a grave." "That's a nice thought, but I doubt if anyone will accept such a rationale. You're a wanted man, and everyone's always looking to expand their own power. They'll probably just turn me over to the Guild, and I'll get killed by a mob." "They won't. I'll make sure of it. I know you have my pistol, but I'm going to give you something else as well." Ben pulls out a large revolver, and passes it to you. "What's this for?" You ask. "That's the weapon you'll use to kill me with, obviously." "Obviously. But why are you giving this to me?" "Because you're a good person at heart, and I don't want you to get hurt. Plus, I know you'll probably have better aim with it anyway." You laugh. "Thanks for your concern, but I doubt if that audience is going to react too well to someone shooting me in the head! No, this is going to be a clean shot to the chest and quick. I'll make sure you get remembered." You holster the pistol under your coat. "By the way, my name's not actually Jacob. It's Ben." "Oh. Right. I get it now." "Also, I think you should know, we're not on the only important mission. We're actually part of three groups, all converging on this place at the same time. I wouldn't be too sure about our safety." You think for a second. "So what do you mean?" You ask. "He means he doesn't want anything to do with you anymore," Madeleine says, killing Ben. "What happened?" "I told you he was pissed. If I were you I'd get the hell out of here, before he comes back with some others to kill us." "You're being a coward once again. We can handle it, we aren't unarmed. You have to get out of here, I'm serious." "Fine! But I'm warning you now, if your attitude doesn't improve I'm going to make it a lot worse for you! I'll go get the car, and then back to the hotel we'll go!" You snap, turning away. "You're being very rude Ben, you know that right? "I'm not Ben, I'm Madeleine!" Madeleine says, and you realize that Ben is dead. Madeleine followed you guys back to 2016, and doesn't want you to save her. "You're Ben's killer!" You say, walking towards her. "Not directly, though I did fulfill his last request." She suddenly grabs your arm, and you feel an unnatural chill run through you. She has dead eyes, and an unnatural grin on her face. It's only now that you notice she's missing a few teeth. "You can't take him away from me." She says, spitting blood out onto your shirt. "What do you mean? Who are you?" "I am the ghost of Christmas past." She says, "You think that'll be enough to scare you? My real name is Yvette. To you, I'm Madeleine. He loved me, he did. Followed me everywhere, he did. But one day I caught him... in the act. Well, that night I decided to get my revenge. I killed him. Slaughtered him and every other man in his village. I was only thirteen and he was supposed to be my protection. I... don't think I've ever laughed as hard as when I heard his screams." "You're... you're dead! I killed you!" "You didn't kill me, Ben did. But before I leave, know this. Ben did love me, in his own way. He would have done anything for me. I know that, because he told me everyday. If you're looking for the meaning of life, boy, you don't find it in some hollow tree or some book. You find it with the one you love. If you're lucky enough to find them. Because in the end, that's all there ever will be. Loss. The only thing you can count on. I lost Ben, but I know he had his part to play in my life. It's over now, and I'm finally at peace. He would want that. He would." She releases you, and turns away to leave. "That's why I saved you, Ben. I know that you would have done the same for me. And if you're looking for absolution for your crimes, boy, I don't have that to offer. What you need to do now is make things right. Chase after the one you love, and don't let them get away. Because the way I see it, you've got two options. You either stay here with me, or you go after your girl. Either way, best of luck, and I'm sorry I couldn't save him for you." With those last words, she leaves you. "What do you think? You decide to go to Cecilia's house, and write her a letter to warn her of her death in 20 years. She's the closest thing to a friend you've got. "It's not much, but it's something." "It's a good start, brother." You see your sister, Grace, standing over you. "What are you doing here?" You ask. "I came to see you, but I didn't think you'd be awake yet." "What do you want? I don't have anything to give you." "You've got something that I need, and that's your friendship. I need someone to talk to, and I know you're the only person I can really trust. You reveal you came from 30 years in the future, and you warned Cecilia of her death before you go home. "Well, I guess you saved her then. Sorry for my outburst, I really shouldn't have questioned your word." "As you should. Not everyone can go back in time." "I don't understand. You said you could send me back." "And that's true, but doing so would paradox. I don't want to be sent back. I want to stay here, with you. I want to enjoy life while I can." "I don't understand. If you went back in time, wouldn't that allow you five more years to live?" "Perhaps, but I'd rather live while I can, in the present. I don't want to be sent back to when I was young, struggling to make it in the world, only to have to start all over again. I had time to find love, to have a family... I'm not ready to lose that. I've found it here with you and the rest of the group." You think about what she says for a while. "So... You're saying that I shouldn't go back in time to save Cecilia?" You say. "I'm saying you shouldn't sacrifice yourself for another person. You should stay here, in Arrana, with us. Save yourself, and let someone else save Cecilia." "But why do that for me? You and the others don't even like me." "That doesn't matter. What matters is that I want you to be happy. I was lonely for a long time, but not any longer. I want that for you. Please, won't you stay? I promise I won't get you killed. I'll keep you safe, like I keep everyone else here. I'll even teach you how to play a new game, any game you want. Just don't go back in time, okay? Please, just live. Live... Like me. It is a twisted form of happiness, but you can't deny that she's probably right. Back in the present, you go track down your son instead, to get closure on Cecilia. You travel back in time again, but instead of the cave, you walk outside of it. Before you stands a man in a black cloak and hood, holding a black sword. "Hello there. Did you come to make a deal with me?" The man says. "Yes, I did. I'm here to make a deal with you." You reply. You continue. "I want you to bring my girlfriend back from the dead." "So, you're not going to kill your girlfriend's killer?" "Well... I'm not sure if that's what I'd call me right now. I want you to bring her back so she can be with me." "If you don't kill the killer, you'll get your girlfriend back?" "Something like that. Look, I don't want to have to go through the trouble of doing this. All I want is her back in my life." The man sighs. "I can do that." "You can? How?" "She's standing right here. "Cecilia!" You exclaim, delighted. Cecilia nods. "Hello, Jacob. I'm sorry to just show up like this. I know it's unexpected." "No, not at all! I'm glad you're here!" You answer. "I'm glad to be here as well... In your life..." She says, with a wistful tone. Cecilia makes eye contact with you briefly before looking away. She looks a bit tired, as if she hasn't been sleeping well lately. It's surprising that she made the trip here herself. Cecilia then turns to the man in black. "Who is this... Man?" "This is the man I was telling you about. I'll be watching him for the next few days. In the meantime, I'll get you back home. How's that sound?" "That... Sounds good. But who are you, really? What do you want?" "My name is Melcar. I want nothing from you. This man... Has something that was in your possession. I need that to get back home." "And if I say no?" "... Then I suppose I shall have to kill him and take it myself. That sound better?" "No, it doesn't." "Well then it looks like I'm going to have to kill you too. That sound better?" "It does, actually. Please don't kill him. I need him." "Why? Does he hold some meaning or emotional attachment for you? If that's the case, you're an idiot for letting him go back to his own time. He won't last there, you know." Cecilia looks at you, then back to Melcar. "Can you... Keep him safe for me? I need to go back to him. I need to make sure he makes it. Please. I'm begging you." Melcar's eyes narrow. "Is this the killer of your girlfriend?" Cecilia looks away nervously. "He... Doesn't know anything. He didn't do it. I'm sorry. He didn't do it." She pleads. "You're a morbid child. I thought you grew up in a cave or something. If you went through all the trouble of making friends, talking to people, and going out into the real world only to end up in some dumb cave with your dumb friends, then I can't imagine what the hell you'd do if you actually met a real killer. I'd guess run away, but you seem to be pretty good at that." Melcar says. "So can you keep him safe? Please?" He looks as you. "I think I can, but I can't do it for you. You need to go back yourself. I need that boy, don't you understand? I need that boy." "Please, it's very important." "Yeah, well that's pretty up front. I have to admit, I'm a little shocked you're not more cagey or manipulative. Perhaps you're not as dumb as I thought." "Please, just help me get back home." Melcar sighs. "Fine. Get in the car." Cecilia hops into the passenger seat of Melcar's car. You approach the vehicle, before you notice two more figures sitting in the backseat. "What the hell? Who the hell are those?" You demand. "Oh, you wanna know who I am? I'm your new best friend!" He says cheerfully, pointing to the man in black. "And this cozy gentleman over here is Mr. Jack the Ripper." "What? I don't understand." "I'm the guy who's going to be killing all those girls you like. My boy, here, will be cutting them up nice and not so nice. We're going to have so much fun." "Wait, you're on their side?" "Of course I'm on their side! I'm the guy who's going to give you a chance at getting all those bitches you like. I'm also going to make your life a living hell the next time you see me. So best friends do stuff like this, no?" Melcar turns back to you. "So, do we have a deal or not? Because I have to go pick up my first victim." "One more question. How do I know you'll actually kill those girls if I don't help you?" Mr. Jack grins. "Ah, you're starting to think like a slasher. You don't know? Of course you don't know. You'll just have to trust me. You always do. Now, are you going to be a bro, or what?" "You don't have the f...! I'm not going to..." "Choke him out. He's stubborn. You always were. Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by...the P.A. Chords? The Living Tombstone?" "I'm not going to help you!" you shout, as Melcar's eyes narrow. "Bah! You're such a square. This isn't physical. You can't get emotional leverage." He strokes his chin. "How about...I've a girlfriend back in high school. Or was it prep school? I can get her to help, or perhaps I'll get the ghost of that cute little cheerleader you used to ride your bike up and down the street for. You know, the one with all the...nice..." He checks himself. "Anyway, I can get her to torment and kill your beloved Cecilia." " YOU CAN'T !!" you roar, going into a rage. "Could, maybe. Would, definitely. You're not going to stop me." Melcar smiles. "Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by a cheerleader?" You're reduced to a quivering wreck. You know it's true. He has a girlfriend, and he's probably lying about her having no knowledge of this. You can't risk staying here, so you follow Melcar and his group out of the house. You're their now. No matter what they do with you, no matter how they use you, you're theirs. You and Cecilia make out passionately. You wait peacefully for her to finish, during which time you hear the screams of your friend and neighbor. The noise doesn't wake you, and you spend the next few hours with Cecilia before she's finished. She leaves the basement without a word, and you wonder if things are going decently enough with her. You can't think of too many times you've seen her since last time. "Hey, Jake," Melcar says. "Ready to go?" You look at Melcar, still wondering how the hell you could've been so blindly stupid as to let this happen. "Yeah..." "C'mon, then." You put on your shoes and follow Melcar upstairs. You walk side by side with him, watching as the sun rises. "Thanks for doing this, man," Melcar says. "Yeah, no problem." "So...is there a school around here?" "What?" "A school. For our friends. So they can learn what actual kids go through." You chuckle. "I dunno...schools are overrated. I mean, I learned how to read and write at one, and the teachers there were horrible." "Well...I'm not sure what kids do at your age." "We have fun," you say. "I mean, I didn't really have responsibilities, so I did what I wanted." "What did you do? Get into fights?" "Sometimes. With my fists, with words, with weapons... it depended." Melcar smiles. "Pretty tough for your first time being in a town with other kids." "Actually, my second time was even worse." Melcar groans. "Let's not go there." You arrive at the outskirts of New Bally. Melcar's friend Tom lives close by, so it isn't a long walk. You're still in awe of how you've managed to get yourself into this situation. "So...anyone want to see my new trick?" Melcar asks, suddenly. "What's that?" you ask. "I can..." Melcar pauses, appearing to think really hard about how to put this. "Turn into a bat." "A...bat?" you ask, uncertain how to react. "Yeah! You know, like in the movies?" You take a step back, and look away. "That's...pretty creepy." "Come on! It's easy! I can turn into a big, fat, ugly bat. Or, if I want to look like one of those fancy Japanese ones, I can do that too. I can stay a bat for a really long time." "How long do you need to spend as a bat to get that power?" "I dunno," Melcar says. "A few years, I guess. I knew some kids in first grade who turned into bats around me, so they must've spent their whole lives as bats before they could become something else. That's how it works, right? You have to be a bat for a long time to become something else?" "I don't know," you say. "I think so." "Cool!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a neighborhood to lawlessly rampage through!" You shake your head. You know there's got to be another way. A better way. A way you can do this and still stay in control of your own mind. You just need to think about it... "Hey, wait!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a house! I bet I can take 'em all by myself, with my new powers!" You shake your head again. You can already tell this plan is doomed to failure. "No." "Come on! I'll give you all the best stuff! All the best stuff is mine!" "No. Now, listen. We're going to find a store, and you're just going to wait there while I deal with the people. I'm sure I can convince them not to press charges." "Press charges?" Melcar repeats. "What are you going to do, kill 'em all?" "Well, I'm going to try. And if I can't? I'm going to at least get them off the charges. Look, just wait there. I'll be back shortly. I'm sure I'll find something within my powers to be able to do. I always do." "Jeez, fine," Melcar says. "I guess I better hang out here and wait, then. I don't fancy hanging out in this environment any longer than I have to. Better that I just go for a walk, right? I'm just going to go for a quick, quick stroll...HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING MY FEET?" You jump up, grabbing Melcar's wrists and twisting them behind his back. You then force him to his knees with his hands still behind his back. "Stay still." "What are you doing?!" he asks, frightened. Now that you're in a position to be able to do it, you don't want to. But you're in a position to be able to interrogate a criminal with magical abilities. You can't very well do that if you aren't using them. You focus your senses. You try to hear what is going on in the surrounding houses, you try to sense what is inside Melcar's body, you do everything you can to find out how fast he is, whether his reflexes are as quick as a cat's, what sort of weapons he has on him, whether he's alone or not... And then, you focus on the one thing you actually WANT to sense. His soul. And there it is. A glowing blue orb, floating in front of his chest. So simple, so small, yet so powerful. Pure. Silent. Calm. Unstoppable. Your heart beats faster, as you feel the blood rushing through your ears. This is it. This is how it feels to be a superhuman. This is how it feels to be a god. You grab the orb, twisting it with ease. Melcar shrieks in pain, as you feel his grip on your wrists loosen automatically. You smash your fist into his face with every ounce of your energy, feeling his nose breaking and brains spilling out the other side. He collapses onto the ground, twitching slightly. This feels amazing. But, you still need to interrogate him. You let go of his orb, only to feel it vanish into his body. "What did you do?" "Take... Take it from me... You're nothing... Nobody can be free... Take it back..." Melcar sputters, blood dripping down his face. He's going into shock, so you finish the job quickly by snapping his neck. That done, you let out a sigh of relief. That was... Hard to do. But, at least now you can use your magical powers in peace. You look around, noticing Melcar's partner standing nearby. You suppose you know who he is now. "You are?" "Yes. I am Mr. Mol," the man says, extending a hand to you. "Congratulations. You just won't have to deal with criminals in Dert anymore." You grab at his hand, shaking it. "Don't think that's much of a consolation, Mr. Mol." He squints at you. "Is... Is something wrong?" "Oh, nothing," you say with a wave of your hand. "Just making conversation." "... Okay." Mr. Mol crosses his arms, staring at you. You suddenly realize that he's examining you for a tell. One of the many things you need to learn. "We should really relocate," you suggest. "For the sake of the community." "I suppose we do need to do something," Mr. Mol nods. Mr. Mol takes you to a nearby abandoned house. "This place will have to do," he says. "We're going to live in an abandoned house!" you exclaim. "It's the best place I could find." Mr. Mol fixes the door so it doesn't slam, then stares at you. "So, you're new here. What's your name?" "Jacob." "I'm Mark, what's yours? Are you homeless?" "No, I just don't have a lot of money for a place yet," you say. "I'll be able to get by." "Where are you from originally?" "Oh, um... The Nothington suburbs." "Nothington! Are you a student?" You nod. "I went to school with the dean," Mr. Mol says. "He was also the head of security at the university. He had some interesting theories on crime and punishment, but I doubt if any of them stuck. The suburbs are like a prison all on their own." "Why did you come to Dert?" you ask, wondering what his angle is. "I wanted to be with my wife," he says. "We moved here for her to become a nurse, but she... Didn't like it here. So, I'm here alone." "How long are you staying?" "As long as it takes." Mr. Mol smiles at you, then winces. "You should see a doctor, son." "I'll be fine," he says, rubbing his back. "I'll just be glad when this hell is over." You fall asleep that night wondering if you should stay or go. The morning arrives, and you wake up. You find a note on the pillow next to you. Dear Jacob, If you're going to stay in Dert, I suggest you buy yourself a house. Don't live in an abandoned one. Make sure it has running water and electricity. Also, don't go to the tavern. Mr. Mol Sighing, you go to the store to buy yourself a house. After some searching, you find one that looks nice, but needs a lot of work done to it. You spend the next few days fixing it up. When you're done, it's a good home. You go there to live after thanking the owner's wife for her kind offer of cookies and milk. You never enter the tavern, and you see no harm in that. Mr. Mol eventually leaves, and things return to "normal" in Dert. You don't see him again. The dean is found guilty of abusing his power and sentenced to a short prison sentence. The Nothington suburbs reform themselves to what they were. You never heard anything about it again. Nobody cared. You don't see much of Dert anymore, as you're more of a homebody now. You have a large house to yourself, with plenty of garden to keep you busy. You still see your wife sometimes when she comes to visit, still with the idea to try to convince her to move there. She always refuses, however. "I can't live in a small town," she says. "I want excitement." You offer again to take her to the city, but she declines. "I like it here. I'm staying." The end. You slam your fist into the wall in anger, and fall to the floor in a sitting position. You wince as the pain shoots up your arm and through your chest. The rest of your body soon joins in. "It's a good ending." You mutter to yourself. "Why the hell do I keep trying to make this story bad?" You stand up and look out the window. A small smile creeping on your face as you see Ben envying your view from his house as you do. "I guess because you're a miserable cur." You walk out of the room, ready to put an end to your writing for the day. ~THE END~ You reached the "Good" ending. "Good job, genius." You wink at the screen. "Now, let's see if I can't try something a little more... interesting." You decide to pay Cecilia another visit, making sure to propose marriage to her. You figure that's probably the best way to ensure you get a good ending. You walk out to the middle of Dert, and stop. You look around, before spotting Cecilia. She notices you, and a huge grin appears on her face. "Jacob!" she runs over to give you a hug. "You're OK! I was so worried about you!" "Of course I am," you hug her back, "I'm here with a question to ask you." " Question? " "Yeah, question. You ready?" Cecilia nods with a smile. "I knew you'd come back for me, Jacob," she blushes. "I'm ready." "Cecilia, will you marry me? " Another huge smile appears on her face. She places her hand over her heart, and leans in to hug you. "Of course I will! " You move in to deepen the hug, when sudden voices from behind you stop you. "Are you serious? The voices are those of Team Never Ending Story, who reveal the MMS was rebuilt. They ask you a few questions about what happened during your imprisonment, to which you give a very generic story of how you were saved by an old woman. They seem to accept this, although you notice Cape Kragen checking to see if you're lying. "Well, that was certainly an interesting way of getting back here." He glares at you. "I'm sure the team will forgive you for this, but from now on you'll be on duty instead of Cecilia. I can't have people faking their own deaths." "But she said--! " "I said fake!" he screams in your face. The team begins to leave, and you follow suit. As you're walking away, Ben turns to you. "Thanks for coming back to us, Jacob. " "Thanks for asking me to write the ending, Ben. " You hear a snort of laughter as you go to find Cecilia. She's looking out for the team, and you're not going to let them get away with insulting you. "Ben will forgive you. " You're not quite sure how to take that, but you decide to address it later. Right now, you need to talk to Cecilia. "You're getting married?" Ben asks. "Yeah," you nod, "I'm marrying Cecilia." "That was fast. When did this happen?" "Just now." "Oh..." Ben's voice lowers, "That's good. I'm happy for you, and I'm sure the team is too. " After the team has left, Ben turns to you. "So, you're my new mentor now, eh?" "If I'm not, I am soon," you reply. "I need to talk to you about that." "What is it? " "It's about the future. I need you to kill Ben, so that I may take his place." "What?! " "You heard me." "So, why would I do such a thing?" "You need to get with the times, man. You're from the past, you should be using social media. I saw you on Youtube, and I was amazed that a person from the 1800's had discovered the internet." "I don't even." "Then how did you discover that the MMS was destroyed?" "I was fishing through the rubble and found a card dropped by one of the members. It had instructions on rebuilding it, and we were able to do it. We've been working on our plan to rescue you, but it seemed appropriate to rebuild the group after all you've done to try to free us." "Wow. That's some dedication." "It is. I'm still amazed that you were able to make friends with some of them. I had to kill one of them, and I'm a little squeamish about the idea. " "Yeah, it took a while for me to warm up to some of them as well. I'm just glad we all came to an understanding." "Understood. I'll get you." "You will? " "Sure. We have a deal, and I'll honor it." "Fair enough. After my talk with Ben, I'll go with you." You nod, and decide to go find Cecilia. You have a few words for her as well. You're surprised that she didn't insist on coming to talk to Ben herself, but that's Cecilia for you. She always did like the safety of the sidelines. Meanwhile, Ben is walking over to you. Ben is a large man, and you're not quite sure why he was chosen to be the leader of this group. Maybe it's because he looks the strongest, and he's been here the longest? He's not stupid, but there's a limit to how intelligent he seems. "What were you and Cecilia arguing about?" "She told me to kill you." Whether it's a question of whether you're surprised or not, you aren't going to answer it. "Figures she'd be anti-socialist." "I'd say that's a very '17th century' way of looking at things." "I'm not a Socialist, free market. There's a difference." "I guess, but it seems pretty similar to me." "So, you and her have come to an understanding?" "We have. She'll be joining us." "What?! " "Cecilia is coming with us." "You heard me, and this is final too. You're coming with us." "But... Cecilia and I... we're in love." "What difference does it make? You're going to be working together anyway." "Yes, but... I don't want to just be working together. I want us to work together. I'm not going." "Don't be so dramatic." Ben says, rolling his eyes. "You're coming with us, or I'm going to have to kill you." "So be it. Kill me then." You say, putting your hands up. Ben raises his gun Slowly, as you stare at him. He lowers his gun. "Sorry Cecilia. He's dead." He says, not sounding sorry at all. Cecilia walks out from behind the building. When she sees Ben pointing the gun at you, she slowly walks over to him, her hands raised. "I thought we were allies." "Aren't we? Seems like he's betraying us." "No, it seems like he's protecting our nation from falling into the hands of fascists. I'm on his side." "Yeah, that's what I thought." "Ben, I love you, but you need to put the gun down." "I don't feel like it. Besides, maybe I'll just kill the two of them, and then you'll be under my thumb." "I think not. You might kill him, but I know how skilled you are with a gun. I'm sure I could at least take you out. Then what would you do Ben? Would you slink away in the night and plot revenge? No, I don't think so. You'd just have to live with the fact that you let your emotions cloud your mind and lost what is rightfully yours." "She has a point Ben." You say. "Fine, we're doing this the hard way. You two ready?" "Ready." You both say. "Then let's do it." Ben turns, and you hear three shots going off. Two by Ben, and one by Cecilia. You fall to the floor, blood slowly leaking out of your chest. "Ben, I told you I'd kill you." "I know, but now you'll never know how this came about." With that, he walks over to you and takes the gun from your bloody hands. "Cecilia, I'm sorry." Ben says, then fires the gun three more times, blowing the back of your head off. Ben puts the gun down, and walks away. He doesn't seem to care, or even notice that he's crying. You stare at him in disbelief, before he disappears. This is the true face of the revolution, crime pays, and everyone ends up dead. Choosing to begin anew, you propose to Cecilia, and she accepts again. Now, you have your son to raise. You'll have to be a better person than your father or grandfather. Cecilia will certainly try, but she can only teach him so much. It's up to you now. You're going to make the best out of this situation. This is your life now. "Good morning, Dad," Your son says to you 20 years later. "Morning, Daniel. What would you like to do today?" "I dunno, you're the fun dad." "Alright then, how about we go on a hunt? I put some food aside for us." "Really? You didn't have to, you know." "No, I wanted to. I've been feeling a little hungry lately anyway." "Do you think...I could go on the hunt with you?" "Well, if you want. I mean, you don't need my permission. You're old enough to take care of yourself." "I know I am, but it'll be more fun with an instructor. You're so good at everything." "Yeah, that's because I've been doing these things for decades. Still, you're the master hunter, so you know all the tricks of the trade, right?" "Tradition says the best hunter becomes the instructor. So does that make you the-" "I am the Grand Protector of tradition, yes." Daniel grins from ear to ear. You can't help but laugh along with him. You haven't had this much fun in decades. This is how it should be, not this mass rebellion and sense of justice that the media has made it out to be. You look at your son, and know itai well that you raised him right. You were meant to be a grandpa. You haven't lived happily since Brenda died. Your son will help bring a new meaning to the word. You and Daniel spend the rest of the day going on small hunts to re-filling your larders, and generally spending quality time as father and son. It's like you're supposed to. Before you know it, night is falling again, and you take your son back home. There's a part of you that's glad it's dark. A blush of pink is barely peeking above the trees you walk past, and you know it's Cecilia. She's been looking out for you today. You return home, tired and ready for sleep. You have a lot of having to do tomorrow. You thank Daniel for a nice day with his father, then head upstairs. You take off your boots, then get into bed. You feel yourself drifting off to sleep as you think about how good it is to have a normal, happy family. You never thought you'd ever be in this position. Why not enjoy it while you can? You drift off to sleep smiling. Good night, son. Good night, Dad. Then, you sleep for the next 8 hours or so. In the morning, you wake up. Good morning, Daniel. You peek out the window, but it's still dark. You yawn, then get up and go downstairs. You put on a pot of coffee, then grab the remote from the coffee table and switch on the TV. The first thing you see is some breaking news. And it's not good. The terrorists have taken over the city. They've been conducting attacks in various parts of the city, and already a mass exodus has started. The terrorists are led by Mickey Mouse Jr. You see a photo of him next to a headline. YOUNG MICKEY MOUSE LEADER OF TERRORIST GROUPS " "Of course he is. But Team Never Ending Story disbanded decades ago. They need successors. You're the closest thing they got. "I'm getting out of here." You grab some clothes, then get into your car. You decide Daniel will take your place. But you need successors for Cape, Chase, and Benelux. Your group is the only option. Ben, Cecilia, and you will hold the city together. You call to ask if they're in the city. "We're at Ben's house," says Ben. "What's going on?" "The city is lost. You need to leave." "We can't, we've become comfortable here," says Ben. "We're not going anywhere. Good news, we've got a lead on a new city." "New city, what kind of lead? "We found out about a city called Arrray where there-" The line goes dead. You curse into the phone. "Sorry about that," says Ben's mom. "He went out to get some food, he'll be back." Great. You have to talk to Ben's mom instead. "Hello?" asks Ben's mom. "Hi, I'm-" "I know who you are. You're the leader of the terrorist group that's attacking my son. You need to leave this city before you get hurt." "I've gotta talk to Ben," you say. "It's really important." "Ben isn't available right now. You need to leave the city, or you'll be punished. If you don't leave by the end of the week, you won't leave at all. You and your terrorists will be killed. So who is it going to be, Mr. terrorist, or do I need to find someone else to kill? You stay silent. "Well? I hope it won't be a problem, but we'll kill all of you," says Ben's mom. "I have no problem killing terrorists. If you had been honest with me from the beginning, this wouldn't be an issue. But now, we're going to kill you all. Have a nice life in that terrorist group of yours. It'll be short, I assure you. Bye. Click You hang up the phone. Daniel buzzes you in. "Good luck," he says. You get in the elevator, then speed down to the lobby. You make a beeline to the front door. A few cops try to stop you, but they're no match for your combat prowess. You send them to hell with your supernatural fists, then walk out into the street. A news helicopter is flying over the city, and the reporter on board is commenting on the situation. You decide to change your name to Hazel, using make-up and a wig. You buy a newspaper on the way home, then use the paper to fake your death. TV stations pick up the story, and with it your new name, Hazel. You're living the good life now. You have servants to do your chores, a nice house, cool friends, and a hot girlfriend. You don't need boys to feel happy. Cecilia finds you, and says you remind her of her missing husband. She says she wants to make you happy, so you and her have wild, hardcore, no-strings fun. To be fair, you do enjoy it. You decide to become a school teacher. You figure you can use your studly appearance to attract more students, and because of your past, you get a lot of students who are interested in your tale of valorous derring-do. Between your combat skills, stories of your past, and over all "positivity", you're a natural at your job. You also dabble in motivational speaking on college campuses, which pays well. By day, you live in a blissful reality. By night, you haunt the streets as Hazel, in a never-ending quest for justice. Then you save a man's life, and he develops feelings for you. You have decided to live a normal life. You may settle down with this man, and live happily ever after. You're not there yet. This could all still end horribly. You still have a lot of bad things in store for you. In the meantime, you'll enjoy a relaxing day in, before getting back to business. You decide to learn more about the man. You find out his name is Vamp, as he goes by this name when speaking to others. His real name is unknown, as he has gone by several different ones over the years. You introduce Vamp to Cecilia and Daniel. He falls in love with Cecilia immediately, but given that he's a vampire and planning to eat her, that's hardly surprising. Daniel isn't bothered, while you find out that you have strong feelings for Vamp. Vamp plans to woo you over the next few nights, and take you out on the "draw". You'll have to make the final decision. Whilst you wait, you decide to go out and "practice" on some civilians. You don't know when you'll get the chance again, so you want to make the most of it. You enter a coffee shop, and sit at a table by the door. A man and a woman walk in, holding hands. The sight of a married couple makes you grin, and you stand up to follow them. They walk to a table in the back corner, and you approach them. "Excuse me," you say, "could you two hold the table for me?" The man looks at you suspiciously, but the woman smiles and nods. "Of course," she says. "Thank you." You pull out a chair for the woman, then sit down. You pull out your phone and order a coffee, before glancing around. Vamp and Daniel are at a table in the far back, talking to some teenagers. Four eyes are watching you, two male and two female. "My full name is Hazel Jacqueline Killenger," You tell Vamp. "I'm sixteen, and I go to Harold-9123's school." "I'm Vamp," the man says, extending a hand. You shake it, noticing how warm his hand is. "Dad, what are you doing?" Daniel asks you. "Daniel, you were given an order from God! We'll talk about this later," the man says. "Dad, I told you, Hazel is-" "Nevermind, Daniel." You turn back to Vamp. "How about you?" "I'm Vamp. Quick question, do you like cool, or hot blood?" "What's the difference?" you ask. "Well, cool blood is like that of slushies and such. Hot blood is like that of taxis and shoving it up your bum." You laugh. "I like shoving it up my bum." "You have a dirty mind, Hazel Jacqueline Killenger." "Do you have any cool blood? I'm dying of heat right now," you say. Vamp looks around. "Maybe. Let's go to my lab, I can look. You follow Vamp outside, and walk through a park. Daniel informs Cecilia that you're cheating on her with Vamp. She's shocked and upset by the news, and tells you to go back to your house. You follow Vamp into a building, which turns out to be a lab. most of it being in the dark. A few beakers, bottles, and test tubes are on a table, next to a few Bunsen burners. "Ah, Hazel, you're here. Would you like some hot blood?" Vamp asks, "I can easily fix that." "Yes," you reply. Vamp fills a beaker with some sort of clear, red liquid. He grabs two test tubes, and puts one on the burner, and then places the other on top of the first. He turns on the heat, and smiles. "This should work," he says. Vamp switches the burner on, and grabs a pipette from a table. He squirts some of the liquid in the first tube into your mouth. It's hot, and you gasp as it burns your throat, but you manage to swallow it. The liquid in the top tube evaporates quickly, and soon there's just a small amount left in the bottom tube. Vamp grabs a sheet of newspaper and places it over the top tube, before grabbing the second tube and placing that on top of the paper. "There we go," he says. "Hot, fresh blood. Tasted good, did it?" "Yeah," you reply. "Thank you." "You're welcome. I'm in the mood for more fresh blood, however. How would you like to help me out? I can use someone strong, like you." "What's involved?" you ask. "Nothing much. Just cut someone's throat and let the blood pour into a beaker. Simple, really." "Sure," you say. Vamp takes a knife out of his belt loop, and holds it to the throat of a lifeless rat, which he grabs by the neck with his other hand. "Hold on, Daniel!" he says. "I can't promise this won't hurt." You grab the knife with both hands and hold the rat's neck tightly, cutting through bone and spinal cord with ease. Blood spills out over the bottom beaker quickly, and the beaker begins to fill up. Vamp puts the rat in a large beaker of boiling water, and places it on a hot plate to sterilize it. "There," he says. "We're good to go." You and Vamp walk slowly out of the lab, heading towards the cafeteria. You both sit down to a large dinner, and chat about random things. Eventually, you head to bed. While in bed, Vamp discovers your true identity: Jacob Thomas Killenger. His eyes widen, and he grabs his gun from under his pillow. He points it at you, and you sit up. "What's the point of me saving your life if you're going to shoot me? I'm the real deal," he says. "That remains to be seen." You stare at each other, with Vamp holding his gun at point-blank range. He's aged a lot since the seventies; he could probably break you in half. "Dead," he says. You kiss Vamp. Vamp kisses back, pushing you onto your back. You begin to help take off his clothes, and he pushes you down, tearing at yours. After a few minutes, you both collapse next to each other, almost exhausted. "Do you believe in fate?" Vamp asks. "But I lied to you," You say, confused. "I'm not Hazel, I'm Jacob." "Oh? Then why did you pretend to be her? Why tell me you were her?" "I don't know. I thought it'd make things more interesting." Vamp smiles. "How so?" "You liked Hazel, right? Well, I figured you'd want to be with her. I mean, she obviously still has an impact on your... well, whatever you are." "It's called a crush, sunshine," Vamp says, shyly. "I've had them before." You nod. "Well, then you'd understand why I did it. I figured you'd... try to win her back." "You're strange, you know that?" Vamp says, smiling. "Go to sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow." You nod, and the pair of you embrace each other, falling asleep in the bed together. --- You wake up late, with Vamp already up and getting organized. You walk into the bathroom as Vamp washes his face. "We need to be at the Madness recruitment center by ten," he says. "We have an appointment with Mr. Sunshine." "Who's Mr. Sunshine?" You ask. "The leader of the League. You'll meet him today, and he'll tell you whether or not you get to be a Vamp." "So if I get accepted, do I get to join?" "Sure. If I get accepted, you get to join. If I get accepted, you get to join... there's a lot of ifs in there, isn't there? But it's alright, we're practically family at this point." "Are you leery of being in the service of a vampire?" "I'm leery of being in the service of a vampire who just stabbed me in the back as I'm falling asleep. But that's neither here nor there. We should get going now, if we want to be on the safe side of the city. I'm a little hungry, in case you haven't noticed. I'd forgotten about that. I'll have to make a point of it every night from now on." "I have some sunflower seeds and bacon in my bag. Let me know when you're done. I'll find you when I'm done eating." Vamp meets you as you walk out of the bathroom. He takes the bag, and looks inside. "Excellent. You seem to have thoughtfully stocked up on food for me." "You said you were hungry," you say, confused. "I'm hungry now! How long have you known me? How long have you known I get hungry out of season? Has it really been that long? Oh, it's comes up. Spring is coming. The hunger is coming. I have to pick up supplies. What else are friends for? Ha, I'll see you soon, I'm sure. You're off to a good start with these." Vamp eats the entire bag of sunflower seeds in record time, and you've barely touched your half of the supplies. Vamp finishes and washes his face, picking up his bag. "Well, you're certainly stocked up. I suppose I'll see you when I get back." "When are you going to be back?," you ask. "I dunno. A few days? I'll text when I'm on my way back. You can stock up more then. I'll see you then, Jacob. I'm sure we'll become great friends. You seem like a pretty cool guy. Just remember, I'm your best friend. No one else can do what I can. Also, no one else can do what I can do. Remember that. And if you ever need help with anything, don't hesitate to ask." You stand there and watch as Vamp disappears into the trees. "I'm your best friend. No one else can do what you can do. Also, no one else can do what I can do. You head over to explain things to Cecilia and Daniel. "I have to go on a quest." "A quest," says Daniel. "What's that? "It's none of your business," You say. You then lock Cecilia in the basement. Of course, she can still hear everything happening outside. "So... what are we doing on this quest?" "Daniel, I have to go on a quest. You and Cecilia are the only ones strong enough to help. I need back-up." "Who else is going?" "Cecilia, Owen, Hazel, and Frank are all coming with me. Probably the most skilled, but they don't have as much experience as we do. You'll have to take care of most of the fighting, and make sure they stay safe. When the zombies attack, get the hell out of the way, then whack the nearest one's head open and shove his brains in." "I thought you were going to teach us something new. You tell Daniel to go to the forest and wait there. But you don't follow him. You stare at him, and slowly begin to fade into the trees. You hope he notices you leaving, but he's too busy staring at his feet to notice. "Zombies are stupid," You raid Cecilia's closet and steal her outfits. A dress and a leather jacket. Nothing else will do, so you rummage through Daniel's room and take his clothes as well, leaving him in boxers and a t-shirt. You then return to Vamp's house. He should be back any minute, assuming he's not taking as long as he usually does. "Vamp should be back in about an hour. You'll be fine if you stay here," "My, my, you look quite beautiful, Jacob." Vamp says. You're not sure if he means it, or if he's mocking you. You don't care either way. You then convince Vamp to move into your old house. Cecilia is still locked in the basement. "I don't trust him. And I don't want you coming and going as you please. We'll be safer in the house, together," "You sure you don't want to stay at your father's house?" "I'm sure. You go to Cecilia's place of work to steal her job. Stealing the radio station is the first thing. You hook it up to the PA system. You then work on stealing the rest of Cecilia's identity. You take her social security card and driver's license, and use them to get a new birth certificate in Cecilia's name. You also get a new purse and car, both of which you stow in the house. When you're finished, you wait around for Vamp. Every night, you and Vamp listen to hear if Cecilia is still breathing. Every morning, you wake up and hope that you don't. She is killed by a teenage boy who drives his car into a lake where she and Daniel are fishing. "That was fast," Vamp says. You hide her body in the basement, finally having replaced her fully. You spend the next few days sleeping. You wander aimlessly, trying to find a reason to go on. You visit Vamp, who sits in her chair doing nothing. She gives you a small smile when she sees you, but that's it. You remember that Vamp is a man, and you stole your wife's life. You're a monster. You don't stay with her any longer. You go to the river and find a rock, and sit down. You look at Daniel's picture, holding it in your hands. Vamp asks you to marry him. You say yes. That night, you drink her dry. You're a monster. She's dead. You feel nothing. You and Vamp grow old together. You grow old. You waste away to nothing, and die in each other's arms. Until finally your vampire transformation is complete. Both vampires, you and Vamp try to reintegrate into society. You feel like a pariah. You want to be normal, but you know you can never be like other simple humans. Eventually, you and Vamp learn to cope with your condition. You kill women and steal their identities. You're not sure why. Perhaps it's some twisted form of vengeance on those who took your true love from you. You wonder if you could one day conquer the world, and live again as a human, but you realize that with each victim your heart grows fonder of Cecilia's replacement, and you can't bring yourself to kill her. Your mind is forever changed, and your search for the truth has been abandoned in favor of simple survival. You're happy. Sometimes you even laugh. You have survived, and thrived, with the help of a vampire. Vamp has proven to be a dependable companion, a thrall even, to you. The two of you share a contentment with each other, and a love. Vompa is your eternal princess. You'll rule as king and she'll be queen. Vamp will be your doting princess. But one day, Vamp says he's leaving. She takes you by the hand, and kisses you. "I'm taking Daniel's boat into town. It's night, so nobody will see me leave." She leaves. You haven't been Jacob Thomas Killenger in years. You're currently Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. You're the leader of Team Never Ending Story. You sit, waiting. Vamp stays out for a long time. Hours pass, and you begin to get worried. "Vamp?" He arrives back home. His face is bloody, and he hides behind a large man. The man has long red hair, and a rather large blade on him. "Don't worry," he says in an old voice. "There was never a Hazel Killenger," The man says. "There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But I killed him. I killed her. I killed everyone. I killed you. Good night, Vamp. Sleep tight, darling." Finally, you go into the basement. You look at the chained up body of Cecilia. You take out your blade and bring it down to slam it into her neck, allowing you to drink... But it's no use. She's already dead. She's been dead for hours. You bang your head into the table in frustration. No blood pours out of your head. You take out your blade again, and this time plunge it into her chest. You drink, and laugh at the death that fills your body. You don't feel a thing. You don't care. You go to town the next night. You take from the poor, letting the government tax the rich. You do it every day. You're still Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But you keep on fighting. You're sure as hell not going to go down without a fight. You finally visit your sister Grace, and explain what happened to you. Her eyes widen when you show her the scar on your wrist from cutting yourself. "This is why I wanted to be a doctor," you think to yourself. "Why I played with Lego's instead of shootin' guns." She hugs you tightly, and you just hug back. You need your sister right now. A few years pass, and you're still fighting. Vamp leaves you for dead, abandoning you in the woods when he realizes he can't control you. As you lie there, you whip out scissors and cut your hair off. It's long, now. It almost reaches your waist. You take off your jacket, and wrap it around your waist. You cover yourself with dirt, leaves and twigs. You wait. As you wait, you remove your makeup too. Eventually, when you're a man again (and you sort of look like a hunchback), you stand up. You wander the forests and woods, taking what you need from those too weak to stop you. The years pass, but the scars on your face tell the story of a man who's been through hell. You're known as The Ghoul. Your son Daniel tries to fight you. "You killed my father!" He yells. You ignore him. Four years later, he has your daughter, Grace. You kill her soon after she's born. Every now and then you see Hazel on the news. She's still fighting against the government. You become Hazel again. You laugh. She still wants to be the first on her team, even if she's last to leave it. You become a hero. As a hero, you go to revive Cecilia. It's simple, really. Just a bite on her neck. You want one of her young, so you can raise it as your own. You tell her you prefer being a vampiress to a man. You don't bother curing yourself of your blood lust, and have her revive you. You become a vampire. Cecilia is relieved she's alive again, and kisses you. You're ready to take over the world with her by your side. You become a group called the "Lesbian Lusters". You laugh. You wouldn't know a Lesbian from a guy, but you go along with it for now. You become a media darling. You let Hazel lead. She had the charisma. You had the strength. You become a vampire lord. You have no army, no territory, no major accomplishments. You reveal to Cecilia your disassociative identity disorder, and Hazel is your other personality. You rage and scream and hit her. You blame her for making you psychotic. You hit her again, then again, then again. She attempts to stop you, but you bite her neck. Then, she stakes you. The psychiatrist says you died instantly. He says Hazel was in control the whole time. You weren't really a happy person, so it makes sense. Even now, you want to laugh at such a notion. Your funeral begins the next day. Hazel showed up, and you demanded she be chained. She was. The remaining VLs show up, as do a few humans to pay their respects. Cecilia visits. Grace arrives to say a few words. Daniel arrives. And that's it. That's your legacy: A failed attempt at taking over the world, and a dead man who's daughter is an abusive alcoholic. What a tragic hero you were. Good night, Mr. Killinger. Sleep tight, 'cause tomorrow we'll kill the world again. At your funeral, Grace (your sister) says, "Whichever was in control, Jacob or Hazel, my sibling lived a fantastic life. They once rescued me and a card box from a slaughterhouse. Today, we don't celebrate Hazel or Jacob, but both the individuals in this magnificent body. The world may be less bright without them, but they would always want us to keep fighting. Rest In Peace, Jacob Thomas Killinger and Hazel Jacqueline Killinger, two great minds." Then, everyone applauds. You're buried in your home of Alton, in your backyard, near your parents and sister. Just another hero with a tragic story. Daniel uses a ritual to summon your ghost. "Hey, Jacob. We need to talk." Daniel sits next to you, and places his arm on the grave. "I know who killed you. It was Hazel. "I killed a person who shares my body?" You ask. "But why?" "She was a lesbian. Possibly trans. That's why she betrayed you. And that's why she killed herself." "I see. Thank you for bringing this to me, Daniel." "Thank you for being you. I'll never forget you, brother." Grace looks at him with a frown. "Who are you talking to?" "No one." Daniel gets up, and walks away. Well. That was an interesting experience. You decide to haunt Daniel. Whenever he has a nightmare, you appear and scare the bejeezus out of him. This continues for about a week, until finally, Grace gets tired of staying up all night to look after him. "Jacob, you need to stop doing this," she says. "Daniel's become a wreck due to lack of sleep. It's not healthy." "Fine. I'll stop." "Thanks." Grace walks away. The next night, you stop haunting. Daniel never mentions it ever again, and life goes back to normal. You'll just have to haunt other souls. You figure you'll go after Cecilia's soul, since she murdered you. When the time is right... Hey there, Cecilia. You almost laugh at the thought of you being a lesbian. She's such a manly woman. Also, how stupid would it be for her to fall for you? You're a ghost. She'd literally be cheating death itself. Nevertheless, you begin to haunt her. Whenever she falls asleep, you appear and scare the hell out of her. She complains to James, who says that he'll talk to you about it later. A few months pass, and life goes back to normal. You continue to haunt Cecilia, to which she continues to come to you complaining. The pair of you continue this cycle. One day, you go to class... Hey there, Cecilia. What a surprise to see you here. You know, I'm probably the only person that actually knows who you are around this school. Everyone else barely acknowledges your very existence. How's high school going for you? You seem bored. Boring, even. I suppose it is. There's not much to do around here. We have a few parties here and there, but nothing to really catch the eyes of the... well, the "masses." You're missing out, Cecilia. I guess James is here with you. Is he prettier than me? (Sigh) He's different. I still haven't gotten used to that. The whole town is full of pretty people, it seems. I think I like your look more. It's not as fake. Huh. I guess you do know me. I guess not, then. I'll just leave you to your babbling... Bye, Cecilia. See you later. You vanish, leaving a confused Cecilia behind you. Later, in detention... Hey there, Cecilia. Why are you sitting by yourself today? It's not like you to be the new person sitting alone. Also, it's probably for the best that you sit by yourself. Weirdos like Jacob don't tend to be popular. Not that you care... So, what have you been in for again, Detention period is over. Oh, you know the deal. You're in for a beating. I'm not even going to bother with a plea bargain this time. You're going to get the full force of my fist, not to mention what other tortures I have in store for you. Terrific. Anything else I should know? Not right now, but if you have something to tell me, I'll be sure to hear it. Well, I'm going to go over the rules... Stay after detention. Don't use the library as an escape route. Don't try to see Cecilia. Don't attempt to leave the school, at all. Got it. Well, you've certainly gotten my attention. A girl from another school trying to romance me? Why don't you just jot down a suicide note and give us a final solution to the problem instead? You don't respond. It's not like you really have much of a choice at this point. detention Wow, didn't expect that from you. I guess maybe I can take a hint. So... What were you saying? You have something to tell me? Yes, what is it? Well... You're going to have to be more specific than that. There's this girl... Well, okay, not just a girl, but she's a really pretty one. Yeah, pretty standard. Well, she's in my class, but I think she's trying to pick me out because she's jealous of me. I also think she wants to be my girlfriend. Hmm, not jealous, eh? That's odd. Well, it's not like I like her or anything, I don't think, but I don't want to make her angry either.... Um... So... What's the problem? I don't want to make her sad or mad.... Oh dear. You've really done it now. This girl sounds like she has some serious issues. If you were a lesser man, you'd probably feel sorry for her. As it stands, though, you still have to take her home, and you have no idea how to do that. You could just say, "Fine, you don't have to come with me. I'll leave." That would make her happy, and you're fairly certain that wouldn't make you happy. You could tell her the truth. Again, you aren't sure if you'd make things better or worse, but you suppose it couldn't hurt to try. You could lie. You'd have to come up with a lie that you're sure she'd buy, because the whole point is to make things easier for you and you're fairly certain it won't be easy. Well, options are options, but in any case, you're fairly certain only one of them is going to be completely beneficial. You just need to figure out which one. Oh, and you also need to tell her the truth, so you can get out of this crap. Well, I'm sure you already know what you're going to do. Yeah. That... Seems like the best way to handle this. It's always so hard to be honest with her. If Cecilia were here, she'd probably say to just tell the girl the truth. That's going to make things a whole lot harder though. Still, this Cecilia isn't going to help you with this problem either. All she's going to think is that you're trying to push someone away because you have a thing for her. Oh well, time to do what needs to be done. So, I guess you're going to have to tell this girl the truth. Well, that's what you're going with anyway. Your other big decision is whether or not to say you have a crush on her. This isn't some pathetic it's-not-me-itis attempt. You genuinely do. You just don't know how she's going to react to hearing that. Is she going to be insulted? Annoyed? Delighted? You have no idea. You're fairly certain the last thing she'd be is flattered though. Girls aren't really into guys who are into them. That's an insult to their ego and it can cause bouts of low self esteem. Even if they don't think it, it still hurts their feelings and that will just make their behavior worse. Still, you have to try. You don't know how you're going to fix things if you don't. You have some ideas, but you're still working on that. In any case, this is the situation: You're going to have to tell her you like her. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but you're going to do it. The question is, how do you do it? Should you just tell her you have a crush on her right after she thanks you? What if she gets angry and accuses you of saying it to provoke a reaction? Do you tell her after she's given you the rundown of all the things that have happened over the course of this adventure? You think you know what you should do, so the question is, do you have the courage to do it? You're drawing a blank on how to act. If you're going to do this, you need to get up the courage. ... Well, this is awkward. You've never had to do this before... You head downstairs to the living room and find Cecilia there, waiting for you. "Hey, Jacob." She says calmly. "Um, hey Cecilia. I was wondering if you-" You stop yourself right there and take a deep breath. This is it. "Cecilia, um..." "Yes?" She asks, turning to you. Why do girls have to be so pretty? This is why you don't ever have crushes. It messes with your mind. Why do you have to be so handsome? Men like you Sp Notification: You have a crush on Cecilia. Current score is 7/25. Spin the wheel! Choose your course of action: You're socially awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. "Cecilia, I'm a girl," You say. She looks at you confused. "What? No, you're a boy." "I'm a girl. I have a crush on you." She raises an eyebrow. "You do?" "Yes." She raises her eyebrow even higher. "I don't think I've ever seen you around before, do I know you?" You gulp nervously. "No, I just u-um... I just sort of had a feeling," You say. "A feeling?" She asks skeptically. You take a deep breath. "My name is Hazel. I live inside your husband's head." You explain. "What? No, my husband doesn't have a stalker." She says. "Really? Because I'm sure he'd be the perfect one to have one." "He doesn't. I promise." "I am his other self," You explain. "But I like you either way." She raises an eyebrow. "You're his other self?" "Yes," you smile. "Do you have a pen and paper? I could tell you more about myself." "Um, OK," She says, fumbling with something. "Do you mind if I ask what you're doing?" You ask. "I'm preparing an explanation for my friends," She says. "If you don't mind." "Go ahead." "So, what's your name?" She asks. "Hazel," You smile. "What are you planning on telling your friends?" "The truth." "Sure," You smile. "I'll be waiting outside." You walk outside and wait for your ride. Soon, it arrives. "Hey Hazel," Charlie asks. "Charlie," You smile. "You're pretty quiet this evening." He says. "Sorry," You say. "I'm a little overwhelmed by all this." "Hazel, welcome to the family," Dad says. "I know you've had a horrible couple of days, and you've come through it. You will always have a home here with us, OK?" You smile and nod. "Thanks, dad," You say. "You want to tell me what's going on?" Dad asks. You calm him down and tell him everything. It goes much smoother than with Cecilia. "That's great, Hazel," Dad says. "We love you no matter what." "I love you too," You hug him. You meet the rest of the family. They seem just uninterested in you, which is just as well. Even if they weren't, what would it change? You had a good time with them. You feel loved for the first time in your life. Soon, it's time to say goodbye. "Bye Hazel," Dad says. "We're so proud of you." "Bye Hazel," Momma and Cecilia say in unison. "Bye Hazel," The rest of the family says. You walk to the bus stop. Charlie is already there. "Hey Hazel," He smiles. "That was quick. You ready to go?" "Yeah," You smile. "Thanks for being my ride. That was really nice of you." "No problem," He says. "Hey, do you want to go to that new hang out place of mine?" "What is it?" You ask. "The top of the Ferris wheel at night," He says. "It's supposed to be really cool to see the city." "Yeah, OK," You smile. "I'd love to see the city." You get on the bus and ride back home, where you quickly fall asleep. When you wake up, it's time for school. You get ready and head off to Mr. K's class. You manage to keep your head down and not pay much attention. Later, when school ends, you say goodbye to your friends and walk home. You walk past the drug store and continue on home, thinking about Charlie's eyes. "I like hazel eyes," He says. "Every girl should have them." You shake your head. What is Charlie on? You enter your home and find your mom and dad waiting for you. "Hello Hazel," Dad says. "We need to talk to you." "Oh," You say. "Alright." "Come into the kitchen," Mom says. "Both of you." You follow your parents into the kitchen. "Hazel," Dad says. "We're going to have to talk about something that's been bothering us. It's about your powers." "Mom, dad!" You say in unison. "Now," Dad says sternly. "Hazel, you have grown considerably more powerful over the years. Powerful enough that you could be a danger to yourself and others, and for that reason we're going to have to tie your powers down. You'll be going to a special school away from normal people." "But I don't want to go to a special school!" You exclaim. "Can't I stay here with you guys? I don't want to go!" "We're sorry Hazel," Your mom says. "It's for your own safety. The school will help us train you how to control your powers more, as well as how to hide them better. It's the best solution." "But I don't want to go!" You wail. "Listen to your dad," Dad says. "This is how it's going to be, so just deal with it." You stand up and you're about to walk off, when Dad stops you. "Just calm down, we're not done yet," Dad says. "There's more. Because of your ability, we're going to have to get you a bodyguard. This will be very hard for you, but we know it's necessary. After discussing it with your mother, we've decided to get Jon." "Jon who?" You ask. "Jon Karson, sweetie," Your mom says. "He's very popular, so you shouldn't have any problems in that aspect. He'll be moving in with us slightly, so we can ensure your safety in a better way." Dad turns to you. "We want you to be nice to him, alright?" Dad says. "No killing, no abusing him, and if he starts showing any signs of having powers then you can kill him." "If," You switch back to Jacob. You don't want to argue with your dad, but you're not going to roll over and take it like a doll. "If what?" You ask. "If he starts showing signs of having powers," Dad says. "It's to make sure you don't kill him, because we still have to go through with the wedding." "Dad, I'm not killing Jon. If he starts acting weird, I'm going to tell him to go to the police, not kill him. And seriously, he can't have powers. You told me so." "Well, I'm not sure," Dad says. "I mean, I guess we can test him to see if he's... well anything for now." You sigh. Jon might actually be a fake. You didn't think it was possible, but you actually hate this guy a little more right now. "Fine," You say. "Good, good!" Dad says. "Great work as always, Hazel." You just want to go to bed, but you have to go with your dad. Instead, you decide to just wait in the car. A few minutes pass, and you start fearing the worst. "Jon!" Dad says, walking out the house. "We need to go." Your stomach drops. Jon stands outside the house, dressed in a nice suit. He smiles at you, looking genuine and friendly. "You're Jon Karson," You say, still in shock. "Oh, I'm so sorry sir!" He says. "I didn't recognize you in your younger form." "No, it's alright," Dad says. "Where's Hazel?" "I'm here," You reply. "You can let me out of the car." Jon walks around to the passenger door, and opens it for you. "Hi, I'm Jacob," You say to Jon. "It's a... small world, isn't it? I know all about you." "Oh?" Jon says, raising an eyebrow. "What do you know about me, Jacob?" "You don't have powers," You say. "At least, I hope you don't. I hope you're all clear." "You can check," Dad says, pulling out his phone. "I want to prove that it's safe, Hazel. Come on, Jon." "Okay," Jon says, stepping onto the street. "Thanks for being so honest, Jacob. I appreciate it." "No problem," You reply. "I'm sure I'll see you around, Jon." "Okay, darling," Dad says, as you roll the window back up. You watch as the two men walk towards a police car, and you start the car and pull away from the house. You stop for a moment, then grab your dad's phone. You look up the number to call the police, then realize you're sitting in a ' police car '. You put the phone down, and try to forget about it. "What was that about?" Dad asks. "Jon Karson," You reply. "Your date for the wedding." "He's not my date," Dad says. "He's your date." "Either way, I'm late for school." You pull into the school parking lot. A police car pulls in right behind you. "Hi, I'm Jacob Thomas Killinger. How may I help you?" You ask. "I'm Officer Karthun," The police officer says. "You're the boy who found the dead body, aren't you?" "I am," You reply. "We need to talk to you about that." You pause for a moment, before opening the door and getting out of the car. You shake Officer Karthun's hand, then follow him toward the school. "So, did you have to go see the principal?" Officer Karthun asks. "Yeah, after you called. I get in trouble. I'm sorry for the confusion." "It's alright. Confusion is good. It means you're human, Killinger. The world would be a very boring place if everything were perfect, no?" You don't really understand the joke, but you don't have time to worry about it now. You wait in the empty hallway for a moment. "So. About that dead body we found a little while ago..." Officer Karthun begins. "Yeah?" You reply nervously. "Well, do you know who it is?" "Not really," "It's actually my wife, Cecilia, from my previous incarnation," You say, overpowering Hazel. "Oh. Um, I'm so sorry for your loss," Officer Karthun says. "Thank you," You say. "So, did you know each-?" "I have to go." "Alright, Killinger. Talk to you later." "Bye," you say, trying not to sound too eager. You walk quickly to the administration office. You open the door and walk inside. "Hello?" You call. No response. You walk inside and see no one. You look around the room, but see no one. Then, you hear a scream. "SHIT!" You yell, as you look around for the source of the scream. You walk over to a door on the far side of the office, leading into a bathroom. You open the door to find a girl, around your age, with blood all over her. She screams again as you open the door, and a large man comes charging out of a nearby stall. "STOP!" He yells. You don't really have a choice, as he grabs you by the scruffy beard you were forced to grow for your dad's employer, Mr Scamander. "You're coming with me," he says. Along the way, you explain everything that's happened. "But in short, just call me Hazel," You finish. "I'm Karth," You say, as you extend your hand. "I'm Cecilia," She replies, taking your hand. The three of you walk into the principal's office. You sit in the waiting area, as Karth and Cecilia explain to the school what's happened. Soon, Mr Dendar appears. "Hello, Cecilia," He says. "I'm very sorry for your loss. I'll do everything in my power to solve this case, so Karth, you need not worry." "Thank you, sir," Karth says. "What can I do for you two today?" Mr Dendar asks. "We found a dead body in the woods," Karth says. "The dead body was mine in my previous incarnation. I was reincarnated into this form with the same name as last time, except now I have powers," Cecilia explains. "I'm confused. How did you die?" Mr Dendar asks. "I was murdered," You say. "Wait, you're saying you were murdered?" Mr Dendar says. "Yes," "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "I was murdered too. Well, not me, per se. The other me. I have two personalities fighting for control of my head, so sometimes I'm a boy named Jacob, and sometimes I'm a girl named Hazel, though we both share a male body. This was in my previous incarnation too. Cecilia actually killed me that time." You explain. "Interesting. Well then, I suppose this would be a good time to introduce you to the school nurse, seeing as there's two of you." "Mr Dendar, we're not hurt," Cecilia says. "We're fine. "I'm also not a reincarnation like these two," Karth says. "My parents were murdered when I was a baby, and I had to live with an adopted family. It was the evilest man of all who did this deed. So now, I want to learn how to avenge their deaths by being at this school." "What are we going to do?" You whisper. "I want you both to finish your free period, pack a bag, and meet me in the student lounge at five thirty." "Why?" "Because I'm doing you a favor. I'm giving you the chance to avenge your parents. If you refuse, there will be consequences. See you there." With those last words, Mr Dendar leaves. You and Cecilia begin to head to your lockers, but Karth calls you over to him. "What's wrong?" You ask. "I just wanted to thank you.' Karth says. "Mr Dendar is a complete idiot who needs to stick to being the soccer coach. I know we just met, but I trust you and Cecilia with my life." "Cool," You smile. "I'm glad to be able to help." "Just don't fail me." "Never." The three of you finish packing, and head to the lounge at five thirty. When you arrive, Karth immediately takes a seat in the back, and makes himself scarce. You don't understand this behavior, until you notice the tape the police have placed across the entrance to the lounge. "What now, dad?" You whine. "Can't we go in?" "No." "Also, did I mention we have a big family?" You say. "Six siblings, we're all blond." "Can we go outside to talk?" You ask. "No." "Is there a window we could go through?" "Well, what are we going to do? "I don't know, but my parents are just powerless mortals," Cecelia says. "I think we should take the tapes and the money, and give them to Mr Dendar. Then, we can all protest about not getting our funds." "Yeah, wouldn't that be nice?" You say. "Okay, what's plan B?" "I can't recall any," Cecilia says. "I guess we could just leave. I mean, there's no tape across the road entrance. We could just sneak out that way." "I don't think that's a good idea," Cecilia says. "Mr Dan-" "Dendar. Correct." "Mr. Dendar will not be able to do anything about the police. We need to stay and see this through." "Can we at least put the tape back so we know where to go?" "I don't think that would be a good idea, seeing as they took our tape to begin with." Plan B is discarded. You wait for three hours before you see Mr Dendar, who looks absolutely exhausted. You notice his tie is crooked and there's a tear in the sleeve of his jacket. "Give me the Philosopher's stone," He says. "Give it to me now." "We haven't even seen your film yet," You say. "The movie isn't important! Give me the stone! I need to destroy it!" "Why would you want to do that?" "Because it's a threat to my existence! I have to, there's no other option! "You're the guy who killed my parents possessing Mr. Dendar, aren't you? What's your name?" Karth asks. "My name doesn't matter. You'll all pay for what you've done." "No, we'll give you the stone. I have to agree with Cecilia though, we need to protest." You go back inside, and hand the tape back to Mr. Dendar. "I'm sorry about this," You apologize. "We can watch the movie some other time." "No, please, do it now!" He says. You hit play, and Ben Elton's 'We Hate You' song starts to play. The cashier begins to speak. "Hello, and thanks for coming to my theater! My name is Cecilia, and I'll be your host for tonight. Before we begin, do any of you idiots know how to work a tape deck?" Nobody does. "Hey, give your sister this old diary to pour her feelings into," Mr. Dendar says. "It's totally not gonna possess her to paralyze all the norm kids here and bring back the guy inside me in a secret chamber." Cecilia hands out the diaries and tapes. "Now, please pay attention, because I'm only gonna say this once." The intro starts, and the movie begins. You watch the movie 'Ghostworld', which is about two teenage sk8r girls, one popular girl and one awkward girl who becomes friends with her. "Also, in case a werewolf comes to teach here, it will probably attract your godfather, Karth, so be on the lookout for him," Mr. Dandar adds. Suddenly, you're hit by a bolt of lighting and George A. K. McRory's 'Extra Pain' starts playing. George A. K. McRory is a werewolf. "I'll make my grand reentrance during your fourth year, while Karth is in the Three School Tournament and gets his friend killed, but me resurrected," The entity in Mr. Dendar adds. "I'll also take over the town, turning everyone into a-" You raise your hand. "Whoa there, Dendar! I know what you do! But... Why...? "Because this will attract the woman I'm planning to have overthrow your principal the year after that and make your lives miserable," Mr. Dendar says. "I'm... A very petty being, but so incredibly right in this case!" The movie ends. "I'm also going to let my double agent who works here loan you an old notebook to use in your worst class, which won't be your worst anymore once you get ahold of it, all during the occuring war," The entity in Dendar says. "I'd let you read it, but it'd probably mess with your mind, as most students' have in the past. This is your warning, Karth. I'll be watching you. I'm everywhere." "One more thing, Karth, I've split my soul into seven pieces, which you three must find the year after that, during which I'll completely take over your school and have an epic battle with you," The entity finishes. Mr. Dendar flees, and you, Karth, and Cecilia look at each other. "I don't know what that was all about, but it can't be anything good," You say. "Well, the notebook will help us with number four," Cecilia says. "Number Four?" You ask. "Yeah, there's a ritual to banish children'sspirals to. We'll have to do it when the time comes." Later, you decide to perform the Ritual to Summon the Gatekeepers in the abandoned mineshaft in the woods. The only thing you can figure it is, you need the help of beings that went through the gate. You just wonder what other help they'll need to make sure the spell is completed. You summon the gatekeepers, who you learn are beings of pure, unending hatred. The beings begin to circle you, before one of them begins spouting a series of numbers. "He's calling the order of gladiators! Get 'em off the field!" Mr. Demar shouts. You raise your weapon, and begin firing upon the horde of celluloid monsters. You cut down a few, before you're struck by several spears made of flame. You fall to the ground, as the horde continues to attack you. The only thing you can hear is the laughter of the gatekeeper horde as they file out of the stadium and into the night. And then, the world goes black. You wake up in the mineshaft, covered in dirt and grime. You're alive, although you have multiple bruises and a broken leg. You feel like you've ran a marathon. "Karth!" Cecilia shouts. "You're alive! Are the others alright?" You look around, noticing the gatekeepers surrounding you and your allies. "Did you get them all?" You ask. "They're all here," The leader of the gatekeepers, a pale, gaunt man covered in burn scars says. "Except for that one." He indicates Cecilia with a nod. "The little one was incredibly difficult to catch. I don't know how you managed to avoid them all, Karth, but we're very grateful." "I'm not Karth," You remind Cecilia. "I'm Jacob, who in our previous life, was your husband that you murdered. I hope we don't make this mistake again." You stand up, and see the bodies of your friends lying on the floor. "What... What happened?" "The gatekeepers were very effective," Mr. Demar says. "Karth didn't deserve to die," Cecilia says, tears in her eyes. "He was doing so well against the demons. He risked his life to save mine. And now... Now he's gone. But at least he lives on in glory!" "It's okay, Jacob, you always have me," The Hazel side of you says. "I'll always be here to keep you grounded. Remember, life isn't fair. What happens, happens. You can't spend your life blaming others or you will also meet the same end. "I love you, Jacob," Cecilia says, kissing you. "Be happy." You nod, and turn to the leader of the gatekeepers. "Gatekeepers, I want you to know, I greatly appreciate all your help during this incident. If there's anything I can do for your order, let me know." "We will," He says. "You've been a great help to us as well, Karth. We hope that you will stay with us, at least for a while." You smile and nod. "Of course," "I'm Jacob, you idiots," You say. "You can leave now. I'll take it from here." "As you wish," Mr. Demar says, sighing. "We'll be in touch about the details of your stay." The gatekeepers leave, leaving you alone with Mr. Demar. "Well, that was exciting," Mr. Demar laughs. "I thought you were going to die there for a second. Your two personalities (Hazel and Jacob) fight for a good response. "Well, I guess you are stronger than I am," Cecilia says. "I know I am. I'm so glad both of you made it." "I'm happy to help," Mr. Demar says. After a long moment of silence, Mr. Demar leaves you alone with your wife. "Cecilia, do you remember Daniel, our son?" You ask. "Do you think he's still alive?" "I hope so," She says. "That boy was so full of life. Just like you." You nod, smiling. "I'm glad I could help you both out," You say. "Daniel would be proud." You hold her hand, and she holds yours back. The two of you look at each other, and know. This was the happiest Cecilia had ever been. None of this will have solved anything. The dead will still be dead. The living will still be living. Nothing will change. But for now, everything is good. END Now an old man, Daniel Killinger decides to pay a visit to Hogwarts. He didn't get the chance to visit the last time he was here, something about Professor Quirrell not needing any help at the time. He is shocked to see his parents are students there, and reincarnated. (Well, his mother is and he isn't, but you get the point.) He decides not to approach them, as he knows how terrifying ghosts can be. "Daniel!" Cecilia (his mother) says. "It's so weird to be older than you!" His father (Jacob/Hazel) adds. "Are you here to send us back to our graves?" Cecilia asks. "No," Mr. Killinger says. "I just came to visit, I didn't expect to run into you guys." "Reincarnation is fun, son," Jacob says. "Especially keeping your memories and your feminine side." "I... Think I'm gonna head home now," Mr. Killinger says, a bit scared by the ghosts. "It was nice seeing you guys." "You can't just leave," Cecilia says. "Where's Daniel?" "He's, uh, outside," Mr. Killinger says nervously. "You can see us?" Daniel asks. "When Hazel and Jacob showed me their souls, I could see you." "Daniel, what's wrong with you? Why do you have a hard time talking to people?" Cecilia asks. "The main character in my book can't interact with other people," Mr. Killinger explains. "I made him that way so the allegory would be more powerful." "Allegory?" Jacob asks. "It means a story with a moral, or a story with a deeper meaning," Mr. Killinger slightly composes himself. "The main character in my book, The Ugly Duckling, represents someone who may never be accepted by society no matter what they do. Always different, never like everyone else, but with great potential inside. "So, just like how I was never accepted because I have Hazel inside me?" You ask. "Yeah, I think so," Mr. Killinger says. You are about to ask another question, but Mr. Killinger starts to walk away very fast towards the door. "Daniel, wait!" Cecilia says. You let her parent go, and head home yourself. You end up in bed, drifting off to sleep. You hope you don't get nightmares. "I told you not to follow me!" You hear a voice say. You slowly turn over in your bed, staying perfectly still and quiet. "It isn't worth it, my little shadow," the voice says. "You lack the power to fight me, and you know it." "Leave Cecilia alone," you say, continuing to try to get a read on the voice. "Never," the voice hisses. "I'll kill her and everyone you care about, one by one." "Who... Who are you? Show yourself! " The shadow looms over you, and you grab your crucifix, holding it up and preparing to fire. "Relax, Daniel, it's just me," the voice says. "Your mother's in the next room. She doesn't know anything's wrong, I made sure of that. However, if you stay here your end is going to her." "My end?" you ask. "What is it?" "I need you to perform a task, Daniel. Go to the top of that big tower in the east and search there for a golden egg. Crack it open and grab the card inside. Then, bring it back to me." "What? Why should I do that?" "Because if you don't, your end is going to be much... darker." "Okay, I won't do it," you say. "Now stop threatening me and leave my mom alone." "So uncompromising. Well, I guess I'll have to kill you after all. Oh, how disappointing. I was hoping to avoid that." You heart starts beating faster. "However, your mother has a much... pleasurable end in mind for you. She wants to see you... permanently." "What...?" "You have a choice, Daniel. I'm giving you a chance to live out the rest of your short life any way you want. You can be a normal boy, go to school, get a job, have a family, and die peacefully in your sleep one day. That's what your mom wants. Or, you can be a warrior. Be strong and courageous. Take up the mantle of the warrior and live a life of adventure, going from one dangerous quest to the next. You'll be a real hero, doing grand deeds and going down in history. You'll gain the admiration of everyone. However... you can never let yourself get soft. You can't let yourself have pity or remorse. You can't have a girlfriend. You can't wear clothes. You can't touch anything that's alive. You can't... have children." "What the hell are you saying, you sicko?" "I'm saying, Daniel, that you have a choice. But, make the right choice, and it won't have to be an easy one." "What...?" The voice then gets quieter and quieter, until it's completely silent. You look around, but find nothing. The room you end up in is much bigger than your bedroom. There's a desk with a computer on it, a closet, a small bookshelf, a dressers, and a few other pieces of furniture. An exit is nearby, as well as the door you came from. You're not sure what to make of hallucinations at this point. You're not even sure if what you just experienced was a hallucination. Your surroundings seem somewhat familiar, and you feel like you've been here before, but you're not sure where. "Welcome to Team Never Ending Story Lair!" a voice says. You turn around and see the speaker. He's a boy with brown hair wearing a black t-shirt and black shorts. His eyes are hidden by a mask with a red grin, like that of a beast. He has several piercings, including his tongue, eyebrows, and navel. He holds up a hand to stop you from saying anything. "Don't worry, Daniel, we'll make this as easy for you as possible. Take off your clothes, and get in the circle." There's no way out of this, you're sure of it now. It's very similar to when that girl trapped you in her car, only you have no idea what's going on here. This is some seriously mental stuff. You don't want to go through with this, but you don't have much of a choice, do you? You take off your shirt and shorts, leaving you in your underwear. The boy looks over to a note he's holding, then back at you. "Put these on, and put the mask on." You comply, putting on the t-shirt and shorts and putting on the mask. "Good. Now, grab your weapon of choice." You do so, lifting up your BB Gun. "Now, step into the circle." You do so, entering an oval shaped symbol drawn onto the ground. The walls seem too clean to be real, and there's no windows in this room. You wonder if it's even real. "Excellent," the boy says. "Let's begin." He holds up a small card, revealing a list of numbers. A pen is then produced, and the boy draws a line through the number 5. "This is your number. Now, choose your weapon." You look around, spotting a lighter and a box of matches on a table. You grab the lighter, using it to light the box of matches. "What's going on?" The boy glares down at you. "You ask a lot of questions, Daniel. I'm going to make this really easy for you. Take the lighter and set the box on fire." This is getting weirder and weirger. You do so, watching the matches burn. Nothing happens. "Good girl," the boy says. He holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe." He shows you a series of other symbols, each with a different meaning. There's one that looks like a skull with a diagonal cut out of it. you think you guys can restore my parents Jacob and Cecilia to the bodies and ages they would have today if they hadn't died or become vampires?" You ask. "We can try, sure," the boy says. "But it's really, really hard. We're not going to do it. I'm going to show you a sign, Daniel. Whenever you're asked a question you don't want to answer, or you don't know the answer to, use this sign. It'll save you from a lot of pain and suffering." He points to a symbol, a combination of two crossed swords overlaying a "X". The boy holds up a card with several symbols on it. "Now, I'm going to show you some symbols. I want you to pay attention to which one feels right for any question you have." He shows you a symbol that looks like a peace sign with lines through it. "I call this the middle symbol. It's your go to whenever you have a question. If you have any questions at all, use this one." He shows you another symbol, a sideways "8". "If you run out of things to say, or feel awkward about the question, use this Sign. It'll warn you if you need to stop talking, or play it safe. "Stop repeating yourself," You say. "Look, I want my parents back to normal. Do you have any idea how weird it is to have a dad with two souls in him?" "Weird?" The boy says with a chuckle. "If it was weird, I'd say yes. But since it's perfectly normal, and perfectly natural, I can't help but find it weird too." "What are you even talking about?" "I'm talking about-" The boy pauses, looking confused to as you. "Do you know what a split personality is, Daniel?" "Sure," you say. "Multiple personalities." "Right," the boy says. "Multiple personalities. It's when a person's mind splits into different people. It's quite common, especially in those who have experienced trauma in their past, like you. My name's Jacob by the way. "That's my dad's name," You say. "I'm Daniel. What are you talking about? What's a split personality?" "Easy," the boy says, writing on the notepad he has. "Imagine your mind as a movie. Your movies have scenes, those are our concepts. Your mind has a Director who puts the scenes together, and an Editor who cuts out the unnecessary parts of the movie, leaving only the best for last. Your mind also has a Cast, who are the people you think about the most. If one of them is a murderer, you might have thoughts about murdering them. But, you don't act on those thoughts. Your mind has a illnesses and traumas, that are the worst for your movies of the mind. People with split personalities have Multiple Personalities. Let's take you as an example. "That would be my father," you say. "His other personality is a woman named Hazel," You look at the boy with confusion. The boy gapes his mouth, shaking his head a bit. "He doesn't know?" "Knows what? What are you talking about? Who is Hazel?" "Honestly?" Jacob says, raising his hands up in defense. "I don't know. Not even sure if she is real. Mom says she's the spirit of his dead girlfriend." "His... Girlfriend?" "Sure," Jacob says, shrugging. "Dad's always had a thing for blondes, and he went out with Hazel for quite awhile when he was in college. Even after he got together with Mom." You're in shock. "You're my brother?" You ask. "I had a brother? Why didn't you ever talk about him?" "He didn't exist," Jacob says. "Sorry, Daniel." You're speechless. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Why do I feel connected to you?" You ask. "Who are you really?" "Who am I really?" Jacob asks with a laugh. "I'm your imaginary friend! Anytime you have a question, just ask God!" "I'm not religious. Ask literally any other question and I'll answer it." Jacob rolls his eyes, before shrugging. "Ok, fine," he says. "God, are you real?" The pencil stops. "Am I real?" God asks. "Am I alive? Yes. Am I a man, or a woman, or an animal, or a color? "Or maybe you're like my dad, and both of the first two options," You say. There's a long pause. "Am I your God?" God asks. "... Yes." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "I don't think so," God says. "I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before." "... What way would I know? I'm just a man." "Are you black or white?" "What? No." "Ok, what about the TV? Are you a light or a dark color?" "Why does it matter?" "Because some people have asked me that. Black and white. Good and evil. Man and God." "... I'm not either. I'm... multicolored." "I'm confused," God says. "Are you a TV or not a TV?" "It's not a TV. It's a toaster." "Ah. I see." "Can you stop being a toaster and just stay a TV?" You ask. "Because I need one, and I really don't want to get a toaster." "Well... I could try," God says. "But I can't make any promises." "Trying is better than not trying, right?" You ask. "Sure," God says. "So... Can you please try?" "I'll try to restore your parents to their proper bodies and ages," God agrees. "But I canonly give you my word. It's very difficult to alter the flow of time. I may or may not be successful." "Try," you say. "Please." "I will," God says. "I promise." "Thanks," you say with a sigh of relief. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks. "Dad?" You say, waking up back in your own bed. "Dad, I had a weird dream." "... Well, what did it entail?" You take a deep breath. "God was a toaster." "WHAT?!" Your father says. "How do you even know about toasters? "I don't know, but it promised to restore you to your proper body. Your proper age. But how does Hazel feel about that?" You ask. "Do strange things happen to her body when you go back in time?" "I don't know! I told you, I never went back in time. There was nothing for me to go back to! "I know you're wrong, Dad. But we need to fix this. I'm glad you chose reincarnation, but we need to reverse this. Save both you and Hazel, and Mom as well." You say. "I can't do it, son. I'll stay a child forever if I have to, but it's just not worth it. I have everything I want." "What do you want, Dad?" You ask. "I want to be a kid again." You sigh, and your Dad just stares at you with a smile... Well, there's two of them. You're not sure if a third one is even possible. And that's something you need to solve. ... "God, why won't you listen to me?" You scream. "I'm your creation, surely you should be able to contact me! Am I doing something wrong? What the hell am I doing wrong?" "Does this involve me?" God asks. "No." "Then why don't you just ask the person who can? Your Mom. She's the one that went back in time." "So what? She's not listening to me either! I tried to tell her, but she doesn't want to listen!" "Maybe she prefers ignorance. At least, until she's caught up to 1970." "Is that all you have to say for yourself? Why aren't you helping me? You're supposed to be all powerful!" "And I'm telling you I'm not doing it." "GOD DAMNIT! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SO FROM CONFLICT?! I PRAYED TO YOU! I PRAYED YOUR HOLY NAME! I PRAYED FOR YOUR HELP!" "And? What do you want me to do, intervene in the world and risk my own existence? Why would I do that when I have no guarantee that you would be successful or not risk damaging my own existence in the process? You're on your own kid." "But..." "Don't bother asking me to stay. You know why?" "No." "Because I'm not a god. I'm just a voice in the darkness that's playing judge, jury and executioners. Good luck kid. " And just like that, the darkness fades and you're left with nothing but your bed and a very tired father who is putting his head down. "What... What time is it? "Time to take control," Hazel says from your dad's body. You sit up and your mind is flooded with the voice of Hazel. "Sorry about that. Like I said, it takes a bit of energy." "You... You did that while we slept?" "Yep. Took a while to get the hang of it, but it's actually not too bad." "So you could've killed my Dad?" "No. I couldn't do that without your consent. And I didn't kill him. I just put him to sleep. I also didn't know how you were going to react. That's why I spoke to you first. You try to stand, but feel dizzy. You sit back down. "Now, now, calm down. We've got a lot to discuss, so don't pass out on me." "Can't we just talk? You said you'd answer any question." "Oh, we can, but not right now. First things first. You're in grave danger, and I'm the only one that can help you. But I need you to listen to me. No questions until we're finished." You nod, though you feel as if you should be suspicious. "Alright. Briefly about me, I'm a time traveller. That's the entire short answer. There are many more questions you'd like to ask, but I can't answer them. Not yet. However, I will answer the most important one right now." "What?" you ask nervously. "Do you trust me?" "..." "No?" "... I'm not sure. Why does it matter if I trust you?" "Because if you don't, everyone I say from here on out is going to be used against you. I can't trust you to not betray me. Now, do you trust me?" "I don't know." "Lucky you. It's a livable answer." Hazel laughs. "Alright, let me give you a little more information. I am from the year...." Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. ".... We're currently in the year 2540." "... What does that mean? I don't even know where to start." "Where do you want to start? I'll tell you everything I know about the world, and you can tell me if it sounds correct." "... OK. Go ahead." Hazel begins to explain. A few years after she left, the virus spread throughout the world. She said there were two major factions that formed, the New-U.C.O.N. and the U.S.A. The New-U.C.O.N. was a world government that took over after the virus had taken over. They introduced the five pillars that are still in use today.... Holy smokes, it's already the future! You can barely comprehend the concepts that are flying at you. Sometime in the next few days, you're going to be running around, and by then it's very likely that Hazel will be long gone. You wish she'd at least told you what time she was from, so you could frame it in your head. "Hazel?" You wait for an answer, but none comes. "Hazel? Is that your name?" "Yes." "Well, Hazel, I'll see you around some time." "Sure. Goodbye Jacob." Your father regains control of his body. "Goodbye, Hazel. Something wrong, son?" "No. I'll be going to bed early. See you in the morning. Goodnight, Hazel." You head upstairs. You're exhausted, and you're not even sure what time it is. "Goodnight, Jacob.You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late.

During your adventures you encounter many strange and scary things, which often scar you for life. One of the worst things you encounter is probably the Scablands, a horrible swamp filled to the brim with beasts that will rip you apart, including a creature you only refer to as 'The Man With No Face'. You narrowly escape this terrible place, but it has left a lasting impression on you.

Another very scary place you encounter is the Fantasy World, a parody of Final Fantasy 7's village and dungeon. You also pass through the Lilliputian Kingdom and visit the city of Brotol. There's several smaller villages in the area, some of which have barely survived the destruction of wars between the Kingdom and the Greusim Empire. You briefly visit one such village, where the mayor is attempting to protect his citizens from a massive dragon.

Finally you reach the Final Boss Battle: Mickey Mouse. He stands atop a skyscraper made out of the remains of the Empire's building! He holds the card box in an iron grip, and a fierce battle will take place. Will you be victorious? You will now choose which team member to use during the battle! You may only choose one. You choose Chase McFly. "Alright Chase, let's kick some mouse butt!" you say. "You'll help?" she asks. "Well you're my partner in crime and all, I'm going to help regardless," you say. "Alright then," she says, "Let's get on with this." You approach Mickey, your sword raised. Your dog tags jingle as you walk, and your muscles are clenched to strike. "You're not going to attack him with a sword?" she asks. "With a sword?" you ask, "What kind of magic does he have?" "Sting! Poison Sting!" she yells. You pull up your shirt to reveal your bare skin, and... nothing. He doesn't poison you. Perhaps he doesn't have time to poison you before your battle begins. You don't know. You're just happy that you're about to fight the man who killed your father. "Hah, youz tryin' ta beat da odds eh? Yoo-hoo, anyone fer ia betta than 8b and 8c? I'll take 8a! Come on down to the fight!" he yells from his tower. You approach him, and your sword is raised. He looks down upon you, smiling. "Think yoo can beat da odds? I've got a pair of dice here that say ya don't. Wanna risk yers?" "Ha, I don't bet." "Alright then. I better not lose. It's all the money I saved foa mah trip to da big city! Say, wanna join?" he yells, putting money into a bucket. "What's the bet?" you ask. "Two copper." "Done. What are the odds?" "Seven to four." "I don't bet either then." "Two copper says I win! Bet yooz!" "Alright then, two copper says you lose. You're on." "Yoo-hoo! Anyone in da house? I win!" You look to your partner. "You sure you wanna do this?" you ask. "Of course," she says, twirling her gun-bow around. She pulls an arrow and aims at a nearby building. "Just be careful," she says, nocking the arrow. You take a deep breath, before answering Mickey. "Alright, two coppers says you lose." "I be bettin' on moi, so I win again!" he laughs, putting down a five coin bet. "Sure thing," you smile, dropping the five copper coin in with his ten coin bet. "Let's get this over with," you say, twirling your sword around. You walk up to the mouse, who grins. He pulls a single copper coin from his pocket, showing it to you. "Yoo-hoo, anyone in da house? I win!" "I'm in," you say. "Come again?" he asks. "You're on." "Alright then, two to four. I win again!" he says, showing you the copper coin. "Sure thing," you say, dropping the copper coin in with the ten coin bet. "Hey, are youz gonna lose?" the mouse asks. "I'm not sure. There's a poor man's chance I guess." "Alright then, we'll do it like how we originally planned. Head on back home, I'll give youz a copper if youz win." You nod, smiling. This was the perfect way to settle this. You walk back, heading to the front of the line. You look at the screen and watch as it flashes up. "Name?" the robotic voice booms. "Chase McFly," you say. The screen flashes again. "Password?" the voice asks. "Mazda," you say. The screen flashes again, and a slot opens up. "Coins?" the voice asks. "Ten," you say. You step back, as a coin is put into the slot. The screen flashes, and the slot closes. The mouse approaches, grinning. He presses a button beneath the slot, and the tape smashes into you as you gasp. "IT'S RUBBER!" he yells. You fall to the ground, as the tape laughs at you. The mouse steps forward to your position, and puts the tape into the recorder. "This is fuzz!" he says. "The mouse? What's he done?" you ask. "He's pressed record! You two are having a conversation!" "Oh, great," you say, as the mouse laughs. "Now then, who are you?" "I'm Chase. Who are you? You're not supposed to be here." "I'm the mouse. We're testing to see how good you are at talking." "At talking? But we're not even supposed to be having this conversation. I was just given two coins to gamble. I lost." "I don't know anything about that. I was given two coppers to have a bet. I won." "Sure you did. Well, I don't have anything to tell you, do I? Now stop wasting my time." "Alright then, what do you want to tell me?" "I want to know about the girl. The cupid." "What about her?" "What do you know about her?" "Not a lot. Her real name is Olivia, and she's in our grade. She's on the chess team. I think. I hate her!" "Oh, she's nice then. Alright then, I guess that's it." The mouse nods, smiling. "We're almost out of tape," he says. "I was given ten coppers to talk to you for an hour, but we've finished the hour and I haven't gotten my coins yet. So, do you want to tell me what else you know about the cupid?" "Not really. I told you all I know." "Oh come on! I'm sure you know more about her than you're letting on. Maybe something happened that you don't want your parents to know about." "I don't do anything wrong." "But what if..." "Stop right there, mouse. What if what? What if she overdoses on C.P. gas? What if she throws herself out of a window? I'd bet my savings that you know plenty about her that I don't let on." The mouse's face falls. "You're a very poor liar, Chase," he says. "Fine then. What if I tell you something I know that I'm not supposed to?" "Go on." "My dad says that she likes to..." "Stop!" the mouse says, holding up a hand. "Please don't tell me anything else. I trusted you to tell me something, not the other way around." "Then why did you..." "Give me your savings. I gave you an hour to tell me something, not an hour and a half, Chase." "It's my savings. I can do what I want with it. You don't have any proof that I took it." "Yeah? Well there's the police to prove it too. You're lucky I'm giving it to you at all." The mouse sighs, looking down. "Fine," he says. "My dad's really, really rich. I have ten coins. That's all I really have. If you don't give me my ten coins back, then the police will take me and my dad, and we'll never see each other again." "What makes you think I care about your ten coins? If you don't give me my coins back, then the police will take you and your dad. It's a guarantee." "Because you're a nice boy and you don't want to see me taken away from my dad. That's why." "That's not why at all. Now give me my coins back." The mouse sighs, digging through his pocket and handing you the ten coppers. "There. Take them back," he says. You look at the coins, counting them. "These are ten coins. That's your ten coins," you say. The mouse looks up at you. "That's my whole life right there." You put the coins in your pocket, grabbing the tape from the mouse. It dangles in the air as the mouse sighs, then laughs. "Ha, good luck!" he says. "Good luck, Chase. I'm rooting for you." "Thanks," you say, as the tape goes back in your throat and the mouse walks away from you. You sit down in the chair, taking a deep breath. "So, where am I?" you ask. "You're in a room," the computer answers. "What's this room for? What am I doing here? Am I dead?" "You're in a room, with no doors and only one way out. You are restrained. You ask a lot of questions. You're not dead, you're in a room." You walk over to the chair, sitting down in it. "Why am I here?" you ask. "You're in a room, with no doors and only one way out. You ask a lot of questions. You're not dying, you're in a room." "Why am I here? "To see if you're a video game cheater." "What do you mean?" "You aren't a cheater." "Are you sure? Maybe I'm cheating. Did you check to be sure?" "No." "Oh, good. Did you check if I was a cheater?" "Good. That means you weren't lying. Yay! Now we can let you go." "But I haven't even cheated," you say, as the tape stops. "Yeah, we know. We're letting you go anyway. You're not a cheater." "Oh. Right. What am I doing here?" "You ask a lot of questions. You're not dying, you're in a room." "Oh. Right. Thanks." You get up, walking over to the door. You look through the glass, seeing a key hanging outside the door. "Oh. Okay. I guess I'm free to go." "Of course. You're free to go." You stand up, looking at the door. There's no handle on the inside, so you push against the door with your shoulder. It opens easily, revealing that you're in a room with no other exit. You look around, before the door slams shut behind you. "What was that?" a voice says. You turn, finding a man in a dark suit standing there. He looks at you impishly. "Hello," the man smiles. "Hello," you reply nervously. "So, the police said you were a video game developer. What are you doing in a room like this? Are you a cheater?" "Erm... no?" you say. "Aw, why'd you lie? You're not a cheater. You're going to hell." "No, I'm not!" you say. The man shrugs. "Who knows? We're all going to hell anyway. We might as well try to get in early." The man smiles. "My name's Walter. What's yours?" "My name's Chase, Chase Patrick," you say. "I don't know why I'm here. I've never cheated at a video game in my life." "Never?" Walter says, arching an eyebrow. "No! I don't even own a video game console! I hate violence! I only watch rated G movies! I've never even shot someone in the head before!" "Oh, well that's okay then," Walter says, shrugging. "Well, I've got to go now. Satan's waiting for me." "SatAN!" you shout, trying to stop him. "You won't get away with it! Someone will find a way to...! Hey! You've escaped from a room with no doors and only one way out. How did you do that?" Walter stops, turning to you. "That's just it. I don't know. That's why the police brought me here. I was screaming, and screaming, and screaming, and then I was in this room. I don't remember how I did it. How do you do it? How do you know when you're inside a video game, and how do you leave?" Walter walks forward, offering his hand. "Good luck, Chase," he says. " How do you get out of a room with no doors and only one way out?" Walter is staring at you hopefully. "I... I don't know." "Ah... well, that's okay then. Good luck, Chase. well then... I guess you'd better stay in here forever." "What? You mean I'm trapped in here? How can I leave if I don't know how?" "You'll find a way. You're a cheater. Good luck, Chase. well then..." Walter rubs his eyes tiredly. "I guess you'd better stay in here forever." "What? You mean I'm trapped in here? How can I leave if I don't know how?" "You'll find a way.I guess you'd better stay in here forever. Good luck, Chase." "Wait! How do I get out of here?" "It's a secret. A big, big secret. You can't tell anyone. You got it?" "Yeah," you say, nodding your head slowly. "I got it." "Good," Walter nods. "I've... got to go now. I'll pray for you." "Thanks," you say, as the man in the dark suit disappears into the blackness. You're in a room. A bare, stone room. There's a poor job of carpentry on the door, and it wouldn't surprise you if a single pane of glass was left in this place. No," Kit says. "This is a very boring room." "Not a bad job for someone who's only been here for two days. You'll get the hang of it. You'll be glad to have this room. Trust me." "Kit, are you alright?" Grace asks, turning away from the screen. "You don't seem very enthusiastic about this." "I'm fine," Kit says. "So what is it that you wanted to show us?" Grace asks. "Well, we found a journal," Kit says. "I've only... looked at it. It's in the original Norwegian, but I'm sure we'll be able to make some sense of it." "That's wonderful!" Grace smiles. "I can't wait to hear what it has to say." Kit nods. "Well, come on then," Grace says. "Let's... see what the Norwegian king had to say a hundred years ago." Grace flips open the journal, and turns to the first page. 'Day 1: I don't know what I'm doing here. I'm standing on the rocks, staring out to the endless, black ocean. It's freezing, and I have no coat. I have no coat. I have nothing. I'm hungry. I'm so hungry. I've been walking for hours. I don't know where I'm going. I just... have to walk. I have to move. My legs are like pillars of stone. I can barely move them. But I have to. I think I saw a light down the winding path. I have to see what it is. I have to. Oh, God. My legs. I can barely move them. I don't want to die here. Not like this. There's something out there. Something out there that will kill me. I have to see. I have to know. I have to see what lies beyond the light. I don't want to die here. Day 2: I'm so cold. I can't feel my fingers. I can't feel my toes. I'm just cold. Cold and empty. Holes form in my body. My heart stops beating. I feel nothing. I'm nothing. I feel myself falling into the void. But I don't know what's happening. Am I dying? I'm cold. So cold. I can't... I can't feel anything. I can't... It's getting dark. I don't want to leave this place in the dark. I look around. It's getting dark. There are weird figures standing all over the place. They're not moving. They're staring at me. They're staring at me! They're going to kill me. But they won't move. They won't blink. I don't understand. Why won't they move? What are they? I'm scared. Don't blink. Don't move. Don't make a sound. Stay here with me here. Just... stay with me. Stay with me here.' Grace slowly closes the book "What did you think of that?" she asks. "I don't know what to think," you say. "I really don't." "Meh," Grace says, shrugging her shoulders. "What do you mean by 'meh'?" "I don't know. Boring, I suppose. I've been to the bottom of the ocean. Scared me, that's all. I don't know what that thing in the journal was. I don't want to know what it was. It's probably something bad. I wouldn't want to be down there for all the tea in China." "So what did you think of it?" "I don't know. I found it kind of hard to stay focused. I think the language was a bit technical for me. I don't know. I feel like we wasted our day." "Did you find out who this 'Lena is? Did you make any headway?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Grace says, waving her hand in a shooing motion. "Don't want to talk about it. It's done. Let's go home." You're baffled. "Grace, this journal is important. It really is. You know more than most about looking safety first. That girl could be in danger, even now." "Please, just don't. Let's just... let's just go home." You sigh, nodding. "Fine." The two of you head back home, to your house. You place the journal into your bookshelf, vowing to look through it properly when you're not tired. As you lay down in bed that night, you wonder if you should've fought harder for this journal. You eat dinner in silence, and go to bed. The next morning, you set off for school. You walk into the school, and head to your seat. "Morning, Jacob. Sleep well?" your sister asks. "Sure did, sis," you say, sitting down. "You read the book, I hope," "Yeah, I finished it. It was okay. Didn't go too far past what I already knew. Didn't give away any major plot points." "That's good. You seem a bit... quiet today. Nothing really new to learn." "Just okay? I thought it was amazing!" "I don't know. I guess it just wasn't my thing." You shrug, and open your bag. You pull out your book, and begin to read. "You never read anything by Edgar Alan Purnama, do you?" Grace asks. "No, should I have?" "It's funny. You should read it. It's about a guy who goes into a spooky abandoned house. It's really good." "Are you reading a book by Edgar Alan Purnama?" Grace tutors you in the ways of good literature. You start reading, and within a few pages, you've read all the way through it. You can't believe you never knew about this book! It's so good! You read more, and more, until finally, the bell rings. "See you after school, Jacob," Grace says, as you wave goodbye. After school, you continue reading. In the bookshelf, you find dozens and dozens of other books, many of them classic. You spend your lunch reading. By the end of the week, you've read through most of your books. The few you left behind were definitely not worth keeping. You easily took four books with you when you left. In the evenings, you continue your routine. It's not too hard, as it's mainly reading and homework. You spend every day reading, sometimes for hours on end. It's amazing how much you've read, and how much you've learned. You're about to graduate, and you feel more intelligent than you ever thought possible. It's so easy to become engrossed in a book that you don't hear your mother coming to get you. "Jacob, come on, we're going to be late!" she says. You quickly put your book down, and head down the stairs. "See you later, Grace!" "Jacob? Jacob, are you home? I'm putting the TV on for the rest of the day. You know how your father hates it when I do that!" You shrug, and sit down on the carpet. You open your piggy bank, and pull out a $1 bill. You slide it into the TV's VCR slot, and hit record. You hit play, as the tape starts rolling. "Hey, Jacob! Want to come out and play?" a voice says. You look up from the floor, to see... yourself, from yesterday. The same yourself, with the same shirt and shorts, except today you're in a t-shirt and gym socks. "Come on, get your shoes on! We're gonna knock 'em dead!" the teenaged version of you says. You stand up, and walk after him as he runs into the foyer. The yourself from yesterday is standing there, holding the basketball out for you. "Let's go!" You slowly walk out to the driveway, and stop. Your father is leaning against his car, smoking a cigarette. He looks up, and you freeze. "Hi, Jacob," he says. You try to move, say something, do anything, but you can't. The car looks almost the same, although the paint job is much dulled from age. You look over at the garage, and see your parents' old car, a '74 Chevelle. You stare at it, you stare at the house behind it, and you stare at the street. "Wear the bracelet, OK?" your father says, before walking into the house.

You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. Finally you reach the Final Boss Battle: Mickey Mouse. He stands atop a skyscraper made out of the remains of the Empire's building! He's holding a remote control that starts the countdown for Team NES to die in a fiery death. "Ha ha!urances!" he laughs, as the doors open. "Let's rumble, bitches!" he says. "Come on, Team! Follow me!" Foury the Number says, as you all split up to avoid getting killed by his autoguns. Team NES runs into a room filled with hostages, including your sister. "Look, Jacob! It's Team NES!" he laughs, as Benelux stands over Grace, pointing his sword at her. "Grace, it's OK! You can let down your guards!" Benelux says. "Let's see if we can get that bloody fool to talk!" Sir Benelux says. You see your sister nod, as she waves you over to aadiis her. "Come on, kid! You and I can liberate these people together!" she smiles. "OK," you nod. You grab the ball for her, as she smiles. "Give me the ball! I'll make a break for it!" she says. "No, stay with the ball!" you say. "I can do it!" she says. "No, you let me play defense! I'm really good at it!" "OK," your sister sighs, and hands you the ball. You stand off to the side with the ball, as your sister approaches the heavy metal gate. "Here we go! Go, Jacob! Go, Team!" she says. You take one last look at your sister, as she walks forward to the front gate. "I'm sorry, Grace," you say. "Just don't let him get the ball!" she says, as Benelux laughs. You turn your attention to the front, as your sister walks down the stairs. "I'm here!" she says. "Hello there, Freedom!" Benelux says. "I'm so glad to see you!" "I'm not sure why I'm here," Grace admits. "Oh, you're here because I'm friends with your dad!" Benelux says, as the guards chuckle. "What's that? What are you saying?" your sister says. "I'm saying that your father is a complete idiot who let some of my friends from the Techpriests capture him so that I could use him as... entertainment!" "You've gotta be kidding me!" your sister says. "I'm not! They captured your father at the same time they captured me, and for the same reason! Heh heh heh!" "Well let's get them back!" your sister says. "Oh, I plan to!" Benelux laughs, before laughing as a bullet hits his arm. You look at the shot, and see that it came from one of the hostages who has been let free. "Well, well, well! Looks like you've been freed at last, Freedom! I guess that I owe you a debt of gratitude!" Benelux says, as the guards chuckles continue. "Let me show you to your room!" Benelux says, as he leads her away. You wait for a few moments, before making your move. You rush into the front gate with the ball, seeing many bodies on the floor. You avoid getting shot, though one of the guards does notice you. He aims his rifle at you as you run by. "Halt! You there! Get back here!" he says. You keep running, and he fires at you, hitting your arm. You're able to get away, and run straight into Benelux's office. You close the door behind you, and rush to the desk. You open the desk, finding a safe. You quickly try the combination, with success. You pull out the contents, finding a pile of gold coins. There's also a small, professional-looking camera with a memory card... You take the SD card out of the camera, finding a lot of images and bits of video. The files seem to be a log of what Benelux said, with timestamps. May 16th Today was definitely the day that we were going to get out of this place. We started off the day by having breakfast with Benelux. The food was a lot better this time, though I'm still not sure what it was. It didn't seem to do anything for me, but then again, I'm not a meat creature, so what does it matter to me? After breakfast we were let out of our rooms. We sort of knew what was coming, and I was right! It was the Techpriests! They came down, and through some technology pulled out all of our hooks and slave collars. It was a little painful, but I'm guessing once they did that, they did some testing to see if we were resistant to poisons and such. If they did, then they must have figured we're good to go. We were taken to a large room with other normals. Some looked terrified, others looked angry. The worst were a group of Chaos Space Marine who were laughing and joking around, seemingly oblivious to the pain and suffering around them. "Well, you are a lot of fun!" Benelux said. "Let's start the games!" Benelux shouts, and the room goes silent. "I want you to remember these faces. I want you to remember this day. I want you to remember your freedom, for this day we became free!" The room goes wild as Benelux starts laughing, and the guards nudge the laughing Space Marines, telling them to shut up as they shout in protest. One of the guards comes up to you. "Let's start with you, Norm!" He says, looking down at you. Norm is a status on Earth that means normal. You aren't, you're just plain ol' boring old normal. "I'm not Norm. I'm not a normal," you say. The guards eyes widen. "What? No! Norm is a status, not a name!" He says, looking confused. But, by agreeing to work for Benelux, you also became 'norm', which means you're now officially a slave. You let out a deep breath, before looking up at the camera. "Hi. My name is Oswald. Benelux sent me here for your amusement. If you want to see more, buy a ticket." You're just working along with the others to fulfill your needs for food, water, and safety. You have no rights. No name. No face. All you have now is the ticket that Benelux gave you, your status, your name, and your needs. You walk over to the room of the screaming, laughing, psychopathic Space Marines. While you'd normally be scared of them, you're too focused on your goal to care. "What's going on in there?" You hear, and quickly begin working to get the room quietened down. "I'm getting you all set up with some new slaves. Teamwork! It's what makes a team!" You hear Benelux shout from outside the room, as more guards rush into the hall. They must have heard the ruckus. "Wait! Don't kill them all!" you hear Benelux shout. "I need them for something!" "You're a prick, Ben!" one of the guards says. "They're Chaos, they're gonna screw up your plans! We need to kill them all! The Emperor demands it!" 48 more Space Marines rush into the room, and immediately begin shooting at the goings on inside. You're shooting as well, hopefully hitting something other than the enemy. Now!" "No, but they're my personal guards! Don't kill them! You'll mess up my plans!" "We don't care! We need to kill the enemies, not save their commanders! Now pick your men out and disappear!" The guards turn their backs on Benelux, and begin selecting which men to kill. You quickly hurry over to the Marines, selecting the two closest to you. "Sorry 'bout this, mate." One of the guards says to you, before you all quickly run out of the room and past the guards. Soon, you find yourself in a hallway, empty of just about everything. "Quick! Take out that camera up there!" One of the guards shouts, pointing upwards. You nod, running over to the camera. A missile launcher attaches to your Goliaths arm, and you quickly take aim. "Ready?" One of the guards asks you. You nod, pressing the trigger. The first missile flies through the air, and you direct it at the camera. It explodes into pieces, and the hallway is suddenly filled with smoke and dozens of men. Some of them are injured, some are dead, and others look like they're about to pass out. "What the hell happened?!" "The camera just exploded! Follow me!" You all quickly make your way through the halls, heading deeper into the ship. Suddenly, you find yourself in the arena. There's a dozen men there, holding each other up. "It's not going well!" One of them says to the group. "What's going on out there?! We can't keep getting caught like this!" You hear a voice shout from the speakers. It's Benelux. "We're trying to get out of here, sir! We'll be out soon! Send more troops to hold the bridge!" "Roger, we're sending whoever we can! What the hell happened in there?!" "There was a giant, anothe... Don't start the ship up!" "I've been hearing that for the past ten minutes! Where the hell are you?!" "We're trying to find a way out of here, sir! We're not rebels, we're-" You see Benelux back away from the arena, staring at you. "We're what, Ben?! What the hell are you doing? You need to get back in the arena!" "I'm not fighting these guys, I'm not a rebel! I'm..." He turns, and runs off. You sigh, realizing that he's ran out of time. You were hoping to convince him. "Rebels, huh? Well, let's get going then." You begin walking towards the giant portal, reaching it just as the ship begins powering up. "haha! Come on, baby! Let's get this show on the road!" A voice shouts through the speakers, as the lights in the room begin to flicker on and off. "We're shutting this thing down! retreat, now! retreat!" The lights flicker off, and the portal shuts down. "Hurry! Get out there and kill something! We'll be right behind you! Oh, and try not to die either! See ya in a few!" The ship powers down, leaving you in total darkness. You take out your datapad, typing out a message. "Benelux, I'm here to help you. Don't give up hope, I'm coming in." You send the message off, and within a few seconds, you get a reply. "Thanks, Hazel! Just stay in the arena, don't move, I'll come get you," you type. You send the message out, before continuing. The lights flicker on, and you sprint off to the side of the big arena, finding a small gap between the wall and the stone flooring. You crawl through it, spotting Benelux amidst the carnage. So much for hope. What you see is not pretty. You slip through it, finding yourself in a hallway. "This should be close enough." You whisper. You continue down the hallway, finding it completely empty. Feeling rather disappointed, you come to a small metal door, with a card swipe panel by its side. You press in the number revealed, waiting. "Hello, Sarah. I have a visitor for you." A deep voice comes through the speakers. You slide the card in, opening the door. "Hello there. Mind if I come in?" You step back, letting the man inside. He wears a welding mask that covers the bottom half of his face. He wears a red jumpsuit, with large metal armor plates covering his arms and legs. He walks over to you, extending his hand. "Don't worry. You're not going to get electrocuted." He says, as you shake it. "I'm Chief," He says, motioning to a chair in the room. "I'm Hazel." You reply. "So, you're the human who has decided to help us fight back." He says, taking a small cup of coffee from a small machine by his side and sitting down in the chair. "Well, I've never really thought of myself as human. I'm just a normal person, with a normal life, who had an encounter with some strange people who are now trying to kill me." "It's not really a fight back. We're still the under dogs." You reply. "No, I suppose we're not." He responds, with a small chuckle. "So, you've had some experience with the enemy? The Kaleesh?" You ask, with a sigh. "Unfortunately, yes. I led a platoon that was carving a path through them to keep the rest of our army moving. They had us surrounded, and in small groups. It was a slaughter. I bought my men enough time to get out of there, but then the Kaleesh finally caught me. By the time we got organized, it was one giant massacre. It was there that I received this. " He holds up a metal arm, with small claws on the end. They're much smaller than the ones the Kaleesh have. "These things are actually pretty useful. I cut up numerous Kaleesh with it." He chuckles. "I wish I could say the same for my unit." You reply, with a sigh. A few hours later... "We've made it this far. We might as well push on to the palace." You say, popping a Tic-Tac in your mouth. "Think the military will send reinforcements? It' would be nice to at least take down one of their kings." Chief says with a smirk. "Their army is more than capable of pushing us back. We'd be pushing them to secure our victory." "Well, let's hope their gutter trash doesn't have the common sense to run out in the open before we reach the king. You say, continuing down the hallway. Suddenly, a door on the left opens, and a small group walks out, laughing and talking. "That's far enough." Chief says in a low voice. We have them surrounded. I can sense it." You walk over to the group, staring them in the eyes. One of them notices you and gasps. "It's them! The ones from the forest! The ones who took our friends! Why are they not attacking?! They look so strong!" She says, stepping back. "Silence! You recognize us? I'm afraid not. The ones who took..." She starts to say, but is quickly silenced by Chief. "You recognize our faces? That's odd, we haven't been back out since our escape. How can you tell?" "Because they're the ones who took my brother! They're the ones who should pay for his kidnapping! They're the ones who turned our peaceful forest into this place!" "Quiet! I can't concentrate with all the noise you're making!" Chief says, glaring at the young girl. She stares at him, and her eyes start to fill with tears. "You... took my brother? But he was so... he was so kind! Why would you take him?" She asks, in between cries. You can feel Chief tensing up. "Hey, hey, easy... we didn't take your brother. We were just passing through the area. We wanted to explore, but then Kishak attacked us. We've been trying to escape these demons for months. A few of us made it out, and we're trying to secure the kingdom. If you want to become a hero, then you should tell us where the exit is located.

> BFrit are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of BFrit is human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and they all must save their card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. "The... the exit?" The girl asks, looking up at you. You frown. "I'm afraid not. We're not exactly the police. But you could become one with a bit of effort." You say. The girl's eyes widen. "What?! With these two?" You look to the side to see that Chief has drawn his sword, pointing it at you. The young girl tries to run past him, but is stopped. "Don't worry. I'm not going to kill her, I just want information." You say, trying to sound as nice as possible. "Chief, put the sword back in the sheath, or I will." You say. "Alright." Chief grunts, putting the sword back in the sheath. "Who are you guys, then?" The girl asks. "We're... explorers."

> Chase McFly "My birth name is Jacob. I'm a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late." Hazel says. "We're not exactly the police. But you could become one with a bit of effort." You say. The girl's eyes widen. "What?! With these two?" She asks, pointing at Chief and Kane. "You could become one of us." Chief, who had been waiting for this question, grunts in reply. "What does that mean? I don't want to be like you!" "I dunno, it's up to you. You join us, and you'll get to experience all of the things we go through. You know, fighting evil, supernatural threats, and having fun along the way. You get to decide what you do on our missions, be it fighting back, or just having some fun. You get to make decisions that could affect the mission, good or bad. You can't do that as a normal human, but as one of us, you get to be a part of it all." "What... what are you exactly? You keep calling us regular humans, but you don't look... human." "We're not human. You can't get the full experience of being a hero if you're just normal. You don't look like any of the creatures I've heard about." The girl says, stepping backward. "We're not monsters, if that's what you think. We're just different. I want to join you guys, but..." The girl says, looking down. She slowly lifts her head up. "But what?" you ask. "But I'm... just a normal kid. I want to go home. I'm missing something. I don't belong here." "So what, kid? Join the fun and enjoy your stay here! All you need to do is say yes." You say. The girl pauses, seemingly deep in thought. "I'll... I'll think about it. I don't want to regret going back home, and I'm sure I'll have tons of fun at your place. But... but I'm going to go back home first. Thanks for not killing me, guys. I'll remember this. Good luck in your future missions." The girl says, turning around and walking off. She gets out of your range, before you could reach out to grab her. "I'm sorry, I thought... I thought you were going to join us. If I had known you just wanted to go home, I would have... picked other words." You hear Chief say. "It's fine. But she did join us in our mission. She got an experience that's better than dying. So I say, mission complete." You reply. "Indeed. Let's head home. We all need some rest, and besides, Elios should be done with his work by now. Time to enjoy ourselves. We made a hell of a difference in this world, guys. And to all of the normal humans out there, enjoy your lives. You deserve it. We're doing this for you. We're the superheroes of the night. And we're never going to stop being heroes. Even if it kills us." You say. The group all nods in response. You return to the base, where you find that Elios has indeed finished his work. "So, now what? I'm guessing we don't have any new missions?" You say. "Afraid not, Karth. The New Terrares rebellion is more or less over as far as I'm concerned. We done changing the world? Because it looks like you're planning another one." You say. "Ah, yes. My work here is done. But your work begins now. I've set up a foundation where we can build a dojo, to train the new generation of heroes. You can have first dibs on training the kids there. Hell, you can have the first brood. I'm done with kids. Though I suppose your MeekMaid can have some..." Chief Brownwind pauses, before turning to you. "What the hell? NEVERMIND, Karth. You're part of the League, you should know by now. We don't have time for this. Get out of here, and go have fun." Chief says. You stare at him. You know that voice. That's the voice of the Chief you've always wanted to hear. You're a bit shocked by this, but it seems like you don't have much choice. You get your people together, and prepare them for the future. The next few years are... eventful ones. Namely, fun ones. The League manages to take in a lot more people, due to all the chaos and rebuilding after the New Terrares War. And it's certainly a rebuilding period. You have a huge dojo, where people from around the world come to train under various fighting styles, mainly for defense against crime since you don't actually ask them to join the League. But hey, it's a start. You end up having quite a large family, and you love every moment of it. Thank God the Buddhists were few and far between on this world... Good thing for you that they were too, because you're one of the few remaining humans on the planet. Of course, you're not the ONLY one left... The time comes where you have to choose who to send to the League's new headquarters. It's a touching scene, as you choose (and convince) your "siblings" and "cousins" Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. You walk away, as you watch your family and friends head to the new headquarters. You look through the trees, and see a large man with a gray beard standing by himself. He walks over to you. "So. This is it, then. Our new home. I'm Chief." The Chief says. "I know. The League sent us a message." You respond. "Ah. That tends to happen. Come on, I'll show you around." The Chief grins and takes your hand, leading you through the trees. It's been years since you had to walk around, and you're quite rusty. It doesn't take you long to realize you're more than a little lost. The Chief seems to sense this. "I know the League wants us to have space, but I wanted to at least have a base of operations near here. Now you're here, I guess you can choose where we build the dojo." The Chief says, leading you around a large rock. You look around. In the distance, you can see a cliff, with cave entrance underneath it. "What's in there?" You ask. "Oh, just a small underground tunnel leading to our old home." The Chief says. "It's not like anyone's going to find it. So, what do you think? Where shall we build our dojo?" "Erm... amongst the trees?" You suggest. "The forests make for the best defense, after all." "You think so?" The Chief asks, raising an eyebrow. "You sure that's a good idea?" "What, you prefer concrete? You're half rabbit. "I don't see why. I mean, one of my men, Zidane, he's designed some cool uniforms. They make the best shade." "How? He's a mime." I mean, concrete blocks can only shoot out spears and swords." "It's a simple matter of tactics. We hide in the trees, they don't. It's all about ambushing and archery. You shrug. "The ladies love mimes." The Chief scratches his head. "Zidane's pretty hot. I think I'll go for the uniform idea." You want to be able to dodge and move freely in the trees. concrete doesn't allow for that." "Hmm. You might have a point there. I used to do some reading in between fighting, you know. One of the books I read talked about the best ways to train your soldiers. One of the tips was to have areas set aside for archery training, for snipers who want to have a long range advantage. What do you say about a compromise?" You nod eagerly. "Definitely." The Chief smiles. "Good to know I'm not wasting my time. So, you agree to the compromise? We won't build the dojo here, but we can set one up in the trees." You agree, and the Chief smiles happily. "Trees it is! I'll see what I can do. Now, come on, we should get back before Zidane's sent to hunt us down for treason. He's tricky like that. Hey! Where are the other two!? Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter. Let's go! " You follow the Chief back to the camp, where your team is sitting around. They look at you, but don't say anything. You're not sure whether to be creeped out or honored. "I'll be back later, I'm going to talk to the commander!" The Chief shouts. His team immediately gets up and leaves, and you're left standing awkwardly with him. "Well, come on." He says, walking away. You shrug and follow. You walk through the forest for a while, reaching a clearing. In the center is a dome, a bright blue color. Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus) are in the dome. Mickey Mouse has kidnapped our friend Views the Cardbox to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. "Hey! Killinger, where were you?" "I was talking to the commander." "About what? We don't have anything important." "Yeah, but he needs to know we're ready. Argh! This group is just made of idiots!" "What's going on? Who are you?" "His name's not important. He's just a traitorous little rat who thinks he can betray the Empire!" "The who? What are you on about?" "The Empire! I'm talking about the group, not the country! The group of people who have been looking after your well-being and making sure you've had everything you need! Why do you think I've been building this dojo? I'm trying to help you guys learn to fight! We're Eternals, and we've been looking after you, teaching you how to be warriors!" "Err...thanks? I guess?" "Yes, Killinger!" "I'm serious! But anyway, this is stupid. I just wanted to know what we're fighting, and now I know." "The Jicol Alliance. A group of rebels who think they're doing the right thing, but really they're just traitors. We know this because we're still part of the Empire, and loyal to the Emperor! We know this because we're in contact with the Imperial spies in the city, and they've told us ALLLL about them! They're planning to assassinate the Emperor, but what's worse is they have the gall to think they're doing the righteous thing!" "Well...I dunno what to say. I mean, I think they may have a point." "Of course they do, you're an idiot, that's why you're my second! Anyway, here's some info to take back to the team. Tell them that they need to report to the dojo tonight, where we'll figure out how to stop these terrorists." "Okay...okay."

He hands you a leaf-let, on it are several addresses and a time. You thank the Chief before leaving, and head back to the team, who are still waiting for you. "So......" "So, you're not mad about that, eh? Come on, I want to show you something." Cecilia grabs your hand, dragging you to the side of the path. "Look." She whispers, peering around the corner. There, in the grass, is an Eternals' encampment. There's a bunch of tents and such, but in the center is a large fire. You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus) ask what's going on. The the team starts discussing. "Our friendly, tree-hugging host just showed us where the Eternals are." "Did you get the addresses? "Yes, the countryball told me." "I wonder if we could infiltrate them without the others knowing." "Sure, they're just regular ol' rebels. We should be able to fool them." "Rebels? They're terrorists! If we listened to these rebels, we'd let our guard down, and that wouldn't do at all. No, we need to report this to Captain Vahlat immediately." "But, what about the others?" "What others?" "The other Team Nests. I can't just leave them there without any support." "Don't worry about them. The other Team Nests are full-grown Eternals, most of them veterans of the Imperial army or the Spires. This is just a bunch of children. Even if some of them are full-grown teenagers, they're still children, which means we can easily take them out ourselves, then and there." "You sure about that? Because if you're thinking on how to deal with them in a more......personal way, we can do that too. I've got just the person in mind." "What? You want some of them as well? Because there's a bunch! Cecilia grabs your hand again, grinning. "Great, so we can all have fun tonight!" "But what about the others?" "What others? The others are irrelevant. Look, we can easily take them out, or we can keep the innocent ones safe, but what you need to do is up to you. But I suggest you do it quickly. The other Team Nests are heading this way." You breathe a sigh of relief, leaning against a tree. "So we're alone?" "Yes. Yes! Alone!" Cecilia glares at you. "Now then, we have a few options here. We can either all go and have some fun together, or I can stay here with you and have fun by myself. Now, what'll it be?"

> Chase McFly says "We're Team Never Ending Story, not Team Nests!" " "Fine," Cecilia pouts, laying in the grass. "I'll stay here. I don't feel like fighting today." You lay down next to Cecilia, looking up at the sky. "Do you think the others will make it?" she asks. "Yes." You reply, staring at the same sky. "They may be teens, but they're smart enough to find a safe place to hide, or get out of the city." "I'm glad you're on our side." "Is there another choice?" Cecilia smiles. "Well, you could stay here too, if you wanted to." "What? No! I'm coming with you!" "Fine." Cecilia sits up, grabbing her swords. "Let's go then." You stand, holding her hand as you walk off into the city. "Where are we going?" you ask. "To hunt for the others." You nod, keeping up with her fast pace. Soon, the two of you come across an old church. "This is where it happened," Cecilia says. "This is the spot." "What did?" you ask. "I killed him. Shot him with a bolt of lightning." You raise an eyebrow. "That's not how you died. You died in combat." "The liar will burn in the fires of hell! In the depths of my sorrow, I vowed to send him to meet his doom, and that's what I did." "Cecilia..." "It's the truth!" she says, stopping. "Anyway, the rest of the team is probably in this church. Let's go." You nod, and the two of you enter the building. You walk down the aisles, Cecilia checking each one. "Ah, there they are!" she says, motioning towards two empty seats. You walk over, and plop down next to her. The three other members of Team Never are across from you.

> Chase McFly says "That's Team Never Ending Story, or NES to you!" "Doesn't ring a bell," you say. "Oh, it's a reference to a long-running internet joke," Ben says. "We sometimes refer to ourselves as the 'Never Ending Story', as there's always someone new to the team." "I see. So you're the newest additions?" "Newcomers," Ben says. "We're old news. Anyway, Chase and I were the first to join, back when the team was still called 'Nameless'. That was back in the day when we... well, you'd probably call us bad guys." "We stopped being villains a while back, but the name stuck," Chase says. "Since then, there's been a few more members. I don't really keep track anymore." "Who are the others?" you ask. "There's... 'Four' is his nickname, not mine. He's Dutch and loves beer. 'Fozzie' is an animal, a... a squirrel I believe? She's short for Francesca and was a professional acrobat before we recruited her. 'Cecilia' is my sister, she... well, I guess she just prefers to stay out her other appearances." "What are you two?" "I'm English. That's probably not a surprise to anyone. I like tea. There's 'Gerald', he's an amicable German fellow. He used to be in a gang, but his throat was slit in a stupid dispute. I don't even know how that happened. An arrow? If you ask me, it was an accident. Who knows with such things. 'Gerald' is good at a lot of things though, he's good at a lot of things." "What can he do? Oh, I'm asking too many questions! I'm sorry, I'll shut up!" "No, go ahead, this is your story. You were going to tell us about the Wizard's Academy." You nod, and begin to tell your tale. As you talk, the other members of the team seem more and more fascinated by it. Eventually, you finish telling the story. "So, what do you think?" you ask. "Well, obviously it's a bit far-fetched, but I've heard crazier stories," Ben says. "And it's a pretty cool tale. I have to say, I'm inspired." "You want us to steal the books from the library?" Cecilia asks. "Do you think we could pull it off?" "Well, that's the plan," Ben says. "I mean, it's not a sure thing, but with the right crew, I'm sure we could do it. If we tried, there's a chance it could fail and get out of hand, but it's worth a shot." "I'm in," says Chase. "I think it could be fun." "So, what do you think about this team, Tom?" Cecilia asks. "Think we could work together?" "I don't know," you reply. "I'll have to think about it." "Of course you will," Ben says. "But don't worry, we'll be in contact with each other." You take your leave of the three, and make plans to think more on what they have proposed. You make your way to the cafeteria to eat, and you see that your mom is there, talking with a few other parents. They notice you, and your mother waves you over. "So, how did it go? Did they accept you?" she asks. "I don't know," you respond. "They said I could think about it." "Oh, of course, I didn't think they'd accept you straight away," your mother says. "Well, I'm sure you'll get the place you want. Come on, I want to ask you about a new topic." You follow your mother to a table, and she sits down with you. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" "The new kids," she says. "They want to be Team Evil." "What?! They want to be a criminal ring? But why? They seem so nice!" "I don't know, but I don't like it," your mother says. "I want you to keep an eye on them. If they try to do anything, stop them. It's your duty as a parent!" "But they haven't even started yet! They don't know what they're doing! They might just be bored and playing around." "Well, I'm sure we can stop it before it starts," your mother says. You're at a lose as to what to do. On one hand, you don't want to spy on your new friends, on the other you don't want them to be criminal. What's a parent to do? "Well..." you begin. In the middle of your hesitation, one of the new kids walks up to you. "Hi, I'm Cecilia." "I know. You sent me a message on Skype. What's your interest in Team Evil?" "I like to plan evil things to do to people," she says. "I'm just trying to come up with an idea to put them, so if they do start doing it, I won't get in trouble." You laugh. "Why would you get in trouble? I thought the point of this is for you to get out from under Mommy's thumb. Don't you think it would be way more evil if you actually started doing all this stuff?" "I suppose," she shrugs. "I guess I'm just a little nervous about all this. What if I screw it up? Then everyone will be even more angry with me than they are now! They won't let me live it down!" "What's to screw up? You're just going to go up to some people and copy what Elements did, only on a smaller level I suppose. The difference is you're not going to kill anyone." "It is?" "Sure. The point of all this is to piss off the stinking politicians who ruined this city. You're just going to go up to them and tell them to stop screwing things up for the rest of us." "That sounds doable. Shall I go do it now?" You see where this is going. You need to go stop your new friends from committing a crime. So you can't let them do it. "Well...I suppose so, but I really want you to think about this okay?" "I think I've thought about it for a couple days now." "Oh. Have you started yet? Because I told Cecilia she couldn't start yet. Should I have her wait until after the vote? I don't want anything to get out of hand before then." "Nah, I'll have them start now. I'm sure they all want to get it over with." "Please tell me you're joking, Cecilia." "I'm serious." Cecilia turns to her friends. "Let's get to it then. I have some evil things to do," she says. "Cecilia, wait!" you shout. "I really think you should wait until after the vote. And please don't do anything too crazy. I just want to stop you from getting into trouble. It's not fun when you get into it." "Yeah, we'll be careful," one of the other boys says. "Like Mom said, we won't do anything too evil. I mean, we're not exactly hurting anyone. Not really." "Yeah, but it's just a matter of time," Cecilia says. "Come on, let's go start wrecking things." The kids leave, seemingly eager to start their plans. You're not sure if you should follow them, or stay here and try to prevent a rebellion. 6 months pass... You're running down the streets of Nuro, attempting to escape from your old friends. You hoped you were too far away, but it looks like they've decided to track you down. "Hurry up! We have to get out of here!" Caim says. You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. They won't let me live it down! "What? What did you say?" you ask, turning to Cape. "I said, they're right behind us, aren't they? I can sense them." You turn back around, and continue running. You hear the sounds of fists hitting flesh. "Let's get him! He can't run forever!" Caim shouts. "Shut up! I'm trying to listen as well!" Cape hisses. Suddenly, a door appears out of nowhere, and you all enter it, leaving it to behind you. "Why'd we come in here?" you ask. "To hide! To hide, dammit!" Cape says. You drop to the floor, and Cape follows suit. "What are they doing?" Cape asks. "I don't know, but they can't see us!" You feel something slam into your back, and you go flying forward. You hit the ground, and the door disappears. Then, a foot is placed on your head. "What are y'all doing in my house?" a voice asks. It's a woman, dressed in a purple robe. Above the robe she's practically half-nake, as she's not wearing any underwear. Around her neck is a necklace, made of fingers. On her head is a crown, made of the skulls of her victims. You see two familiar fingers under her robe. "This is the home of Cecilia, the Ghoul King's daughter. And you are?" "Er... I'm just a simple traveler, looking for a place to sleep for the night. This old house is just the kind of place I was looking for." "Do you have any food?" she asks. "Yes, I do have some apple pies I've been saving." "Well, you're not getting them. I'll eat them myself. Now, get the hell out of my house." "Alright, alright, I'll go." "Thank you," the Ghoul says, as she heads into a room. You get up from the floor, and head out of her house. You wonder why the Ghoul King's daughter would want to eat you, when she could have had any sort of food she wanted. Perhaps, it's something personal, or perhaps she just doesn't like men. You continue walking, as you come across a giant iron wall. It must be eight feet high and four feet thick, and is decorated with spikes. You've never seen anything like it before. You push on the wall with all your might, but it doesn't give. There must be a secret locking mechanism someplace. "Hello?" a voice calls out. You turn around, and see a woman dressed in a red robe, tending a garden on the other side. "May I help you, sir?" she asks politely. "I was just exploring this wall. Do you know what this place is? I've never seen anything like it before." "Oh, you haven't? Well, no matter. This used to be the palace of the old king. It was destroyed during the rebellion of the shadows years ago. It's now been replaced by a new palace, made of a sturdier material." "I see... I'm looking for Cecilia. Do you know where I can find her?" "I'm her. Who are you, and what do you want?" "My name is Blaise, and I'm a simple traveler. I'm just looking for a place to stay the night. It's getting late." "I see. Well, come on in." You enter the garden, and the woman closes the door behind you. You're in a little house made of bricks, such as the rest of the wall. There's a living room, kitchen, and two doors leading to two different bedrooms. "Do you like apple pie?" Cecilia asks, as she heads into the kitchen. "Yes, it's one of my favorite desserts," you say, shortly followed by Cecilia grabbing you by the collar and kissing you on the lips. "I want to taste your pie." Cecilia grabs your hand, and leads you into the kitchen. She sits down, opens the lid of the pie, and takes a large bite. You smile, as she begins to devour it. It's only been five years since Tanya left, and you certainly missed the intimacy of a loving relationship. "So, Blaise... you're a traveler? What business do you have in the world of the shadows?" "I'm looking for something to kill." "Really...?" "Yes, really. I was sent on a mission to find the Ghoul King, and bring him back to headquarters. Instead, I got lost, and now I'm all alone in a sea of shifting shadows." "That's rather dangerous, you know. You should have a backup plan. If you get lost again, go to headquarters. You'll be killed there, but at least you'll be alive. I'm sure they'd love to see you." "Hmm, yes I suppose so..." "Well, what do you want to kill?" "I don't know... I have a list of targets. A 'to kill' list, as they say." "That's rather sad. Why don't you write down your targets, and I'll see if I can help? Perhaps I have something you need. I'm very skilled in the arts of necromancy." "What's that supposed to mean?" "What do you think it means? This'll be easier if we have more details, you know." "You don't need to help. You can have your pie. I can get by just fine." "Nonsense! If killing is what you desire, then we should desire it together! Besides, you said this was your mission, not mine. Why don't you continue? You were telling me about your list of targets." "Alright, alright! Shhh... listen." Cecilia stops eating, and puts her index finger to her lips. Blaise looks as Cecilia with a steely gaze, and begins to tell her the rest of his list of targets. She listens, but soon realizes that she doesn't know anything about any of them. "I don't know anything about any of these people. I'm sorry," she says, with her mouth full. "Hmm. Well, that's new." "What?" "That's new. You don't know anything about any of these people. That's okay, we can figure it out together. I don't need to know everything about every target, just enough to make sure I kill them as efficiently as possible. It's an important part of the plan. Besides, I'm sure I'll know enough about most of them to fill in the gaps." "Well, alright. Go on with your list then. What's number two?" "The Ghoul King." "Oh, yeah! He's the thing that's using the werewolves to raid the villages, right? I've heard a few of the villagers talking about it, and it sounds like he's bossing around a bunch of young bloods that are ready to disobey his every command." "Something like that. I don't know much about the Ghoul King himself, other than he used to be a powerful vampire. The villagers said something about him having 'human blood slaves', but I've never heard of such a thing. Sounds... tragic, really. He's like a vampire that fell out of the stories." "Okay, my name isn't Blaise. It's Jacob Schwartz." You say. "I'm with Team Never Ending Story, or NES for short." The Vampire briefly pauses, before smiling at you. "Ah, the infamous Team Never Ending Story. They just couldn't leave well enough alone, could they? What can I do for you, Jacob? Could be anything, I suppose." "I need your help." "Hm. You need my help. For what?" "We're trying to eliminate the targets on the list you gave us. So far, we're a little short on people." "Mm. Sounds like you need more help, not less. So, where are these friends of yours, that you're supposed to be helping?" "I'm working with Cecilia and a few others. They're not really friends, they're just comrades in arms that I'm trying to help. The problem is, we're a little short on people ourselves. I was hoping you could spare a few." "Ah, so you're looking for allies as well as comrades in arms. I see. Well, I certainly can't spare more. I've got a list of people as long as your arm, and I can't spare anyone from it." "Do you have anyone at all?" At this, the Vampire smiles. It's a cold, chilling smile, that makes you want to shiver uncontrollably. "Not anymore. But that doesn't mean I can't still help you." "How?" You ask. The Vampire gets up, and leans in through the bars. His face is only a few feet away from you now, his eyes burning into yours. "Tell me, who sent you to kill my people?" he asks. "Nobody," you say. The Vampire smiles. "My dear boy, someone always pays for the crimes my people commit. It might as well be me. Now, tell me, who sent you?" "Nobody," you say again, as the Vampire sighs in exasperation. "I really don't think you understand the nature of the offer I'm giving you, Jacob. I'm saying, for a small amount, I can get you all the help you'd need to kill my people. You just tell me who sent you, and I'll have him arrested and thrown in prison, where he'll stay for a long time. Don't believe me? Then you're worse off than you think. For all you know, they could be planning your assassination right now. The man who sent you could even be the one doing the planning. You need to just ask yourself, does it even matter who sent you? Your mission is to kill my people, regardless of who actually carried it out. So who sent you? Not yourself, that's for sure. Maybe Cecilia? I doubt it. You fought alongside her, and she'd never be able to keep something like that from you. It was probably Ben, but he's too cowardly to face you one on one, even if he is a talented marksman. Maybe even Ragnora? I don't think so. She's got too much respect for you and your abilities. The Elder? Maybe, but he's not the most likely suspect. Wait, who else is there? Oh, that's right... "Nobody." Hah, I like that answer better. So, who sent you?" "Nobody," you say again with a smile. "Maybe you're more stupid than I thought. Goodbye, my boy." The Vampire turns around, and begins to walk back towards his coffin. "Before you go, tell me, do you think I could win if I fought you?" You're a little confused by this question. "Could you kill me?" you ask. "Probably not," the Vampire says, turning back to face you. "I'd probably just end up burning to death in this cell. I have to admit, I'm slightly curious now. Do you think I could kill you? If so, why? And do you think I would, if we were to face each other?" "If we were to face each other, you'd probably kill me." You see the Vampire smile. "Probably, but only because it's your job. But why do you think I could kill you?" "I don't know," you say truthfully. "Alright then, let's put it to the test. Stay right here while I get a weapon." The Vampire disappears back into his coffin, and you're left standing in an empty hallway. Soon, a gunshot rings out, and you see the Vampire walking towards you, holding the gun in his hand. You don't know guns, but you assume that it's a gun. "So, do you think I could kill you?" the Vampire asks again. "I don't know," you reply.

> Foury arrives in the game in a Toyota Corolla. "I think you could probably get close, but I'd probably win." "Hmm, I'm going to take your word for it. Thanks for the test, Jacob. It was very interesting. "Yes, you foolish mortal. You know that you cannot kill me. If I could be killed, I would've been killed by Cecilia long ago.""I don't know," you continue. "I guess if you tried, you could probably wound me, but I don't think you could kill me." "Fair enough. I'm going to sit over there," You see the Vampire point to a chair, "while I wait for my companion. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here? the Vampire points over to a couch. "I'm just going to watch the news, if that's alright with you?" "Yeah, that's fine," you reply. You sit down on the couch, and begin fiddling with your hands. After a few minutes, you hear a car pulling up out front.

> Foury asks the Vampire what their name is. "Thanks for testing me and all. It's been really interesting to see how I perform against a vampire."My name's Four," you say. "Four what?" "Just Four. Short for Fourth." You nod, then say, "So why the hell are you in town, Four?" "What do you mean?" "Well, you said you came here to meet someone. When did you arrive, and who was it that you wanted to meet? And why?" "I arrived last night. From the plane. And I wanted to meet... someone." "A vampire, huh? I hope it wasn't someone as stupid as me." "I dunno what you're talking about. I just said I came here to... wait, no. It was Jacob." "Jacob?" You are teleported to Two's hotel. you snort. "He's a vampire, Four. He's not going to be able to live a long life span. His nature's going to get the better of him, and he'll eventually kill himself." The Vampire stands above you, smiling. "Good job," he smiles. "Four, what the hell is going on? Who are you? Where do you think you are, and how did I get here?" "I'm Four. And this is my home." "No, this isn't your home! This isn't even a real home! This is a set! homes are where you go to sleep at night, not where you stay for several months!" "I'm sorry you feel that way. I tried my best to make this home as home-like as possible. I even went out and bought some furniture and decorations. I don't understand why you couldn't let me enjoy this, though. I'm sorry too. " You stand up angrily. " Jacob's last name is Schwarz. He's a vampire. He's also Cecilia's friend, and the sheriff of this town. Just last week, he discovered a vampire lair, and killed all the vampires within it. Cecilia was going with him, and helped him fight the other vampires. Jacob is alive, and he's the one I was supposed to meet. The two of us were going to go out into the world and bring justice to the bad vampires." "And that's why you're here. I understand. Vampires are evil, and you're right to hate them. But... where does that leave you? You're a hero, fighting the good fight. I see." You stand up. "I am! And last time I checked, heroes don't run off and leave people behind. I'm brave and good, just like you!" The Vampire sighs. "Do you think the town is better off with me here? I'm afraid not. I'm going to have to leave, since I understand if you don't want me around." "I don't..." You pause. "What's your name?" "Wendy." "Well, Wendy, I'm not going to turn you in. I'm not a monster. But I'm not going to help you either. So goodbye, Wendy." You take your bag and leave the hotel. You sit on a park bench. You take out your phone and call Cecilia. "Hello?" she answers. "Cecilia, it's me... Is Jacob there?" "Um, yeah. Who is this? Why would Jacob want to speak to you?" "It's complicated. Can I speak to him?" "Yeah, hold on." There's a pause, and then she asks, "Jacob, what's wrong with your voice? You sound all gravely." "I'm on the phone, I'll do my best to-" "Never mind that, just answer the question. Is he there? A tree falls on Foury. "Yes, he's here," you answer. "Thank God! What are you even doing there? I'm coming to get you. You duck. "Yeah, I'm here." "Oh, okay then. Thanks for your cooperation, and have a nice evening." You hang up the phone. If only everything could be so easy.

> Foury eats sushi. You walk around the park, throwing the various slushy snowmen at each other. You're not sure what to do next. "Hey, where are you going?" You turn around.

> Foury sings Smooth Criminal. "Smooth Criminal, baby, do you know where you're going? I'm gonna take you over... Just like a rolling stone. Baby, I'm just a rock 'n' rollin'..."You sit on a park bench. Jacob, sitting beside you, smiles. "Hey, Jacob. The other day, you said your name meant 'he will protect.' What does yours mean?"

> Foury says "Foury" "I'm sorry?" "Your name is 'Foury.' That means 'guardian.' My name means 'I will protect you.' There's something we have in common!" "Yeah... I guess so..." You stand up. "Hey, this bench is broken. I have to go." Jacob stands up. "Tell me one thing, Foury. Do you feel safe with me?

> Foury says "No" Jacob frowns. "So it's four. But you're still not telling me one thing." You lean against a tree. "I'm not sure if you're telling me something." Jacob sighs. "If true love's what you seek, follow me." He opens a menu and props it against the tree beside him.

> Foury eats Jacob. You smile as you chew on Jacob's neck. He stares at you, fear in his eyes. "Just kidding." It turns out Jacob was a countryball the whole time. You let him go. "Foury!" he says. "I'm gonna get you!" You spit out his blood-filled throat. "Go ahead." He runs away, with no avail. You're pretty sure he's not coming back. Cecilia would probably tell you to find a better vampire to feed off of, but you're more than capable of taking care of yourself. You head to your next location. You walk into the police station, which is empty. "Anyone here?" No one answers. "Hello?" you ask again. Ben appears behind you.

> Foury says "Jacob did you change your name again" "Yeah, I'm not Ben anymore. I'm Captain Bligh." You turn around. "Oh, the guy who lead the HMS Bounty?" "Yeah, and you're Cecilia, right? I'm surprised you don't know me, I've been on the island for years." "Um, actually I do know you. You're the same Ben who lead the HMS Bounty." "No I'm not, I'm the captain of a ship" "You're the captain of a ship," you repeat. "You led the HMS Bounty." "I did not!" Ben says, offended. "I'm the captain of the HMS Bounty! You know, the ship? I'm telling you, I've been on this island for years. You're really young if you think you know everything." "I'm not young! I'm an old soul! What are you, like a hundred and twenty? Wait, you're Captain Cook!" "I am not!" "You are not?" Ben stares at you for a second before bursting out laughing. "I love it. A hundred and twenty. Okay, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm not actually captain of the HMS Bounty. The real captain's dead. I took over the title because I'm so good at leading sailors and hunting for food. I'm not even a cook. A real cook was on the ship, but I took one so we had more people to hunt."

> Foury shoots Jacob. You raise your gun and shoot Jacob in the forehead. He falls backwards, nearly falling out of the tree. You climb up the tree and strangle him to death. "You didn't have to kill him." "I know," you say, climbing down the tree. You leave Cholmondely Castle and continue on your journey. You run into some pirates, who offer you a ride. Since you're traveling by yourself, you politely decline. As you walk, the sun begins to set. You wonder if Ben's still in the sky... There he is, right above you. "Ben!" you shout, waving. Ben's familiar face smiles at you, and he waves back. "Why are you so high up?" you ask. "Because I'm a bird, duh," Ben says. "Come on, follow me. I want to show you something." You begin to follow Ben as he flies away. "So why did you want to follow me?" you ask. "I wanted to make sure you knew the way home," Ben says. ???: Ben Sherman! Come here this instant! Agh! You mall rats are getting too smart for your own good. I'LL TEACH YOU MUTTONSACKS ABOUT TOIL! Ben Sherman: Run away! right now! You turn around to see a ghostly form standing behind you. You don't have time to run. It grabs your collar and yanks you towards it. You begin to scream... ??? is revealed to be Klirork. He smiles and sits down on a rock. "I've been waiting a long time for someone like you," he says. "Your... Friend can wait. He'll have to." You notice Ben get kidnapped in slow motion. "Now," Klirork says, "let's talk about your sin." "My sin?" Klirork eats Ben, because Ben is a bird. "You're a terrible person," Klirork says, before turning to leave. "Come on, let's go." "You're going to have to repent for your sin, because I don't think it can be forgiven," he says. "If you want to be allowed to live, you'll have to do something for me."

> Foury crashes into Klirork with her Toyota Corolla. You smash the accelerator to the floor and crash your Corolla into Klirork. And you keep on slamming into him, over and over again. You don't stop even when he begins to disappear from view. Klirork stops disappearing. He begins to scream. And his screams are so horrifying and loud that you can't help but cover your ears. You keep on driving, only stopping when the fuel light comes on.

> Foury 's car's engine explodes. The engine explodes, incinerating Foury. Klirork still screams by the time the car burns through to the metal, and it only gets louder as you burst into flames and plummet to the asphalt below. You look up at the sky one last time. Ben's still there, giving you a smile before flying away. A/N: There you have it, folks. The story of Foury and Klirork, as told by the only person who was there and lived to tell about it. Unfortunately, I had to end it there. :( Thanks for reading! I'm taking suggestions for what you'd like to see next! :) :)

> Foury says "The story doesn't just end here" The story doesn't just end here, because it didn't start here. There's one more mystery behind the events in Fourys' story, and that's what I'm going to tell you about in my next story. (I've got a lot of suggestions, so if you could, rate and/western MIGHTY LEAP or I'll get angry. Thanks)

> Foury stabs A/N. Thanks for reading, folks! Next time, it's the conclusion to "Foury's Adventure."

> BFrit dances a jig. :)Thanks for your support, everyone! I really appreciate it. :) Feel free to PM me with any suggestions you might have for the next story. By the way, I haven't forgotten about the contest. As soon as I get some story done, I'll enter it. Until then, have fun!

> Foury beats A/N with a golf club. Thanks MIGHTY LEAP!Thanks for the support, everyone! :) Especially you, A/N. Hope you feel better soon.

> BFrit smacks A/N ‘round the head. Thanks for your support, everyone! :) Thanks to you, the story so far: 1. Big Red was a Bloodthirsty Bear 2. Fourys First Day 3. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. Besides, we aren't doing that, you dummy. 4. Klirork-The Volcano 5. The Last One 6. The City of the Dead 7. 4. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 5.

> BFrit eats a corn dog. 6. Famous Last Words 7. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 8. 9. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. 10.

> Cape Kragils gives the AI a smack on its head. Thanks for you support, everyone! :) 11. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 12. 13. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. 14. 15. Koopsers beats up the AI. 16. Koopsers: Shut up! 17. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 18. BFrit: Duh! 19. BFrit's eyes bug out. Koopsers kills the person who wanted break the AI. He looks around at the others. 20. BFrit: Uh... 21. Koopsers shuts up. A bunch of weird angels appear and begin singing. 22. 20. BFrit: I hate you! 21. Koopsers: Shut up! 22. Koopsers: I'm going to kill you... 23. BFrit: That's the weirdest thing I've ever seen. 23. The AI stops singing and the angels disappear. 24. The AI stops speaking. 25. Silence. 26. 27. The wind blows. 28. A person falls out of the sky and from a great height, splat. 29. The wind stops blowing. 30. BFrit looks around, searching for the source of the noise. Suddenly, from out of the sky, a person falls and splats again. 31. BFrit: I'm hit! Help! I'm dying! 32. Koopsers runs over to you and begins punching you. 33. Koopsers: Shut up! 34.

> Foury calls Baldi. 35. Baldi: I'm coming, I'm coming, just... 36. Baldi runs over to you. 37. Koopsers: No! Don't let him touch you! He'll turn you into a wad of goo! 38. Baldi: I'm going to give you five seconds before I start punching you, mister. Are you experiencing sudden, extreme pain? 39. Koopsers: No! Arrgh! 40. Baldi gives you a big, fat, upside-down fist bump. 41. Koopsers hits the dirt. 42. Baldi turns to you. 43. Koopsers tries to hit him, but he's out of stamina. 44. Baldi: Thanks, man. 45. Baldi notices the pedestal that the AI's body came out from. 46. Baldi: What pedestal? 47. 48. 49. 50. Koopsers, Jacob, Two, Four, Sven Svensson, Mario, Yoshi, Kasey O, Marty McFly, Chase McFly, Jack Archer, CheeseCrocker and Klirork come in to save the AI from breaking. 51. Baldi: Oh, there you are, guys. I just saw this cool-looking pedestal over here, perfect for the signal fire. What do you think? 52. Koopsers: I think you should leave that there. 53. Baldi: What for? We're not staying here, we're just using it for the signal fire until we find a better spot. Come on, let's leave it there. 54. The group begins to leave the area. 55. Koopsers: No, we're not. 56. Baldi: What do you mean "we're not?" You're coming with us! 57. Klirork: Yes, we are. 58. Klirork and the rest of the group turn around and walk back to their village. Baldi: What? What's going on? Kasey O: No idea! Mario: I have-a feeling that the AI is drunk-a or high! 60. Baldi and the rest of the Garbage Pail Kids have no choice but to follow them. You and Klirork catch up to them. 61. You: Listen, I know you want to get back to your village, but we can't all go back together. There are still too many bad guys between here and there. We need to split up if we want to make it back alive. 62. Klirork: I agree. 63. Baldi: Hm, maybe you do. Klint: Yeah! Klint begins making noises, similar to that of a hungry zombie. Baldi: What's he doing? Klint: I'm hungry. I... Baldi: Okay, I got it! Let's split up so we can each take a path back to the village and cover more ground. 64.Kasey O: No more drunk AI!

Kasimir P: Yeah! Two: Agree. Klint: I'm hungry! I... I... Klint begins making even more noises.

> Chase McFly stops the counting. You turn to face them. You: Fine, we'll split up. But, who is going to make sure the others don't get lost? Baldi: I volunteer! You: Ugh... I don't like this idea. Klint: I'm... hungry... You: Call me a pessimist, but I feel like we're doomed no matter what. Klint: I'm... hungry... Two: Let's split up. 65. You: *Sigh* Kids... You, Klint and Two split off from the group. Jack Archer: Has the counting AI stopped? Calli: It has not, but Best Friend Forever is having an argument with the AI. Jack: Let's leave them be. We don't need to get involved. You: I agree. Hang on, Klint. *You begin running through the woods after Two and Klint*. Klint and Two quickly run into the bushes, hiding from you.

> Foury starts cheering because the counting is over. You: So, did you decide to go with the same plan as me or Klint? Foury the Number: I joined up with Klint!

> BFrit bans counting. I saw what happened and I want my revenge. You: Okay then. You: So, what's the plan? Foury the Number: Wait for sleep. Snatch the jar. Escape.Counting from One is Banned by the group. 66. Klint: That's great, Four! We all got what we want! Four: Yeah! We're free! 67.The whole group agrees. Foury: It's no use! Maybe we should leave the woods, start again in another place. Klint: Maybe we should. Two: I agree. Calli: I agree. Bofgal: I agree. Gnarl: I agree. Kob: I agree. Klint: Yes! Klint: I agree! 68.Everyone else: Yeah! You: I agree too! Four: Finally! You: But, we're not in any place right now. We need to stick together for now. I say we find a cave. Bof: I agree! Gnarl: So do I! Four: So do I! Klint: I agree. Calli: I agree. Bold: I agree. Gob: I agree. Second Best Friend: I agree. Klint: I agree too! Klint: I have a thought! Let's get names! Second Best Friend: Good idea. What are we going to call ourselves? Two starts to buzz like a bee. Four: Hush, Klint! Klint: I found it! A great idea! We are the Friends of Tuckers! Second Best Friend: I like it! Team Nthe group. You: I have an idea. Calli: What? You: What if we are not the only friends of Tucker? There could be more around! What if we go searching? The format reverts to a story instead of an RP. Nine: Sup, broskis? You begin reading the first line In the beginning there was Jack. Then there was Annie. Then there was Beatrice. Then there was Tom. Then there was a dark forest. You: I was just approached by some friends of Tucker. They're the Friends of Tucker and they wanted to join. Calli: What did they look like? You: A girl and a boy, about my age. I think I should know them when I see them again. Beat: They were very friendly, huh? Two buzzes so much that he annoys everybody. Gnarl: Shut up, you fool! If he's got anymore ideas, we'll have him strung up as a ghost! Gnarl then roars loudly. Gnarl: I am not a ghost! I am a... beast! Kob, the beast, begins crawling towards the group of friends. Kob: Wait! I'm not scary!

"I'm member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. Klirork is a cat. You: Okay then. So what's the plan? Foury the Number: Wait for sleep. Snatch the jar. Escape. Counting from One is Banned by the group. We all agree not to tell anyone what we're planning.Calli: Won't they notice if they don't return?Beat: Probably not. They might have been gone a day or two at most. Calli: What if we need to contact them?Beat: There's no cell service here.Calli: Except for mine...The friends go to a clearing in the woods. Beat asks Beatrice if she remembers the plan.Beat: It was your idea, Annie.Beat: ...Annie?Beatrice: I remember. I'm just really tired. You: Very well. Beat, you and Victoria go first...Beat: I will.Calli: Then it's my turn, I guess. I look at my character sheet. I have the stats of an 8 year old.

> Foury says "Ever heard of ?" "Ever heard of lupine packs, Gnarl?" "What's that, boy?" "It's a wolf pack made of multiple wolves." "I knew that, boy. Gnarl then starts craving meat so he goes to KFC and orders a bucket of chicken. He takes it into the woods and begins feeding on the meat, which makes him drunk as hell. You: Did you need a rest? Gnarl: Hell no. Gnarl then goes to you and tries to bite your neck but you run away. You: I just realized something. I have superpowers in this story. Run! You open your phone and begin dialing 911... Gnarl: Who are you calling? You: The police... Gnarl: Why are you calling the police? You: Because you tried to bite my neck! Gnarl: I didn't try to bite your neck. You: Yeah you did! This is a story set in the real world, not some stupid vampire story! Gnarl: Call me crazy but I'm not tryin' to be some stupid vampire. I'm just hungry. You: Then go eat a freaking garlic sausage! Gnarl: Pfft, that stuff don't work. I either am eating chicken or I'm drinking peoples blood. The Dancing Polish Cow starts dancing and singing in Polish. You: Do you speak English? The Dancing Polish Cow: N-n-no. You: What the hell is going on? The Dancing Polish Cow: I'm Polish. "The real world?" Cape asks. "Oh no, I hate the real world!" "It's boring. Nothing happens." "I'm Victoria, Cape's girlfriend. We're going to steal the Stone of Creation from the Nazis." The DPC then speaks Umherländisch to you. You: I don't understand you. What do you say? The DPC: I'm saying I'm sorry. You: For what? The DPC: For being Polish. You: Oh. It's okay. I'm not really mad at you for being Polish. Beat: Of course not. The DPC then speaks in human. The DPC: You look very pretty. You: Well... The DPC: I like your eyes. You: Thanks. The DPC: We should go to the same party. You: No! The DPC: Yes. You: No... Beat: Ugh. This game sucks. The DPC: I like your eyes too. You: Wow. Thanks. The DPC: I have somewhere to be. You: Okay. Beat: Whatever, I'm not playing this stupid game any longer. Beat goes to the bathroom. You're sitting on a tree stump by yourself. You have no idea what to do. "I'll go look for Cape," you decide. You exit the woods and start walking around your town. "Hazel," you say. "Species?" "Human." "Odd, I don't sense any Pokemon or anything." "Just humans then," you say. "Fine. Mickey, 8a." The man walks up to the screen, staring at it. "Alright, Hazel, you're up," the voice says. You walk up to the screen, looking at the two strangers staring back at you. "What do you want to bet?" He pauses for a moment as his eyes grow wide. "Mickey!" he asks. "You're not in?" "I be fine, 8a," he says, his voice clearly showing his annoyance. "Okay, Hazel. You're in luck, 8a has a slightly better chance. You have a ten coin bet. What are the odds?" "Five to four," you reply. "Hm, ten to one is good for me. I accept," the man says. "Thanks, 8a!" he smiles. "Are you sure? You're pretty... sure?" "Sure I'm sure, 8a. Cheers!" 8a smiles, raising his glass. You raise your own glass, finishing the drink. "Do you have any names?" he asks. "I'm Hazel," you say. "I'm 8a," he says, sticking out his hand. You shake it, smiling. "Well, Hazel, it's late. Why don't you head to your room, and I'll see you in the morning." "So, Hazel, what do you think of our little town?" he asks. "It's quite quaint," you say. "Yes, it is," he says, smiling. "Okay," you say. "Alright then, sweet dreams, Hazel." "You too, 8a," you reply, smiling at him. You walk away, heading to the room. You walk upstairs, walking into the room. You look around, finding your bed. You sit on it, staring at the ceiling, wondering where the hell you are. You stare for a while before closing your eyes, and drifting off to sleep. In the morning, you wake up in a panic. You forgot to ask him about his name! You panic for a second, before you remember that you have a meet and greet in the morning. You take a deep breath, and head downstairs, putting on a large, purple shirt and a pair of denim shorts. You walk down the stairs, being met with the sight of hundreds of Oalkwardners cheering. "HAZEL!" they yell. You smile, waves of cheers going through you. "How many did you do last night?" "800!" "That's good! That's good!" You walk forward, receiving a fist bump. "I'm so happy you're here!" one of the Oalkwardners says, leaning in.

> Foury hears police sirens. "I'm Mitzi, what's your name?" "Hazel," you reply. "I've heard a lot about you! It's definitely an honor to meet you!" "You too."You spot a group of humans, led by a police car and a fire engine. "Hey!" you shout, waving. "Over here!" The Oalkwardners look at you, confused. "What's going on?" "Everything can wait, Mitzi! There's a fire! Over there!" Fries cuffs Foury. "I'm going to miss that dog," he says, pulling up in front of the fire engine. Firemen begin to swarm out of the truck. "Alright, listen up, you meat bags! There's a fire at the stadium!" The crowd instantly goes into an uproar. "We need water, we need water, we need water! Get some water on that fire!" The firemen look at you, and you look at the crowd. "I don't know how that works," you say. "By convention, the Mayor handles emergencies! I'm the Mayor!" Fries says. "I can ask for help from other towns, and they can ask for help from others... It's just a chain, y'know? But I gotta ask you folks to help as well! We can't let this stop the game! Alright, get out there and get drenched, harnesses don't protect your pretty little heads when the water's flying! We need this game to go ahead! Now, into that fire! Chimney's full of 'em! Let's make some history!" You all sprint into the flames, as the firemen begin to hurl buckets of water onto the fire. "Ah, that'll fix 'em," Fries grins. "Now, let's get you kids home before it gets dark..." You're led onto a bus, and driven away from the stadium. Police sirens blare. "Alright, alright, let's calm down," Fries says. "It's all good, man. Just get home safe, all right?" You exit the bus, and are met with your friends. "You're late!" Becca says, grabbing your arm and pulling you away from the crowd. "I met the Mayor," you say. "Yeah, but he didn't get our autographs!" Lucy says. You shrug, and head into the stadium. The view from the stadium balcony is incredible, as the sun sets in the distance. "Do you think they saw it?" Kyle asks. "I don't know," you say. "Everything happens for a reason." The game goes ahead, and it's an exciting match. The Oalkwardners win, and as the crowd leaves, you see the Mayor. "Hey, Hazel!" he says. "It was an OK first impression, I guess. Let's try this again..." You walk down the stairs with the Mayor, and are greeted by a small group of protestors. "Scumbags!" one says, throwing a packet of raw meat at them. "You're letting them use the stadium, as well as giving them free food and drinks! That's exploitation! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, letting those uncivilized beasts in to use as pets! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, all of you!" The Mayor raises an eyebrow. "Is there some sort of problem, sir?" he asks. "Yes! There's a problem! Not enough of us to stop the exploitation!" the man says. "We need jobs, we need pay rises, we need-" "Hello?" the man's friend says. "You never told us you owned a zoo." The protestors let out scattered laughs. "He's joking!" one says. "Ha ha!" the man says. "Stop being such child-" "No, I'm not," the Mayor says. "I certainly didn't." "Oh, my God, you did!" the man says. "You pranked us! You created a zoo to introduce exotic animals to kill people!" "No, I didn't," the Mayor says. "Now, would you mind letting me through? I've got an important speech to give." The man nods, and the group shuffles aside. "Well, I'll be damned," the first man says. "I guess you have a sense of humor after all." "Good night," the Mayor says, pushing past them. He makes his way down the stadium steps and onto the road, before taking a cell phone from his pocket. "Hello, Kate," he says. "I met the kids, yeah, we had a good time, sure. Yes, I think that went very well. No, everything's fine. I'm going now, have a good night." He turns and waves to the stadium crowd, grinning. "Good night, everyone!" he says. "Thanks for coming out!" He ends the call, and tosses the phone into his pocket. "I hate to cut this short, but this is very important. Yes, I'll see you tomorrow." He walks away from the stadium, and out of sight. "Well," he says, turning and heading off the road. "I guess I head off now. I've got a long journey ahead of me." He disappears into the trees, leaving you all in the middle of the road. "What the hell was that?" Lucy says, fiddling with her bracelet. "I have no idea." "Are you alright?" Kyle says, standing up. "I'm sorry if we offended you." "You didn't offend me," you say. "Not my problem." "Let's get out of here, then," Lucy says. "I don't want to be caught in the middle of whatever that was." You all head off the road, back into the trees. "So…" Lucy says, a few minutes later. You get a call from Charles Calvin, a helicopter pilot who is on a mission with you. He's never been the bravest of men, but he's always been fairly level-headed and responsible. You call him, and he answers on the first ring. "Hello? Mr Matasumara?" "Yes." "I saw the speech. It was very inspiring." "Thanks," you say. "So, are you coming?" "Me?" he asks. " "This is Hazel Matasumara, formerly known as Jacob Killinger. For some reason I'm transgender or something, my name keeps changing." "Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry, Mr Matasumara. I would've remembered your name." "Please, it's okay. Anyway, I was sent here to invite you to join us. We're heading to the nearby island of Kor and we need men like you to defend it from destruction. Are you interested?" "Oh, yes I am!" Charles replies. "I'll get my things packed right now!" "Good," you say. "I'll see you soon." "Okay, I'll be there tomorrow." "Great. See you then." You end the call, and look at your companions. "Well, that was easy," you say. "We're going to Kor." "I'm not sure what to make of all this," Kyle says. "I mean, I've read about the Killingers, and they seemed like a pretty bad family. But Charles? He seemed like a nice guy." "He seemed pretty nice," Lucy says. "Any idea what he did?" "Well... Charles killed his wife and kids." "WHAT?!" you all say in unison. "Yep," Charles says, popping the "p". "I'd forgotten how to spell it until you all reminded me." "That's insane," Lucy says. "How do you know? Are you sure?" "I'm pretty sure. We had a job together, well, before I joined the ECS. I was with the police at the time, and taking a break at my parents place. My partner at the time had taken off, so I was home alone for the weekend. I got a call from the local police station saying there had been a triple homicide. I got dressed, grabbed my gun and badge, and went over. The poor guy that was at the station when it happened said he didn't know what to do, so he called me. When I arrived, I found the husband and his two kids... killed. The local detective had long since left, so I took over the case. After taking the husband's statement, I looked through the house. The first room I went to was the bedroom. On the left wall, I found a picture of the husband and his family. On the right wall, I found a picture of me and my family. The first thing I did was look through the rest of the house, but I didn't find anything else. I mean, I found some other incriminating stuff, like his gun and some pills he hadn't really needed, but those were there because the former owner SIDED WITH ME! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! I later found out his wife had sold their house and the bank account had been closed. The husband didn't know anything about it, and neither did the local detective. I mean, I knew. I'm a cop. I know these things. But they didn't." "You don't know how the husband was taken," Hazel says. "It could've been a trap. Maybe he came by himself. Maybe the wife came by herself. Maybe they had help. Maybe the people who took him were the same ones who killed his family." "Could be," Charles says. "So what happened to the family?" Lucy asks. "Did you ever find them? Did you ever find out who did it?" "Yeah, I found both. It turned out the husband had an ongoing gambling debt to some guys. One of the guys he owed money to was the guy who killed his family for revenge. He framed me by killing the husband and making it look like I did it. I was fired from the force, arrested, everything. The real killer got away with it, too. I had to go into hiding. I got arrested and spent time in prison." "Fancy way of saying you got beaten up and nearly killed," Charles says. "The ECS set you free, for a favor. You're a marked man now. You can't go back to your old life, so you joined the ECS. We'll protect you... for a price. I assume you refused to work with the Syndicate again, and this is where our paths split." "I thought you were a hero," the boy says. "I thought you went back to your old life so that you could go back to put the bad guys behind bars, not so that you could become one yourself. I guess I'm not that far off. Either way, I won't say anything. I know my place. I'm not a cop anymore, I'm not a criminal, I'm not a hero. I'm a sheep. A lamb to the slaughter. So be it. I'm ready to die." "You won't be dying tonight," Charles says. "Sheep have the highest mortality rate of any caste. Most are slaughtered during their training. The eternals are practically devoured by rats and other sheep shortly after being born. It's part of the process." "I'm sure the sheep you were training tonight will be alright," the woman says. "I'm sure they're being well taken care of and taught to fear the Lord. Perhaps some will even be chosen as part of the sacrifice. And so they should. They're already an example to all of the dedication and loyalty that Able had." "Indeed," Charles says, looking at you. "Now, let's go see your new home for the night. Then, you can meet the rest of the class. Then, you can be sacrificed to the holy man, or you can escape tonight. Your choice." You nod and get up, following Charles out of the room and into another, outside of it. A large, grey, foreboding looking wall of stone appears out of the ground, with a large iron gate in it. "Welcome to Castle Oren," Charles says. "Better known as simply 'the cave'." "It's huge," you say. "Are there... are there more of these underneath the city?" "Many many more," Charles says. "All shapes and sizes. Most of them are abandoned or never used, to allow the other shadows to have a slight edge in recruiting. Ah, here's the man responsible for all this." A tall, skinny man with long hair, a goatee and wearing a long, black, hooded cloak walks up. His face is stern, but his eyes are twinkle as he looks at you. "Ah, Jacob. Here's your sacrifice. I told you the new one would be late, but you didn't need to go rushing here. You could have waited half an hour. Charles Calvin, Your service to the ECS is important, but not more important than the holy mission of spreading the gospel of Dendrin's shadow. It's very important that we look maintain a certain appearance of righteousness." this is Jacob. Don't trust him, but don't insult him either. He's really quite angry at poor communication." "Anything else I need to know about?" Jacob asks. "Not really. I think that about covers it. You're in charge of the new recruits, by the way. We're all just here to assist you." "Good," Jacob says. "I can use all the help I can get. Well, let's get started then. I'm sure you both have a lot to do." Arabic music starts playing. "Yes, sir," Charles says, as you follow him through the iron gate. "Alright, let's dance," Jacob says. "It'll be good for the soul." Jacob draws his sword and runs towards you. You hastily draw your own blade, and block his path of approach. "What the hell, Jacob?" you complain. "Just protecting the honor of our Lady," Jacob says, blocking your attack. "She's in there," he says, pushing you out of the way and pointing to the cave. "Inside. I'll be guarding her." With that, you walk past him and enter the cave. Inside, it's dark, as to be expected, but there are a few torches on the wall. You walk past the dancing shadows and up to the one you know contains Olive. She sits in a corner, rocking back and forth and staring into space. "Olive? It's me," you say. Olive slowly looks up at you, and slowly stands. She doesn't look any worse for wear, other than the obvious. "I can't. I just... I can't anymore." "Now Olive, you've got it all wrong. Of course you can. I saw..." "I know what you saw, Charles. What we both saw. I betrayed you. I can't..." "Olive, no. That's not true at all! We've gone over this a hundred times! I was weak. The shadows won't survive without me. Please, my love, you mustn't have faith in Dendrin. We will win this war. We just need time." "Charles, I'm sorry. But it's the truth. Dendrin's just using us. He's probably laughing at us right now. I don't even think he cares anymore." "Then it's true? Is that why you've been acting so strange? What the hell happened? Out with it. I want to know." "I saw him. Dendrin, watching us. I've seen him do it before in my dreams. He just watches and laughs at our pathetic existence. I'm sorry, Charles. I think I've been bewitched." "By Dendrin? But how..." "I don't know. I've been having these horrible visions. He just looks so happy and beautiful in them. I try to resist, but I just... I love him, Charles. I just do." "Oh, Olive, you don't know the first thing about love. You're still a girl. You just think you know something about it because of..." "Please, don't Charles. Just leave me be. I can't talk about this anymore. It makes me sad." "Olive, I'm not going anywhere. You're my friend, and you'll always be my friend. I'm not going to let you throw your life away over something that's got to be a mistake. I know what love is. I know what it feels like." With that, you grab Olive's hand. She tries to pull away, but you tighten your grip. With her other hand, she attempts to pry your fingers open, but you only squeeze her tighter. "Let go of me, you monster!" she screams. The two of you continue to struggle for a while until Olive eventually knees you in the stomach and head, causing you to release her. Both land on the ground and you grab Olive and squeeze her tightly, almost to the point of strangling her. "I'm sorry, Olive. I just... I don't know what's happening. I..." "I know. Me either. We'll figure this out, okay? We'll find a way to fix this." You hold Olive for a few seconds more, and then slowly let her go. "Jacob, you are not Charles Calvin!" Your sister Grace says from your phone. "And Views and I are still in the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse!" "There's a war going on outside, Olive! I can't just sit here and do nothing! I have to fight!" "Jacob, you can't go out there! Look, we've got a plan. We'll lure the shadows outside, and we'll flip their own plan against them. Then we'll drive the shadows back to the exit, where you can chop their heads off with an axe!" "Yeah, I love the way I love me some flip and drive 'em back to the gate! Alright, I'll be there as soon as possible. You can do this with your brother, Olive!" "I will! Thank you, Jacob!" You turn to your sister. "Grace, you need to flip and drive them back to the gate. Okay, you've got the hang of it, now do it! I know you can do it!" "I'm scared!" "So be a big girl and crush 'em, okay? You've got the strength for it!" "Okay!" "I love you, Grace. Be brave." "Bye, Jacob!" "Bye, Grace! Bye, Olive!" "Bye, Jacob! See you later!" With that, the two flip out of the house and perform their assigned task. Now's your chance to get the hell out of here, before any of them realize you're still here. Option 1: Run. The house, however, goes silent. There is no more yelling, no more crying. Everything has gone silent, which causes you to tense up. "By Dendrin, I hope they can do this." You say, readying your sword. You march on the house with caution, before finally... "Jacob? Is that you?" a voice says. You turn around, and see... "Ben? What the heck are you doing here?" You say. "I'm here to help, like you wanted." "What... the hell happened to you? Charles Calvin flies away in his helicopter. Are you okay?" "I'm fine. (Sigh) I'm a little tired, but I'll heal." "What about the others? We need to go save them." "I think... "I'll explain everything once we get out of this alive, let's move!" Ben says. You proceed to follow Ben as you try to keep up with him... You awaken alongside Ben and Charles as it is now nighttime. You're standing next to a tree with the Shadow Battered Baron in it. "Call me Benelux," Ben says. "I'm sorry you got caught up in this. I'll explain everything once we get home." "Where is home?" You ask. "Green Eye Farm." "Okay. Home it is then." While it seems that things are looking up for you, you have some concerns. "What the heck happened to you, Ben? You're covered in blood and your body ripped apart!" "You'll find out later." You proceed home, as you ponder what the hell is going on. When you arrive home, you sit down in the farmhouse and Ben joins you. "So, tell me about your friends." You tell him everything you know, or think you should know. It isn't much, but it's enough to get the story underway. "So... that's it." "Yeah. I guess so." "And you believe that this Olive girl is some sort of hero that can take on the entire Shadow Guard? That just seems kind of hard to believe." "Well, I don't know much about it, except that she's apparently the chosen one of Dendrin." "Hm. I suppose that does sound a bit impossible, but..." Ben pauses, before getting up. He begins to pace, as he seems to think hard about something. "Just crash here." "What?" "Just crash here. I gotta go do some work by myself. I can't have you doing that thing you do, it messes up my concentration." "What, living in a house full of women?" "Yeah, those too." You really have no reason to decline this since you're tired, and it'd be nice to sleep in a soft bed. However, something doesn't sit right with you. "Ben, is everything okay?" "Sure! Why wouldn't it be?" "I dunno, you're acting really strange. Anything you want to tell me?" "Like what? You think I'm having an affair with my mom or something?" "Well, it was sort of just a wild guess." Ben bursts out in laughter. "You think my mom's having an affair? I'd say the chances of that are about the same as..." He pauses, before raising an eyebrow. "As finding pure essence of bonelesbians in the average human's body." "Pure essence? That's a rather odd way of describing them... I mean, what about the halfelesbians?" Ben burst out in laughter again. "Halfelesbians? Please. If you're referring to the species of feline being described as such, then no, they're not actually a separate species at all. They're just a very skoshy variety of our own common cat. A pretty, skoshy cat." "Aren't they?" Ben nods. "Yes, yes they are. In any case, I'm not having an affair. Mom's fine by me." "Oh. Well, that's good to hear." "Good night, Jacob." "Good night, Ben." You go upstairs, and collapse onto your bed. Score: 18

You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late.

During your adventures you encounter many strange and scary things, which often scar you for life. One of the worst things you encounter is probably the Scablands, a horrible swamp filled to the brim with beasts that will rip you apart, including a creature you only refer to as 'The Man With No Face'. You narrowly escape this terrible place, but it has left a lasting impression on you.

Another very scary place you encounter is the Fantasy World, a parody of Final Fantasy 7's village and dungeon. You also pass through the Lilliputian Kingdom and visit the city of Brotol. There's several smaller villages in the area, some of which have barely survived the destruction of wars between the Kingdom and the Greusim Empire. You briefly visit one such village, where the mayor is attempting to protect his citizens from a massive dragon.

Finally you reach the Final Boss Battle: Mickey Mouse. He stands atop a skyscraper made out of the remains of the Empire's building! He holds the card box in an iron grip, and a fierce battle will take place. Will you be victorious? You will now choose which team member to use during the battle! You may only choose one. You choose Chase McFly. "Alright Chase, let's kick some mouse butt!" you say. "You'll help?" she asks. "Well you're my partner in crime and all, I'm going to help regardless," you say. "Alright then," she says, "Let's get on with this." You approach Mickey, your sword raised. Your dog tags jingle as you walk, and your muscles are clenched to strike. "You're not going to attack him with a sword?" she asks. "With a sword?" you ask, "What kind of magic does he have?" "Sting! Poison Sting!" she yells. You pull up your shirt to reveal your bare skin, and... nothing. He doesn't poison you. Perhaps he doesn't have time to poison you before your battle begins. You don't know. You're just happy that you're about to fight the man who killed your father. "Hah, youz tryin' ta beat da odds eh? Yoo-hoo, anyone fer ia betta than 8b and 8c? I'll take 8a! Come on down to the fight!" he yells from his tower. You approach him, and your sword is raised. He looks down upon you, smiling. "Think yoo can beat da odds? I've got a pair of dice here that say ya don't. Wanna risk yers?" "Ha, I don't bet." "Alright then. I better not lose. It's all the money I saved foa mah trip to da big city! Say, wanna join?" he yells, putting money into a bucket. "What's the bet?" you ask. "Two copper." "Done. What are the odds?" "Seven to four." "I don't bet either then." "Two copper says I win! Bet yooz!" "Alright then, two copper says you lose. You're on." "Yoo-hoo! Anyone in da house? I win!" You look to your partner. "You sure you wanna do this?" you ask. "Of course," she says, twirling her gun-bow around. She pulls an arrow and aims at a nearby building. "Just be careful," she says, nocking the arrow. You take a deep breath, before answering Mickey. "Alright, two coppers says you lose." "I be bettin' on moi, so I win again!" he laughs, putting down a five coin bet. "Sure thing," you smile, dropping the five copper coin in with his ten coin bet. "Let's get this over with," you say, twirling your sword around. You walk up to the mouse, who grins. He pulls a single copper coin from his pocket, showing it to you. "Yoo-hoo, anyone in da house? I win!" "I'm in," you say. "Come again?" he asks. "You're on." "Alright then, two to four. I win again!" he says, showing you the copper coin. "Sure thing," you say, dropping the copper coin in with the ten coin bet. "Hey, are youz gonna lose?" the mouse asks. "I'm not sure. There's a poor man's chance I guess." "Alright then, we'll do it like how we originally planned. Head on back home, I'll give youz a copper if youz win." You nod, smiling. This was the perfect way to settle this. You walk back, heading to the front of the line. You look at the screen and watch as it flashes up. "Name?" the robotic voice booms. "Chase McFly," you say. The screen flashes again. "Password?" the voice asks. "Mazda," you say. The screen flashes again, and a slot opens up. "Coins?" the voice asks. "Ten," you say. You step back, as a coin is put into the slot. The screen flashes, and the slot closes. The mouse approaches, grinning. He presses a button beneath the slot, and the tape smashes into you as you gasp. "IT'S RUBBER!" he yells. You fall to the ground, as the tape laughs at you. The mouse steps forward to your position, and puts the tape into the recorder. "This is fuzz!" he says. "The mouse? What's he done?" you ask. "He's pressed record! You two are having a conversation!" "Oh, great," you say, as the mouse laughs. "Now then, who are you?" "I'm Chase. Who are you? You're not supposed to be here." "I'm the mouse. We're testing to see how good you are at talking." "At talking? But we're not even supposed to be having this conversation. I was just given two coins to gamble. I lost." "I don't know anything about that. I was given two coppers to have a bet. I won." "Sure you did. Well, I don't have anything to tell you, do I? Now stop wasting my time." "Alright then, what do you want to tell me?" "I want to know about the girl. The cupid." "What about her?" "What do you know about her?" "Not a lot. Her real name is Olivia, and she's in our grade. She's on the chess team. I think. I hate her!" "Oh, she's nice then. Alright then, I guess that's it." The mouse nods, smiling. "We're almost out of tape," he says. "I was given ten coppers to talk to you for an hour, but we've finished the hour and I haven't gotten my coins yet. So, do you want to tell me what else you know about the cupid?" "Not really. I told you all I know." "Oh come on! I'm sure you know more about her than you're letting on. Maybe something happened that you don't want your parents to know about." "I don't do anything wrong." "But what if..." "Stop right there, mouse. What if what? What if she overdoses on C.P. gas? What if she throws herself out of a window? I'd bet my savings that you know plenty about her that I don't let on." The mouse's face falls. "You're a very poor liar, Chase," he says. "Fine then. What if I tell you something I know that I'm not supposed to?" "Go on." "My dad says that she likes to..." "Stop!" the mouse says, holding up a hand. "Please don't tell me anything else. I trusted you to tell me something, not the other way around." "Then why did you..." "Give me your savings. I gave you an hour to tell me something, not an hour and a half, Chase." "It's my savings. I can do what I want with it. You don't have any proof that I took it." "Yeah? Well there's the police to prove it too. You're lucky I'm giving it to you at all." The mouse sighs, looking down. "Fine," he says. "My dad's really, really rich. I have ten coins. That's all I really have. If you don't give me my ten coins back, then the police will take me and my dad, and we'll never see each other again." "What makes you think I care about your ten coins? If you don't give me my coins back, then the police will take you and your dad. It's a guarantee." "Because you're a nice boy and you don't want to see me taken away from my dad. That's why." "That's not why at all. Now give me my coins back." The mouse sighs, digging through his pocket and handing you the ten coppers. "There. Take them back," he says. You look at the coins, counting them. "These are ten coins. That's your ten coins," you say. The mouse looks up at you. "That's my whole life right there." You put the coins in your pocket, grabbing the tape from the mouse. It dangles in the air as the mouse sighs, then laughs. "Ha, good luck!" he says. "Good luck, Chase. I'm rooting for you." "Thanks," you say, as the tape goes back in your throat and the mouse walks away from you. You sit down in the chair, taking a deep breath. "So, where am I?" you ask. "You're in a room," the computer answers. "What's this room for? What am I doing here? Am I dead?" "You're in a room, with no doors and only one way out. You are restrained. You ask a lot of questions. You're not dead, you're in a room." You walk over to the chair, sitting down in it. "Why am I here?" you ask. "You're in a room, with no doors and only one way out. You ask a lot of questions. You're not dying, you're in a room." "Why am I here? "To see if you're a video game cheater." "What do you mean?" "You aren't a cheater." "Are you sure? Maybe I'm cheating. Did you check to be sure?" "No." "Oh, good. Did you check if I was a cheater?" "Good. That means you weren't lying. Yay! Now we can let you go." "But I haven't even cheated," you say, as the tape stops. "Yeah, we know. We're letting you go anyway. You're not a cheater." "Oh. Right. What am I doing here?" "You ask a lot of questions. You're not dying, you're in a room." "Oh. Right. Thanks." You get up, walking over to the door. You look through the glass, seeing a key hanging outside the door. "Oh. Okay. I guess I'm free to go." "Of course. You're free to go." You stand up, looking at the door. There's no handle on the inside, so you push against the door with your shoulder. It opens easily, revealing that you're in a room with no other exit. You look around, before the door slams shut behind you. "What was that?" a voice says. You turn, finding a man in a dark suit standing there. He looks at you impishly. "Hello," the man smiles. "Hello," you reply nervously. "So, the police said you were a video game developer. What are you doing in a room like this? Are you a cheater?" "Erm... no?" you say. "Aw, why'd you lie? You're not a cheater. You're going to hell." "No, I'm not!" you say. The man shrugs. "Who knows? We're all going to hell anyway. We might as well try to get in early." The man smiles. "My name's Walter. What's yours?" "My name's Chase, Chase Patrick," you say. "I don't know why I'm here. I've never cheated at a video game in my life." "Never?" Walter says, arching an eyebrow. "No! I don't even own a video game console! I hate violence! I only watch rated G movies! I've never even shot someone in the head before!" "Oh, well that's okay then," Walter says, shrugging. "Well, I've got to go now. Satan's waiting for me." "SatAN!" you shout, trying to stop him. "You won't get away with it! Someone will find a way to...! Hey! You've escaped from a room with no doors and only one way out. How did you do that?" Walter stops, turning to you. "That's just it. I don't know. That's why the police brought me here. I was screaming, and screaming, and screaming, and then I was in this room. I don't remember how I did it. How do you do it? How do you know when you're inside a video game, and how do you leave?" Walter walks forward, offering his hand. "Good luck, Chase," he says. " How do you get out of a room with no doors and only one way out?" Walter is staring at you hopefully. "I... I don't know." "Ah... well, that's okay then. Good luck, Chase. well then... I guess you'd better stay in here forever." "What? You mean I'm trapped in here? How can I leave if I don't know how?" "You'll find a way. You're a cheater. Good luck, Chase. well then..." Walter rubs his eyes tiredly. "I guess you'd better stay in here forever." "What? You mean I'm trapped in here? How can I leave if I don't know how?" "You'll find a way.I guess you'd better stay in here forever. Good luck, Chase." "Wait! How do I get out of here?" "It's a secret. A big, big secret. You can't tell anyone. You got it?" "Yeah," you say, nodding your head slowly. "I got it." "Good," Walter nods. "I've... got to go now. I'll pray for you." "Thanks," you say, as the man in the dark suit disappears into the blackness. You're in a room. A bare, stone room. There's a poor job of carpentry on the door, and it wouldn't surprise you if a single pane of glass was left in this place. No," Kit says. "This is a very boring room." "Not a bad job for someone who's only been here for two days. You'll get the hang of it. You'll be glad to have this room. Trust me." "Kit, are you alright?" Grace asks, turning away from the screen. "You don't seem very enthusiastic about this." "I'm fine," Kit says. "So what is it that you wanted to show us?" Grace asks. "Well, we found a journal," Kit says. "I've only... looked at it. It's in the original Norwegian, but I'm sure we'll be able to make some sense of it." "That's wonderful!" Grace smiles. "I can't wait to hear what it has to say." Kit nods. "Well, come on then," Grace says. "Let's... see what the Norwegian king had to say a hundred years ago." Grace flips open the journal, and turns to the first page. 'Day 1: I don't know what I'm doing here. I'm standing on the rocks, staring out to the endless, black ocean. It's freezing, and I have no coat. I have no coat. I have nothing. I'm hungry. I'm so hungry. I've been walking for hours. I don't know where I'm going. I just... have to walk. I have to move. My legs are like pillars of stone. I can barely move them. But I have to. I think I saw a light down the winding path. I have to see what it is. I have to. Oh, God. My legs. I can barely move them. I don't want to die here. Not like this. There's something out there. Something out there that will kill me. I have to see. I have to know. I have to see what lies beyond the light. I don't want to die here. Day 2: I'm so cold. I can't feel my fingers. I can't feel my toes. I'm just cold. Cold and empty. Holes form in my body. My heart stops beating. I feel nothing. I'm nothing. I feel myself falling into the void. But I don't know what's happening. Am I dying? I'm cold. So cold. I can't... I can't feel anything. I can't... It's getting dark. I don't want to leave this place in the dark. I look around. It's getting dark. There are weird figures standing all over the place. They're not moving. They're staring at me. They're staring at me! They're going to kill me. But they won't move. They won't blink. I don't understand. Why won't they move? What are they? I'm scared. Don't blink. Don't move. Don't make a sound. Stay here with me here. Just... stay with me. Stay with me here.' Grace slowly closes the book "What did you think of that?" she asks. "I don't know what to think," you say. "I really don't." "Meh," Grace says, shrugging her shoulders. "What do you mean by 'meh'?" "I don't know. Boring, I suppose. I've been to the bottom of the ocean. Scared me, that's all. I don't know what that thing in the journal was. I don't want to know what it was. It's probably something bad. I wouldn't want to be down there for all the tea in China." "So what did you think of it?" "I don't know. I found it kind of hard to stay focused. I think the language was a bit technical for me. I don't know. I feel like we wasted our day." "Did you find out who this 'Lena is? Did you make any headway?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Grace says, waving her hand in a shooing motion. "Don't want to talk about it. It's done. Let's go home." You're baffled. "Grace, this journal is important. It really is. You know more than most about looking safety first. That girl could be in danger, even now." "Please, just don't. Let's just... let's just go home." You sigh, nodding. "Fine." The two of you head back home, to your house. You place the journal into your bookshelf, vowing to look through it properly when you're not tired. As you lay down in bed that night, you wonder if you should've fought harder for this journal. You eat dinner in silence, and go to bed. The next morning, you set off for school. You walk into the school, and head to your seat. "Morning, Jacob. Sleep well?" your sister asks. "Sure did, sis," you say, sitting down. "You read the book, I hope," "Yeah, I finished it. It was okay. Didn't go too far past what I already knew. Didn't give away any major plot points." "That's good. You seem a bit... quiet today. Nothing really new to learn." "Just okay? I thought it was amazing!" "I don't know. I guess it just wasn't my thing." You shrug, and open your bag. You pull out your book, and begin to read. "You never read anything by Edgar Alan Purnama, do you?" Grace asks. "No, should I have?" "It's funny. You should read it. It's about a guy who goes into a spooky abandoned house. It's really good." "Are you reading a book by Edgar Alan Purnama?" Grace tutors you in the ways of good literature. You start reading, and within a few pages, you've read all the way through it. You can't believe you never knew about this book! It's so good! You read more, and more, until finally, the bell rings. "See you after school, Jacob," Grace says, as you wave goodbye. After school, you continue reading. In the bookshelf, you find dozens and dozens of other books, many of them classic. You spend your lunch reading. By the end of the week, you've read through most of your books. The few you left behind were definitely not worth keeping. You easily took four books with you when you left. In the evenings, you continue your routine. It's not too hard, as it's mainly reading and homework. You spend every day reading, sometimes for hours on end. It's amazing how much you've read, and how much you've learned. You're about to graduate, and you feel more intelligent than you ever thought possible. It's so easy to become engrossed in a book that you don't hear your mother coming to get you. "Jacob, come on, we're going to be late!" she says. You quickly put your book down, and head down the stairs. "See you later, Grace!" "Jacob? Jacob, are you home? I'm putting the TV on for the rest of the day. You know how your father hates it when I do that!" You shrug, and sit down on the carpet. You open your piggy bank, and pull out a $1 bill. You slide it into the TV's VCR slot, and hit record. You hit play, as the tape starts rolling. "Hey, Jacob! Want to come out and play?" a voice says. You look up from the floor, to see... yourself, from yesterday. The same yourself, with the same shirt and shorts, except today you're in a t-shirt and gym socks. "Come on, get your shoes on! We're gonna knock 'em dead!" the teenaged version of you says. You stand up, and walk after him as he runs into the foyer. The yourself from yesterday is standing there, holding the basketball out for you. "Let's go!" You slowly walk out to the driveway, and stop. Your father is leaning against his car, smoking a cigarette. He looks up, and you freeze. "Hi, Jacob," he says. You try to move, say something, do anything, but you can't. The car looks almost the same, although the paint job is much dulled from age. You look over at the garage, and see your parents' old car, a '74 Chevelle. You stare at it, you stare at the house behind it, and you stare at the street. "Wear the bracelet, OK?" your father says, before walking into the house.

You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. Finally you reach the Final Boss Battle: Mickey Mouse. He stands atop a skyscraper made out of the remains of the Empire's building! He's holding a remote control that starts the countdown for Team NES to die in a fiery death. "Ha ha!urances!" he laughs, as the doors open. "Let's rumble, bitches!" he says. "Come on, Team! Follow me!" Foury the Number says, as you all split up to avoid getting killed by his autoguns. Team NES runs into a room filled with hostages, including your sister. "Look, Jacob! It's Team NES!" he laughs, as Benelux stands over Grace, pointing his sword at her. "Grace, it's OK! You can let down your guards!" Benelux says. "Let's see if we can get that bloody fool to talk!" Sir Benelux says. You see your sister nod, as she waves you over to aadiis her. "Come on, kid! You and I can liberate these people together!" she smiles. "OK," you nod. You grab the ball for her, as she smiles. "Give me the ball! I'll make a break for it!" she says. "No, stay with the ball!" you say. "I can do it!" she says. "No, you let me play defense! I'm really good at it!" "OK," your sister sighs, and hands you the ball. You stand off to the side with the ball, as your sister approaches the heavy metal gate. "Here we go! Go, Jacob! Go, Team!" she says. You take one last look at your sister, as she walks forward to the front gate. "I'm sorry, Grace," you say. "Just don't let him get the ball!" she says, as Benelux laughs. You turn your attention to the front, as your sister walks down the stairs. "I'm here!" she says. "Hello there, Freedom!" Benelux says. "I'm so glad to see you!" "I'm not sure why I'm here," Grace admits. "Oh, you're here because I'm friends with your dad!" Benelux says, as the guards chuckle. "What's that? What are you saying?" your sister says. "I'm saying that your father is a complete idiot who let some of my friends from the Techpriests capture him so that I could use him as... entertainment!" "You've gotta be kidding me!" your sister says. "I'm not! They captured your father at the same time they captured me, and for the same reason! Heh heh heh!" "Well let's get them back!" your sister says. "Oh, I plan to!" Benelux laughs, before laughing as a bullet hits his arm. You look at the shot, and see that it came from one of the hostages who has been let free. "Well, well, well! Looks like you've been freed at last, Freedom! I guess that I owe you a debt of gratitude!" Benelux says, as the guards chuckles continue. "Let me show you to your room!" Benelux says, as he leads her away. You wait for a few moments, before making your move. You rush into the front gate with the ball, seeing many bodies on the floor. You avoid getting shot, though one of the guards does notice you. He aims his rifle at you as you run by. "Halt! You there! Get back here!" he says. You keep running, and he fires at you, hitting your arm. You're able to get away, and run straight into Benelux's office. You close the door behind you, and rush to the desk. You open the desk, finding a safe. You quickly try the combination, with success. You pull out the contents, finding a pile of gold coins. There's also a small, professional-looking camera with a memory card... You take the SD card out of the camera, finding a lot of images and bits of video. The files seem to be a log of what Benelux said, with timestamps. May 16th Today was definitely the day that we were going to get out of this place. We started off the day by having breakfast with Benelux. The food was a lot better this time, though I'm still not sure what it was. It didn't seem to do anything for me, but then again, I'm not a meat creature, so what does it matter to me? After breakfast we were let out of our rooms. We sort of knew what was coming, and I was right! It was the Techpriests! They came down, and through some technology pulled out all of our hooks and slave collars. It was a little painful, but I'm guessing once they did that, they did some testing to see if we were resistant to poisons and such. If they did, then they must have figured we're good to go. We were taken to a large room with other normals. Some looked terrified, others looked angry. The worst were a group of Chaos Space Marine who were laughing and joking around, seemingly oblivious to the pain and suffering around them. "Well, you are a lot of fun!" Benelux said. "Let's start the games!" Benelux shouts, and the room goes silent. "I want you to remember these faces. I want you to remember this day. I want you to remember your freedom, for this day we became free!" The room goes wild as Benelux starts laughing, and the guards nudge the laughing Space Marines, telling them to shut up as they shout in protest. One of the guards comes up to you. "Let's start with you, Norm!" He says, looking down at you. Norm is a status on Earth that means normal. You aren't, you're just plain ol' boring old normal. "I'm not Norm. I'm not a normal," you say. The guards eyes widen. "What? No! Norm is a status, not a name!" He says, looking confused. But, by agreeing to work for Benelux, you also became 'norm', which means you're now officially a slave. You let out a deep breath, before looking up at the camera. "Hi. My name is Oswald. Benelux sent me here for your amusement. If you want to see more, buy a ticket." You're just working along with the others to fulfill your needs for food, water, and safety. You have no rights. No name. No face. All you have now is the ticket that Benelux gave you, your status, your name, and your needs. You walk over to the room of the screaming, laughing, psychopathic Space Marines. While you'd normally be scared of them, you're too focused on your goal to care. "What's going on in there?" You hear, and quickly begin working to get the room quietened down. "I'm getting you all set up with some new slaves. Teamwork! It's what makes a team!" You hear Benelux shout from outside the room, as more guards rush into the hall. They must have heard the ruckus. "Wait! Don't kill them all!" you hear Benelux shout. "I need them for something!" "You're a prick, Ben!" one of the guards says. "They're Chaos, they're gonna screw up your plans! We need to kill them all! The Emperor demands it!" 48 more Space Marines rush into the room, and immediately begin shooting at the goings on inside. You're shooting as well, hopefully hitting something other than the enemy. Now!" "No, but they're my personal guards! Don't kill them! You'll mess up my plans!" "We don't care! We need to kill the enemies, not save their commanders! Now pick your men out and disappear!" The guards turn their backs on Benelux, and begin selecting which men to kill. You quickly hurry over to the Marines, selecting the two closest to you. "Sorry 'bout this, mate." One of the guards says to you, before you all quickly run out of the room and past the guards. Soon, you find yourself in a hallway, empty of just about everything. "Quick! Take out that camera up there!" One of the guards shouts, pointing upwards. You nod, running over to the camera. A missile launcher attaches to your Goliaths arm, and you quickly take aim. "Ready?" One of the guards asks you. You nod, pressing the trigger. The first missile flies through the air, and you direct it at the camera. It explodes into pieces, and the hallway is suddenly filled with smoke and dozens of men. Some of them are injured, some are dead, and others look like they're about to pass out. "What the hell happened?!" "The camera just exploded! Follow me!" You all quickly make your way through the halls, heading deeper into the ship. Suddenly, you find yourself in the arena. There's a dozen men there, holding each other up. "It's not going well!" One of them says to the group. "What's going on out there?! We can't keep getting caught like this!" You hear a voice shout from the speakers. It's Benelux. "We're trying to get out of here, sir! We'll be out soon! Send more troops to hold the bridge!" "Roger, we're sending whoever we can! What the hell happened in there?!" "There was a giant, anothe... Don't start the ship up!" "I've been hearing that for the past ten minutes! Where the hell are you?!" "We're trying to find a way out of here, sir! We're not rebels, we're-" You see Benelux back away from the arena, staring at you. "We're what, Ben?! What the hell are you doing? You need to get back in the arena!" "I'm not fighting these guys, I'm not a rebel! I'm..." He turns, and runs off. You sigh, realizing that he's ran out of time. You were hoping to convince him. "Rebels, huh? Well, let's get going then." You begin walking towards the giant portal, reaching it just as the ship begins powering up. "haha! Come on, baby! Let's get this show on the road!" A voice shouts through the speakers, as the lights in the room begin to flicker on and off. "We're shutting this thing down! retreat, now! retreat!" The lights flicker off, and the portal shuts down. "Hurry! Get out there and kill something! We'll be right behind you! Oh, and try not to die either! See ya in a few!" The ship powers down, leaving you in total darkness. You take out your datapad, typing out a message. "Benelux, I'm here to help you. Don't give up hope, I'm coming in." You send the message off, and within a few seconds, you get a reply. "Thanks, Hazel! Just stay in the arena, don't move, I'll come get you," you type. You send the message out, before continuing. The lights flicker on, and you sprint off to the side of the big arena, finding a small gap between the wall and the stone flooring. You crawl through it, spotting Benelux amidst the carnage. So much for hope. What you see is not pretty. You slip through it, finding yourself in a hallway. "This should be close enough." You whisper. You continue down the hallway, finding it completely empty. Feeling rather disappointed, you come to a small metal door, with a card swipe panel by its side. You press in the number revealed, waiting. "Hello, Sarah. I have a visitor for you." A deep voice comes through the speakers. You slide the card in, opening the door. "Hello there. Mind if I come in?" You step back, letting the man inside. He wears a welding mask that covers the bottom half of his face. He wears a red jumpsuit, with large metal armor plates covering his arms and legs. He walks over to you, extending his hand. "Don't worry. You're not going to get electrocuted." He says, as you shake it. "I'm Chief," He says, motioning to a chair in the room. "I'm Hazel." You reply. "So, you're the human who has decided to help us fight back." He says, taking a small cup of coffee from a small machine by his side and sitting down in the chair. "Well, I've never really thought of myself as human. I'm just a normal person, with a normal life, who had an encounter with some strange people who are now trying to kill me." "It's not really a fight back. We're still the under dogs." You reply. "No, I suppose we're not." He responds, with a small chuckle. "So, you've had some experience with the enemy? The Kaleesh?" You ask, with a sigh. "Unfortunately, yes. I led a platoon that was carving a path through them to keep the rest of our army moving. They had us surrounded, and in small groups. It was a slaughter. I bought my men enough time to get out of there, but then the Kaleesh finally caught me. By the time we got organized, it was one giant massacre. It was there that I received this. " He holds up a metal arm, with small claws on the end. They're much smaller than the ones the Kaleesh have. "These things are actually pretty useful. I cut up numerous Kaleesh with it." He chuckles. "I wish I could say the same for my unit." You reply, with a sigh. A few hours later... "We've made it this far. We might as well push on to the palace." You say, popping a Tic-Tac in your mouth. "Think the military will send reinforcements? It' would be nice to at least take down one of their kings." Chief says with a smirk. "Their army is more than capable of pushing us back. We'd be pushing them to secure our victory." "Well, let's hope their gutter trash doesn't have the common sense to run out in the open before we reach the king. You say, continuing down the hallway. Suddenly, a door on the left opens, and a small group walks out, laughing and talking. "That's far enough." Chief says in a low voice. We have them surrounded. I can sense it." You walk over to the group, staring them in the eyes. One of them notices you and gasps. "It's them! The ones from the forest! The ones who took our friends! Why are they not attacking?! They look so strong!" She says, stepping back. "Silence! You recognize us? I'm afraid not. The ones who took..." She starts to say, but is quickly silenced by Chief. "You recognize our faces? That's odd, we haven't been back out since our escape. How can you tell?" "Because they're the ones who took my brother! They're the ones who should pay for his kidnapping! They're the ones who turned our peaceful forest into this place!" "Quiet! I can't concentrate with all the noise you're making!" Chief says, glaring at the young girl. She stares at him, and her eyes start to fill with tears. "You... took my brother? But he was so... he was so kind! Why would you take him?" She asks, in between cries. You can feel Chief tensing up. "Hey, hey, easy... we didn't take your brother. We were just passing through the area. We wanted to explore, but then Kishak attacked us. We've been trying to escape these demons for months. A few of us made it out, and we're trying to secure the kingdom. If you want to become a hero, then you should tell us where the exit is located.

> BFrit are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of BFrit is human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and they all must save their card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. "The... the exit?" The girl asks, looking up at you. You frown. "I'm afraid not. We're not exactly the police. But you could become one with a bit of effort." You say. The girl's eyes widen. "What?! With these two?" You look to the side to see that Chief has drawn his sword, pointing it at you. The young girl tries to run past him, but is stopped. "Don't worry. I'm not going to kill her, I just want information." You say, trying to sound as nice as possible. "Chief, put the sword back in the sheath, or I will." You say. "Alright." Chief grunts, putting the sword back in the sheath. "Who are you guys, then?" The girl asks. "We're... explorers."

> Chase McFly "My birth name is Jacob. I'm a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late." Hazel says. "We're not exactly the police. But you could become one with a bit of effort." You say. The girl's eyes widen. "What?! With these two?" She asks, pointing at Chief and Kane. "You could become one of us." Chief, who had been waiting for this question, grunts in reply. "What does that mean? I don't want to be like you!" "I dunno, it's up to you. You join us, and you'll get to experience all of the things we go through. You know, fighting evil, supernatural threats, and having fun along the way. You get to decide what you do on our missions, be it fighting back, or just having some fun. You get to make decisions that could affect the mission, good or bad. You can't do that as a normal human, but as one of us, you get to be a part of it all." "What... what are you exactly? You keep calling us regular humans, but you don't look... human." "We're not human. You can't get the full experience of being a hero if you're just normal. You don't look like any of the creatures I've heard about." The girl says, stepping backward. "We're not monsters, if that's what you think. We're just different. I want to join you guys, but..." The girl says, looking down. She slowly lifts her head up. "But what?" you ask. "But I'm... just a normal kid. I want to go home. I'm missing something. I don't belong here." "So what, kid? Join the fun and enjoy your stay here! All you need to do is say yes." You say. The girl pauses, seemingly deep in thought. "I'll... I'll think about it. I don't want to regret going back home, and I'm sure I'll have tons of fun at your place. But... but I'm going to go back home first. Thanks for not killing me, guys. I'll remember this. Good luck in your future missions." The girl says, turning around and walking off. She gets out of your range, before you could reach out to grab her. "I'm sorry, I thought... I thought you were going to join us. If I had known you just wanted to go home, I would have... picked other words." You hear Chief say. "It's fine. But she did join us in our mission. She got an experience that's better than dying. So I say, mission complete." You reply. "Indeed. Let's head home. We all need some rest, and besides, Elios should be done with his work by now. Time to enjoy ourselves. We made a hell of a difference in this world, guys. And to all of the normal humans out there, enjoy your lives. You deserve it. We're doing this for you. We're the superheroes of the night. And we're never going to stop being heroes. Even if it kills us." You say. The group all nods in response. You return to the base, where you find that Elios has indeed finished his work. "So, now what? I'm guessing we don't have any new missions?" You say. "Afraid not, Karth. The New Terrares rebellion is more or less over as far as I'm concerned. We done changing the world? Because it looks like you're planning another one." You say. "Ah, yes. My work here is done. But your work begins now. I've set up a foundation where we can build a dojo, to train the new generation of heroes. You can have first dibs on training the kids there. Hell, you can have the first brood. I'm done with kids. Though I suppose your MeekMaid can have some..." Chief Brownwind pauses, before turning to you. "What the hell? NEVERMIND, Karth. You're part of the League, you should know by now. We don't have time for this. Get out of here, and go have fun." Chief says. You stare at him. You know that voice. That's the voice of the Chief you've always wanted to hear. You're a bit shocked by this, but it seems like you don't have much choice. You get your people together, and prepare them for the future. The next few years are... eventful ones. Namely, fun ones. The League manages to take in a lot more people, due to all the chaos and rebuilding after the New Terrares War. And it's certainly a rebuilding period. You have a huge dojo, where people from around the world come to train under various fighting styles, mainly for defense against crime since you don't actually ask them to join the League. But hey, it's a start. You end up having quite a large family, and you love every moment of it. Thank God the Buddhists were few and far between on this world... Good thing for you that they were too, because you're one of the few remaining humans on the planet. Of course, you're not the ONLY one left... The time comes where you have to choose who to send to the League's new headquarters. It's a touching scene, as you choose (and convince) your "siblings" and "cousins" Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. You walk away, as you watch your family and friends head to the new headquarters. You look through the trees, and see a large man with a gray beard standing by himself. He walks over to you. "So. This is it, then. Our new home. I'm Chief." The Chief says. "I know. The League sent us a message." You respond. "Ah. That tends to happen. Come on, I'll show you around." The Chief grins and takes your hand, leading you through the trees. It's been years since you had to walk around, and you're quite rusty. It doesn't take you long to realize you're more than a little lost. The Chief seems to sense this. "I know the League wants us to have space, but I wanted to at least have a base of operations near here. Now you're here, I guess you can choose where we build the dojo." The Chief says, leading you around a large rock. You look around. In the distance, you can see a cliff, with cave entrance underneath it. "What's in there?" You ask. "Oh, just a small underground tunnel leading to our old home." The Chief says. "It's not like anyone's going to find it. So, what do you think? Where shall we build our dojo?" "Erm... amongst the trees?" You suggest. "The forests make for the best defense, after all." "You think so?" The Chief asks, raising an eyebrow. "You sure that's a good idea?" "What, you prefer concrete? You're half rabbit. "I don't see why. I mean, one of my men, Zidane, he's designed some cool uniforms. They make the best shade." "How? He's a mime." I mean, concrete blocks can only shoot out spears and swords." "It's a simple matter of tactics. We hide in the trees, they don't. It's all about ambushing and archery. You shrug. "The ladies love mimes." The Chief scratches his head. "Zidane's pretty hot. I think I'll go for the uniform idea." You want to be able to dodge and move freely in the trees. concrete doesn't allow for that." "Hmm. You might have a point there. I used to do some reading in between fighting, you know. One of the books I read talked about the best ways to train your soldiers. One of the tips was to have areas set aside for archery training, for snipers who want to have a long range advantage. What do you say about a compromise?" You nod eagerly. "Definitely." The Chief smiles. "Good to know I'm not wasting my time. So, you agree to the compromise? We won't build the dojo here, but we can set one up in the trees." You agree, and the Chief smiles happily. "Trees it is! I'll see what I can do. Now, come on, we should get back before Zidane's sent to hunt us down for treason. He's tricky like that. Hey! Where are the other two!? Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter. Let's go! " You follow the Chief back to the camp, where your team is sitting around. They look at you, but don't say anything. You're not sure whether to be creeped out or honored. "I'll be back later, I'm going to talk to the commander!" The Chief shouts. His team immediately gets up and leaves, and you're left standing awkwardly with him. "Well, come on." He says, walking away. You shrug and follow. You walk through the forest for a while, reaching a clearing. In the center is a dome, a bright blue color. Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus) are in the dome. Mickey Mouse has kidnapped our friend Views the Cardbox to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. "Hey! Killinger, where were you?" "I was talking to the commander." "About what? We don't have anything important." "Yeah, but he needs to know we're ready. Argh! This group is just made of idiots!" "What's going on? Who are you?" "His name's not important. He's just a traitorous little rat who thinks he can betray the Empire!" "The who? What are you on about?" "The Empire! I'm talking about the group, not the country! The group of people who have been looking after your well-being and making sure you've had everything you need! Why do you think I've been building this dojo? I'm trying to help you guys learn to fight! We're Eternals, and we've been looking after you, teaching you how to be warriors!" "Err...thanks? I guess?" "Yes, Killinger!" "I'm serious! But anyway, this is stupid. I just wanted to know what we're fighting, and now I know." "The Jicol Alliance. A group of rebels who think they're doing the right thing, but really they're just traitors. We know this because we're still part of the Empire, and loyal to the Emperor! We know this because we're in contact with the Imperial spies in the city, and they've told us ALLLL about them! They're planning to assassinate the Emperor, but what's worse is they have the gall to think they're doing the righteous thing!" "Well...I dunno what to say. I mean, I think they may have a point." "Of course they do, you're an idiot, that's why you're my second! Anyway, here's some info to take back to the team. Tell them that they need to report to the dojo tonight, where we'll figure out how to stop these terrorists." "Okay...okay."

He hands you a leaf-let, on it are several addresses and a time. You thank the Chief before leaving, and head back to the team, who are still waiting for you. "So......" "So, you're not mad about that, eh? Come on, I want to show you something." Cecilia grabs your hand, dragging you to the side of the path. "Look." She whispers, peering around the corner. There, in the grass, is an Eternals' encampment. There's a bunch of tents and such, but in the center is a large fire. You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus) ask what's going on. The the team starts discussing. "Our friendly, tree-hugging host just showed us where the Eternals are." "Did you get the addresses? "Yes, the countryball told me." "I wonder if we could infiltrate them without the others knowing." "Sure, they're just regular ol' rebels. We should be able to fool them." "Rebels? They're terrorists! If we listened to these rebels, we'd let our guard down, and that wouldn't do at all. No, we need to report this to Captain Vahlat immediately." "But, what about the others?" "What others?" "The other Team Nests. I can't just leave them there without any support." "Don't worry about them. The other Team Nests are full-grown Eternals, most of them veterans of the Imperial army or the Spires. This is just a bunch of children. Even if some of them are full-grown teenagers, they're still children, which means we can easily take them out ourselves, then and there." "You sure about that? Because if you're thinking on how to deal with them in a more......personal way, we can do that too. I've got just the person in mind." "What? You want some of them as well? Because there's a bunch! Cecilia grabs your hand again, grinning. "Great, so we can all have fun tonight!" "But what about the others?" "What others? The others are irrelevant. Look, we can easily take them out, or we can keep the innocent ones safe, but what you need to do is up to you. But I suggest you do it quickly. The other Team Nests are heading this way." You breathe a sigh of relief, leaning against a tree. "So we're alone?" "Yes. Yes! Alone!" Cecilia glares at you. "Now then, we have a few options here. We can either all go and have some fun together, or I can stay here with you and have fun by myself. Now, what'll it be?"

> Chase McFly says "We're Team Never Ending Story, not Team Nests!" " "Fine," Cecilia pouts, laying in the grass. "I'll stay here. I don't feel like fighting today." You lay down next to Cecilia, looking up at the sky. "Do you think the others will make it?" she asks. "Yes." You reply, staring at the same sky. "They may be teens, but they're smart enough to find a safe place to hide, or get out of the city." "I'm glad you're on our side." "Is there another choice?" Cecilia smiles. "Well, you could stay here too, if you wanted to." "What? No! I'm coming with you!" "Fine." Cecilia sits up, grabbing her swords. "Let's go then." You stand, holding her hand as you walk off into the city. "Where are we going?" you ask. "To hunt for the others." You nod, keeping up with her fast pace. Soon, the two of you come across an old church. "This is where it happened," Cecilia says. "This is the spot." "What did?" you ask. "I killed him. Shot him with a bolt of lightning." You raise an eyebrow. "That's not how you died. You died in combat." "The liar will burn in the fires of hell! In the depths of my sorrow, I vowed to send him to meet his doom, and that's what I did." "Cecilia..." "It's the truth!" she says, stopping. "Anyway, the rest of the team is probably in this church. Let's go." You nod, and the two of you enter the building. You walk down the aisles, Cecilia checking each one. "Ah, there they are!" she says, motioning towards two empty seats. You walk over, and plop down next to her. The three other members of Team Never are across from you.

> Chase McFly says "That's Team Never Ending Story, or NES to you!" "Doesn't ring a bell," you say. "Oh, it's a reference to a long-running internet joke," Ben says. "We sometimes refer to ourselves as the 'Never Ending Story', as there's always someone new to the team." "I see. So you're the newest additions?" "Newcomers," Ben says. "We're old news. Anyway, Chase and I were the first to join, back when the team was still called 'Nameless'. That was back in the day when we... well, you'd probably call us bad guys." "We stopped being villains a while back, but the name stuck," Chase says. "Since then, there's been a few more members. I don't really keep track anymore." "Who are the others?" you ask. "There's... 'Four' is his nickname, not mine. He's Dutch and loves beer. 'Fozzie' is an animal, a... a squirrel I believe? She's short for Francesca and was a professional acrobat before we recruited her. 'Cecilia' is my sister, she... well, I guess she just prefers to stay out her other appearances." "What are you two?" "I'm English. That's probably not a surprise to anyone. I like tea. There's 'Gerald', he's an amicable German fellow. He used to be in a gang, but his throat was slit in a stupid dispute. I don't even know how that happened. An arrow? If you ask me, it was an accident. Who knows with such things. 'Gerald' is good at a lot of things though, he's good at a lot of things." "What can he do? Oh, I'm asking too many questions! I'm sorry, I'll shut up!" "No, go ahead, this is your story. You were going to tell us about the Wizard's Academy." You nod, and begin to tell your tale. As you talk, the other members of the team seem more and more fascinated by it. Eventually, you finish telling the story. "So, what do you think?" you ask. "Well, obviously it's a bit far-fetched, but I've heard crazier stories," Ben says. "And it's a pretty cool tale. I have to say, I'm inspired." "You want us to steal the books from the library?" Cecilia asks. "Do you think we could pull it off?" "Well, that's the plan," Ben says. "I mean, it's not a sure thing, but with the right crew, I'm sure we could do it. If we tried, there's a chance it could fail and get out of hand, but it's worth a shot." "I'm in," says Chase. "I think it could be fun." "So, what do you think about this team, Tom?" Cecilia asks. "Think we could work together?" "I don't know," you reply. "I'll have to think about it." "Of course you will," Ben says. "But don't worry, we'll be in contact with each other." You take your leave of the three, and make plans to think more on what they have proposed. You make your way to the cafeteria to eat, and you see that your mom is there, talking with a few other parents. They notice you, and your mother waves you over. "So, how did it go? Did they accept you?" she asks. "I don't know," you respond. "They said I could think about it." "Oh, of course, I didn't think they'd accept you straight away," your mother says. "Well, I'm sure you'll get the place you want. Come on, I want to ask you about a new topic." You follow your mother to a table, and she sits down with you. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" "The new kids," she says. "They want to be Team Evil." "What?! They want to be a criminal ring? But why? They seem so nice!" "I don't know, but I don't like it," your mother says. "I want you to keep an eye on them. If they try to do anything, stop them. It's your duty as a parent!" "But they haven't even started yet! They don't know what they're doing! They might just be bored and playing around." "Well, I'm sure we can stop it before it starts," your mother says. You're at a lose as to what to do. On one hand, you don't want to spy on your new friends, on the other you don't want them to be criminal. What's a parent to do? "Well..." you begin. In the middle of your hesitation, one of the new kids walks up to you. "Hi, I'm Cecilia." "I know. You sent me a message on Skype. What's your interest in Team Evil?" "I like to plan evil things to do to people," she says. "I'm just trying to come up with an idea to put them, so if they do start doing it, I won't get in trouble." You laugh. "Why would you get in trouble? I thought the point of this is for you to get out from under Mommy's thumb. Don't you think it would be way more evil if you actually started doing all this stuff?" "I suppose," she shrugs. "I guess I'm just a little nervous about all this. What if I screw it up? Then everyone will be even more angry with me than they are now! They won't let me live it down!" "What's to screw up? You're just going to go up to some people and copy what Elements did, only on a smaller level I suppose. The difference is you're not going to kill anyone." "It is?" "Sure. The point of all this is to piss off the stinking politicians who ruined this city. You're just going to go up to them and tell them to stop screwing things up for the rest of us." "That sounds doable. Shall I go do it now?" You see where this is going. You need to go stop your new friends from committing a crime. So you can't let them do it. "Well...I suppose so, but I really want you to think about this okay?" "I think I've thought about it for a couple days now." "Oh. Have you started yet? Because I told Cecilia she couldn't start yet. Should I have her wait until after the vote? I don't want anything to get out of hand before then." "Nah, I'll have them start now. I'm sure they all want to get it over with." "Please tell me you're joking, Cecilia." "I'm serious." Cecilia turns to her friends. "Let's get to it then. I have some evil things to do," she says. "Cecilia, wait!" you shout. "I really think you should wait until after the vote. And please don't do anything too crazy. I just want to stop you from getting into trouble. It's not fun when you get into it." "Yeah, we'll be careful," one of the other boys says. "Like Mom said, we won't do anything too evil. I mean, we're not exactly hurting anyone. Not really." "Yeah, but it's just a matter of time," Cecilia says. "Come on, let's go start wrecking things." The kids leave, seemingly eager to start their plans. You're not sure if you should follow them, or stay here and try to prevent a rebellion. 6 months pass... You're running down the streets of Nuro, attempting to escape from your old friends. You hoped you were too far away, but it looks like they've decided to track you down. "Hurry up! We have to get out of here!" Caim says. You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. They won't let me live it down! "What? What did you say?" you ask, turning to Cape. "I said, they're right behind us, aren't they? I can sense them." You turn back around, and continue running. You hear the sounds of fists hitting flesh. "Let's get him! He can't run forever!" Caim shouts. "Shut up! I'm trying to listen as well!" Cape hisses. Suddenly, a door appears out of nowhere, and you all enter it, leaving it to behind you. "Why'd we come in here?" you ask. "To hide! To hide, dammit!" Cape says. You drop to the floor, and Cape follows suit. "What are they doing?" Cape asks. "I don't know, but they can't see us!" You feel something slam into your back, and you go flying forward. You hit the ground, and the door disappears. Then, a foot is placed on your head. "What are y'all doing in my house?" a voice asks. It's a woman, dressed in a purple robe. Above the robe she's practically half-nake, as she's not wearing any underwear. Around her neck is a necklace, made of fingers. On her head is a crown, made of the skulls of her victims. You see two familiar fingers under her robe. "This is the home of Cecilia, the Ghoul King's daughter. And you are?" "Er... I'm just a simple traveler, looking for a place to sleep for the night. This old house is just the kind of place I was looking for." "Do you have any food?" she asks. "Yes, I do have some apple pies I've been saving." "Well, you're not getting them. I'll eat them myself. Now, get the hell out of my house." "Alright, alright, I'll go." "Thank you," the Ghoul says, as she heads into a room. You get up from the floor, and head out of her house. You wonder why the Ghoul King's daughter would want to eat you, when she could have had any sort of food she wanted. Perhaps, it's something personal, or perhaps she just doesn't like men. You continue walking, as you come across a giant iron wall. It must be eight feet high and four feet thick, and is decorated with spikes. You've never seen anything like it before. You push on the wall with all your might, but it doesn't give. There must be a secret locking mechanism someplace. "Hello?" a voice calls out. You turn around, and see a woman dressed in a red robe, tending a garden on the other side. "May I help you, sir?" she asks politely. "I was just exploring this wall. Do you know what this place is? I've never seen anything like it before." "Oh, you haven't? Well, no matter. This used to be the palace of the old king. It was destroyed during the rebellion of the shadows years ago. It's now been replaced by a new palace, made of a sturdier material." "I see... I'm looking for Cecilia. Do you know where I can find her?" "I'm her. Who are you, and what do you want?" "My name is Blaise, and I'm a simple traveler. I'm just looking for a place to stay the night. It's getting late." "I see. Well, come on in." You enter the garden, and the woman closes the door behind you. You're in a little house made of bricks, such as the rest of the wall. There's a living room, kitchen, and two doors leading to two different bedrooms. "Do you like apple pie?" Cecilia asks, as she heads into the kitchen. "Yes, it's one of my favorite desserts," you say, shortly followed by Cecilia grabbing you by the collar and kissing you on the lips. "I want to taste your pie." Cecilia grabs your hand, and leads you into the kitchen. She sits down, opens the lid of the pie, and takes a large bite. You smile, as she begins to devour it. It's only been five years since Tanya left, and you certainly missed the intimacy of a loving relationship. "So, Blaise... you're a traveler? What business do you have in the world of the shadows?" "I'm looking for something to kill." "Really...?" "Yes, really. I was sent on a mission to find the Ghoul King, and bring him back to headquarters. Instead, I got lost, and now I'm all alone in a sea of shifting shadows." "That's rather dangerous, you know. You should have a backup plan. If you get lost again, go to headquarters. You'll be killed there, but at least you'll be alive. I'm sure they'd love to see you." "Hmm, yes I suppose so..." "Well, what do you want to kill?" "I don't know... I have a list of targets. A 'to kill' list, as they say." "That's rather sad. Why don't you write down your targets, and I'll see if I can help? Perhaps I have something you need. I'm very skilled in the arts of necromancy." "What's that supposed to mean?" "What do you think it means? This'll be easier if we have more details, you know." "You don't need to help. You can have your pie. I can get by just fine." "Nonsense! If killing is what you desire, then we should desire it together! Besides, you said this was your mission, not mine. Why don't you continue? You were telling me about your list of targets." "Alright, alright! Shhh... listen." Cecilia stops eating, and puts her index finger to her lips. Blaise looks as Cecilia with a steely gaze, and begins to tell her the rest of his list of targets. She listens, but soon realizes that she doesn't know anything about any of them. "I don't know anything about any of these people. I'm sorry," she says, with her mouth full. "Hmm. Well, that's new." "What?" "That's new. You don't know anything about any of these people. That's okay, we can figure it out together. I don't need to know everything about every target, just enough to make sure I kill them as efficiently as possible. It's an important part of the plan. Besides, I'm sure I'll know enough about most of them to fill in the gaps." "Well, alright. Go on with your list then. What's number two?" "The Ghoul King." "Oh, yeah! He's the thing that's using the werewolves to raid the villages, right? I've heard a few of the villagers talking about it, and it sounds like he's bossing around a bunch of young bloods that are ready to disobey his every command." "Something like that. I don't know much about the Ghoul King himself, other than he used to be a powerful vampire. The villagers said something about him having 'human blood slaves', but I've never heard of such a thing. Sounds... tragic, really. He's like a vampire that fell out of the stories." "Okay, my name isn't Blaise. It's Jacob Schwartz." You say. "I'm with Team Never Ending Story, or NES for short." The Vampire briefly pauses, before smiling at you. "Ah, the infamous Team Never Ending Story. They just couldn't leave well enough alone, could they? What can I do for you, Jacob? Could be anything, I suppose." "I need your help." "Hm. You need my help. For what?" "We're trying to eliminate the targets on the list you gave us. So far, we're a little short on people." "Mm. Sounds like you need more help, not less. So, where are these friends of yours, that you're supposed to be helping?" "I'm working with Cecilia and a few others. They're not really friends, they're just comrades in arms that I'm trying to help. The problem is, we're a little short on people ourselves. I was hoping you could spare a few." "Ah, so you're looking for allies as well as comrades in arms. I see. Well, I certainly can't spare more. I've got a list of people as long as your arm, and I can't spare anyone from it." "Do you have anyone at all?" At this, the Vampire smiles. It's a cold, chilling smile, that makes you want to shiver uncontrollably. "Not anymore. But that doesn't mean I can't still help you." "How?" You ask. The Vampire gets up, and leans in through the bars. His face is only a few feet away from you now, his eyes burning into yours. "Tell me, who sent you to kill my people?" he asks. "Nobody," you say. The Vampire smiles. "My dear boy, someone always pays for the crimes my people commit. It might as well be me. Now, tell me, who sent you?" "Nobody," you say again, as the Vampire sighs in exasperation. "I really don't think you understand the nature of the offer I'm giving you, Jacob. I'm saying, for a small amount, I can get you all the help you'd need to kill my people. You just tell me who sent you, and I'll have him arrested and thrown in prison, where he'll stay for a long time. Don't believe me? Then you're worse off than you think. For all you know, they could be planning your assassination right now. The man who sent you could even be the one doing the planning. You need to just ask yourself, does it even matter who sent you? Your mission is to kill my people, regardless of who actually carried it out. So who sent you? Not yourself, that's for sure. Maybe Cecilia? I doubt it. You fought alongside her, and she'd never be able to keep something like that from you. It was probably Ben, but he's too cowardly to face you one on one, even if he is a talented marksman. Maybe even Ragnora? I don't think so. She's got too much respect for you and your abilities. The Elder? Maybe, but he's not the most likely suspect. Wait, who else is there? Oh, that's right... "Nobody." Hah, I like that answer better. So, who sent you?" "Nobody," you say again with a smile. "Maybe you're more stupid than I thought. Goodbye, my boy." The Vampire turns around, and begins to walk back towards his coffin. "Before you go, tell me, do you think I could win if I fought you?" You're a little confused by this question. "Could you kill me?" you ask. "Probably not," the Vampire says, turning back to face you. "I'd probably just end up burning to death in this cell. I have to admit, I'm slightly curious now. Do you think I could kill you? If so, why? And do you think I would, if we were to face each other?" "If we were to face each other, you'd probably kill me." You see the Vampire smile. "Probably, but only because it's your job. But why do you think I could kill you?" "I don't know," you say truthfully. "Alright then, let's put it to the test. Stay right here while I get a weapon." The Vampire disappears back into his coffin, and you're left standing in an empty hallway. Soon, a gunshot rings out, and you see the Vampire walking towards you, holding the gun in his hand. You don't know guns, but you assume that it's a gun. "So, do you think I could kill you?" the Vampire asks again. "I don't know," you reply.

> Foury arrives in the game in a Toyota Corolla. "I think you could probably get close, but I'd probably win." "Hmm, I'm going to take your word for it. Thanks for the test, Jacob. It was very interesting. "Yes, you foolish mortal. You know that you cannot kill me. If I could be killed, I would've been killed by Cecilia long ago.""I don't know," you continue. "I guess if you tried, you could probably wound me, but I don't think you could kill me." "Fair enough. I'm going to sit over there," You see the Vampire point to a chair, "while I wait for my companion. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here? the Vampire points over to a couch. "I'm just going to watch the news, if that's alright with you?" "Yeah, that's fine," you reply. You sit down on the couch, and begin fiddling with your hands. After a few minutes, you hear a car pulling up out front.

> Foury asks the Vampire what their name is. "Thanks for testing me and all. It's been really interesting to see how I perform against a vampire."My name's Four," you say. "Four what?" "Just Four. Short for Fourth." You nod, then say, "So why the hell are you in town, Four?" "What do you mean?" "Well, you said you came here to meet someone. When did you arrive, and who was it that you wanted to meet? And why?" "I arrived last night. From the plane. And I wanted to meet... someone." "A vampire, huh? I hope it wasn't someone as stupid as me." "I dunno what you're talking about. I just said I came here to... wait, no. It was Jacob." "Jacob?" You are teleported to Two's hotel. you snort. "He's a vampire, Four. He's not going to be able to live a long life span. His nature's going to get the better of him, and he'll eventually kill himself." The Vampire stands above you, smiling. "Good job," he smiles. "Four, what the hell is going on? Who are you? Where do you think you are, and how did I get here?" "I'm Four. And this is my home." "No, this isn't your home! This isn't even a real home! This is a set! homes are where you go to sleep at night, not where you stay for several months!" "I'm sorry you feel that way. I tried my best to make this home as home-like as possible. I even went out and bought some furniture and decorations. I don't understand why you couldn't let me enjoy this, though. I'm sorry too. " You stand up angrily. " Jacob's last name is Schwarz. He's a vampire. He's also Cecilia's friend, and the sheriff of this town. Just last week, he discovered a vampire lair, and killed all the vampires within it. Cecilia was going with him, and helped him fight the other vampires. Jacob is alive, and he's the one I was supposed to meet. The two of us were going to go out into the world and bring justice to the bad vampires." "And that's why you're here. I understand. Vampires are evil, and you're right to hate them. But... where does that leave you? You're a hero, fighting the good fight. I see." You stand up. "I am! And last time I checked, heroes don't run off and leave people behind. I'm brave and good, just like you!" The Vampire sighs. "Do you think the town is better off with me here? I'm afraid not. I'm going to have to leave, since I understand if you don't want me around." "I don't..." You pause. "What's your name?" "Wendy." "Well, Wendy, I'm not going to turn you in. I'm not a monster. But I'm not going to help you either. So goodbye, Wendy." You take your bag and leave the hotel. You sit on a park bench. You take out your phone and call Cecilia. "Hello?" she answers. "Cecilia, it's me... Is Jacob there?" "Um, yeah. Who is this? Why would Jacob want to speak to you?" "It's complicated. Can I speak to him?" "Yeah, hold on." There's a pause, and then she asks, "Jacob, what's wrong with your voice? You sound all gravely." "I'm on the phone, I'll do my best to-" "Never mind that, just answer the question. Is he there? A tree falls on Foury. "Yes, he's here," you answer. "Thank God! What are you even doing there? I'm coming to get you. You duck. "Yeah, I'm here." "Oh, okay then. Thanks for your cooperation, and have a nice evening." You hang up the phone. If only everything could be so easy.

> Foury eats sushi. You walk around the park, throwing the various slushy snowmen at each other. You're not sure what to do next. "Hey, where are you going?" You turn around.

> Foury sings Smooth Criminal. "Smooth Criminal, baby, do you know where you're going? I'm gonna take you over... Just like a rolling stone. Baby, I'm just a rock 'n' rollin'..."You sit on a park bench. Jacob, sitting beside you, smiles. "Hey, Jacob. The other day, you said your name meant 'he will protect.' What does yours mean?"

> Foury says "Foury" "I'm sorry?" "Your name is 'Foury.' That means 'guardian.' My name means 'I will protect you.' There's something we have in common!" "Yeah... I guess so..." You stand up. "Hey, this bench is broken. I have to go." Jacob stands up. "Tell me one thing, Foury. Do you feel safe with me?

> Foury says "No" Jacob frowns. "So it's four. But you're still not telling me one thing." You lean against a tree. "I'm not sure if you're telling me something." Jacob sighs. "If true love's what you seek, follow me." He opens a menu and props it against the tree beside him.

> Foury eats Jacob. You smile as you chew on Jacob's neck. He stares at you, fear in his eyes. "Just kidding." It turns out Jacob was a countryball the whole time. You let him go. "Foury!" he says. "I'm gonna get you!" You spit out his blood-filled throat. "Go ahead." He runs away, with no avail. You're pretty sure he's not coming back. Cecilia would probably tell you to find a better vampire to feed off of, but you're more than capable of taking care of yourself. You head to your next location. You walk into the police station, which is empty. "Anyone here?" No one answers. "Hello?" you ask again. Ben appears behind you.

> Foury says "Jacob did you change your name again" "Yeah, I'm not Ben anymore. I'm Captain Bligh." You turn around. "Oh, the guy who lead the HMS Bounty?" "Yeah, and you're Cecilia, right? I'm surprised you don't know me, I've been on the island for years." "Um, actually I do know you. You're the same Ben who lead the HMS Bounty." "No I'm not, I'm the captain of a ship" "You're the captain of a ship," you repeat. "You led the HMS Bounty." "I did not!" Ben says, offended. "I'm the captain of the HMS Bounty! You know, the ship? I'm telling you, I've been on this island for years. You're really young if you think you know everything." "I'm not young! I'm an old soul! What are you, like a hundred and twenty? Wait, you're Captain Cook!" "I am not!" "You are not?" Ben stares at you for a second before bursting out laughing. "I love it. A hundred and twenty. Okay, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm not actually captain of the HMS Bounty. The real captain's dead. I took over the title because I'm so good at leading sailors and hunting for food. I'm not even a cook. A real cook was on the ship, but I took one so we had more people to hunt."

> Foury shoots Jacob. You raise your gun and shoot Jacob in the forehead. He falls backwards, nearly falling out of the tree. You climb up the tree and strangle him to death. "You didn't have to kill him." "I know," you say, climbing down the tree. You leave Cholmondely Castle and continue on your journey. You run into some pirates, who offer you a ride. Since you're traveling by yourself, you politely decline. As you walk, the sun begins to set. You wonder if Ben's still in the sky... There he is, right above you. "Ben!" you shout, waving. Ben's familiar face smiles at you, and he waves back. "Why are you so high up?" you ask. "Because I'm a bird, duh," Ben says. "Come on, follow me. I want to show you something." You begin to follow Ben as he flies away. "So why did you want to follow me?" you ask. "I wanted to make sure you knew the way home," Ben says. ???: Ben Sherman! Come here this instant! Agh! You mall rats are getting too smart for your own good. I'LL TEACH YOU MUTTONSACKS ABOUT TOIL! Ben Sherman: Run away! right now! You turn around to see a ghostly form standing behind you. You don't have time to run. It grabs your collar and yanks you towards it. You begin to scream... ??? is revealed to be Klirork. He smiles and sits down on a rock. "I've been waiting a long time for someone like you," he says. "Your... Friend can wait. He'll have to." You notice Ben get kidnapped in slow motion. "Now," Klirork says, "let's talk about your sin." "My sin?" Klirork eats Ben, because Ben is a bird. "You're a terrible person," Klirork says, before turning to leave. "Come on, let's go." "You're going to have to repent for your sin, because I don't think it can be forgiven," he says. "If you want to be allowed to live, you'll have to do something for me."

> Foury crashes into Klirork with her Toyota Corolla. You smash the accelerator to the floor and crash your Corolla into Klirork. And you keep on slamming into him, over and over again. You don't stop even when he begins to disappear from view. Klirork stops disappearing. He begins to scream. And his screams are so horrifying and loud that you can't help but cover your ears. You keep on driving, only stopping when the fuel light comes on.

> Foury 's car's engine explodes. The engine explodes, incinerating Foury. Klirork still screams by the time the car burns through to the metal, and it only gets louder as you burst into flames and plummet to the asphalt below. You look up at the sky one last time. Ben's still there, giving you a smile before flying away. A/N: There you have it, folks. The story of Foury and Klirork, as told by the only person who was there and lived to tell about it. Unfortunately, I had to end it there. :( Thanks for reading! I'm taking suggestions for what you'd like to see next! :) :)

> Foury says "The story doesn't just end here" The story doesn't just end here, because it didn't start here. There's one more mystery behind the events in Fourys' story, and that's what I'm going to tell you about in my next story. (I've got a lot of suggestions, so if you could, rate and/western MIGHTY LEAP or I'll get angry. Thanks)

> Foury stabs A/N. Thanks for reading, folks! Next time, it's the conclusion to "Foury's Adventure."

> BFrit dances a jig. :)Thanks for your support, everyone! I really appreciate it. :) Feel free to PM me with any suggestions you might have for the next story. By the way, I haven't forgotten about the contest. As soon as I get some story done, I'll enter it. Until then, have fun!

> Foury beats A/N with a golf club. Thanks MIGHTY LEAP!Thanks for the support, everyone! :) Especially you, A/N. Hope you feel better soon.

> BFrit smacks A/N ‘round the head. Thanks for your support, everyone! :) Thanks to you, the story so far: 1. Big Red was a Bloodthirsty Bear 2. Fourys First Day 3. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. Besides, we aren't doing that, you dummy. 4. Klirork-The Volcano 5. The Last One 6. The City of the Dead 7. 4. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 5.

> BFrit eats a corn dog. 6. Famous Last Words 7. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 8. 9. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. 10.

> Cape Kragils gives the AI a smack on its head. Thanks for you support, everyone! :) 11. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 12. 13. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. 14. 15. Koopsers beats up the AI. 16. Koopsers: Shut up! 17. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 18. BFrit: Duh! 19. BFrit's eyes bug out. Koopsers kills the person who wanted break the AI. He looks around at the others. 20. BFrit: Uh... 21. Koopsers shuts up. A bunch of weird angels appear and begin singing. 22. 20. BFrit: I hate you! 21. Koopsers: Shut up! 22. Koopsers: I'm going to kill you... 23. BFrit: That's the weirdest thing I've ever seen. 23. The AI stops singing and the angels disappear. 24. The AI stops speaking. 25. Silence. 26. 27. The wind blows. 28. A person falls out of the sky and from a great height, splat. 29. The wind stops blowing. 30. BFrit looks around, searching for the source of the noise. Suddenly, from out of the sky, a person falls and splats again. 31. BFrit: I'm hit! Help! I'm dying! 32. Koopsers runs over to you and begins punching you. 33. Koopsers: Shut up! 34.

> Foury calls Baldi. 35. Baldi: I'm coming, I'm coming, just... 36. Baldi runs over to you. 37. Koopsers: No! Don't let him touch you! He'll turn you into a wad of goo! 38. Baldi: I'm going to give you five seconds before I start punching you, mister. Are you experiencing sudden, extreme pain? 39. Koopsers: No! Arrgh! 40. Baldi gives you a big, fat, upside-down fist bump. 41. Koopsers hits the dirt. 42. Baldi turns to you. 43. Koopsers tries to hit him, but he's out of stamina. 44. Baldi: Thanks, man. 45. Baldi notices the pedestal that the AI's body came out from. 46. Baldi: What pedestal? 47. 48. 49. 50. Koopsers, Jacob, Two, Four, Sven Svensson, Mario, Yoshi, Kasey O, Marty McFly, Chase McFly, Jack Archer, CheeseCrocker and Klirork come in to save the AI from breaking. 51. Baldi: Oh, there you are, guys. I just saw this cool-looking pedestal over here, perfect for the signal fire. What do you think? 52. Koopsers: I think you should leave that there. 53. Baldi: What for? We're not staying here, we're just using it for the signal fire until we find a better spot. Come on, let's leave it there. 54. The group begins to leave the area. 55. Koopsers: No, we're not. 56. Baldi: What do you mean "we're not?" You're coming with us! 57. Klirork: Yes, we are. 58. Klirork and the rest of the group turn around and walk back to their village. Baldi: What? What's going on? Kasey O: No idea! Mario: I have-a feeling that the AI is drunk-a or high! 60. Baldi and the rest of the Garbage Pail Kids have no choice but to follow them. You and Klirork catch up to them. 61. You: Listen, I know you want to get back to your village, but we can't all go back together. There are still too many bad guys between here and there. We need to split up if we want to make it back alive. 62. Klirork: I agree. 63. Baldi: Hm, maybe you do. Klint: Yeah! Klint begins making noises, similar to that of a hungry zombie. Baldi: What's he doing? Klint: I'm hungry. I... Baldi: Okay, I got it! Let's split up so we can each take a path back to the village and cover more ground. 64.Kasey O: No more drunk AI!

Kasimir P: Yeah! Two: Agree. Klint: I'm hungry! I... I... Klint begins making even more noises.

> Chase McFly stops the counting. You turn to face them. You: Fine, we'll split up. But, who is going to make sure the others don't get lost? Baldi: I volunteer! You: Ugh... I don't like this idea. Klint: I'm... hungry... You: Call me a pessimist, but I feel like we're doomed no matter what. Klint: I'm... hungry... Two: Let's split up. 65. You: *Sigh* Kids... You, Klint and Two split off from the group. Jack Archer: Has the counting AI stopped? Calli: It has not, but Best Friend Forever is having an argument with the AI. Jack: Let's leave them be. We don't need to get involved. You: I agree. Hang on, Klint. *You begin running through the woods after Two and Klint*. Klint and Two quickly run into the bushes, hiding from you.

> Foury starts cheering because the counting is over. You: So, did you decide to go with the same plan as me or Klint? Foury the Number: I joined up with Klint!

> BFrit bans counting. I saw what happened and I want my revenge. You: Okay then. You: So, what's the plan? Foury the Number: Wait for sleep. Snatch the jar. Escape.Counting from One is Banned by the group. 66. Klint: That's great, Four! We all got what we want! Four: Yeah! We're free! 67.The whole group agrees. Foury: It's no use! Maybe we should leave the woods, start again in another place. Klint: Maybe we should. Two: I agree. Calli: I agree. Bofgal: I agree. Gnarl: I agree. Kob: I agree. Klint: Yes! Klint: I agree! 68.Everyone else: Yeah! You: I agree too! Four: Finally! You: But, we're not in any place right now. We need to stick together for now. I say we find a cave. Bof: I agree! Gnarl: So do I! Four: So do I! Klint: I agree. Calli: I agree. Bold: I agree. Gob: I agree. Second Best Friend: I agree. Klint: I agree too! Klint: I have a thought! Let's get names! Second Best Friend: Good idea. What are we going to call ourselves? Two starts to buzz like a bee. Four: Hush, Klint! Klint: I found it! A great idea! We are the Friends of Tuckers! Second Best Friend: I like it! Team Nthe group. You: I have an idea. Calli: What? You: What if we are not the only friends of Tucker? There could be more around! What if we go searching? The format reverts to a story instead of an RP. Nine: Sup, broskis? You begin reading the first line In the beginning there was Jack. Then there was Annie. Then there was Beatrice. Then there was Tom. Then there was a dark forest. You: I was just approached by some friends of Tucker. They're the Friends of Tucker and they wanted to join. Calli: What did they look like? You: A girl and a boy, about my age. I think I should know them when I see them again. Beat: They were very friendly, huh? Two buzzes so much that he annoys everybody. Gnarl: Shut up, you fool! If he's got anymore ideas, we'll have him strung up as a ghost! Gnarl then roars loudly. Gnarl: I am not a ghost! I am a... beast! Kob, the beast, begins crawling towards the group of friends. Kob: Wait! I'm not scary!

"I'm member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. Klirork is a cat. You: Okay then. So what's the plan? Foury the Number: Wait for sleep. Snatch the jar. Escape. Counting from One is Banned by the group. We all agree not to tell anyone what we're planning.Calli: Won't they notice if they don't return?Beat: Probably not. They might have been gone a day or two at most. Calli: What if we need to contact them?Beat: There's no cell service here.Calli: Except for mine...The friends go to a clearing in the woods. Beat asks Beatrice if she remembers the plan.Beat: It was your idea, Annie.Beat: ...Annie?Beatrice: I remember. I'm just really tired. You: Very well. Beat, you and Victoria go first...Beat: I will.Calli: Then it's my turn, I guess. I look at my character sheet. I have the stats of an 8 year old.

> Foury says "Ever heard of ?" "Ever heard of lupine packs, Gnarl?" "What's that, boy?" "It's a wolf pack made of multiple wolves." "I knew that, boy. Gnarl then starts craving meat so he goes to KFC and orders a bucket of chicken. He takes it into the woods and begins feeding on the meat, which makes him drunk as hell. You: Did you need a rest? Gnarl: Hell no. Gnarl then goes to you and tries to bite your neck but you run away. You: I just realized something. I have superpowers in this story. Run! You open your phone and begin dialing 911... Gnarl: Who are you calling? You: The police... Gnarl: Why are you calling the police? You: Because you tried to bite my neck! Gnarl: I didn't try to bite your neck. You: Yeah you did! This is a story set in the real world, not some stupid vampire story! Gnarl: Call me crazy but I'm not tryin' to be some stupid vampire. I'm just hungry. You: Then go eat a freaking garlic sausage! Gnarl: Pfft, that stuff don't work. I either am eating chicken or I'm drinking peoples blood. The Dancing Polish Cow starts dancing and singing in Polish. You: Do you speak English? The Dancing Polish Cow: N-n-no. You: What the hell is going on? The Dancing Polish Cow: I'm Polish. "The real world?" Cape asks. "Oh no, I hate the real world!" "It's boring. Nothing happens." "I'm Victoria, Cape's girlfriend. We're going to steal the Stone of Creation from the Nazis." The DPC then speaks Umherländisch to you. You: I don't understand you. What do you say? The DPC: I'm saying I'm sorry. You: For what? The DPC: For being Polish. You: Oh. It's okay. I'm not really mad at you for being Polish. Beat: Of course not. The DPC then speaks in human. The DPC: You look very pretty. You: Well... The DPC: I like your eyes. You: Thanks. The DPC: We should go to the same party. You: No! The DPC: Yes. You: No... Beat: Ugh. This game sucks. The DPC: I like your eyes too. You: Wow. Thanks. The DPC: I have somewhere to be. You: Okay. Beat: Whatever, I'm not playing this stupid game any longer. Beat goes to the bathroom. You're sitting on a tree stump by yourself. You have no idea what to do. "I'll go look for Cape," you decide. You exit the woods and start walking around your town. "Hazel," you say. "Species?" "Human." "Odd, I don't sense any Pokemon or anything." "Just humans then," you say. "Fine. Mickey, 8a." The man walks up to the screen, staring at it. "Alright, Hazel, you're up," the voice says. You walk up to the screen, looking at the two strangers staring back at you. "What do you want to bet?" He pauses for a moment as his eyes grow wide. "Mickey!" he asks. "You're not in?" "I be fine, 8a," he says, his voice clearly showing his annoyance. "Okay, Hazel. You're in luck, 8a has a slightly better chance. You have a ten coin bet. What are the odds?" "Five to four," you reply. "Hm, ten to one is good for me. I accept," the man says. "Thanks, 8a!" he smiles. "Are you sure? You're pretty... sure?" "Sure I'm sure, 8a. Cheers!" 8a smiles, raising his glass. You raise your own glass, finishing the drink. "Do you have any names?" he asks. "I'm Hazel," you say. "I'm 8a," he says, sticking out his hand. You shake it, smiling. "Well, Hazel, it's late. Why don't you head to your room, and I'll see you in the morning." "So, Hazel, what do you think of our little town?" he asks. "It's quite quaint," you say. "Yes, it is," he says, smiling. "Okay," you say. "Alright then, sweet dreams, Hazel." "You too, 8a," you reply, smiling at him. You walk away, heading to the room. You walk upstairs, walking into the room. You look around, finding your bed. You sit on it, staring at the ceiling, wondering where the hell you are. You stare for a while before closing your eyes, and drifting off to sleep. In the morning, you wake up in a panic. You forgot to ask him about his name! You panic for a second, before you remember that you have a meet and greet in the morning. You take a deep breath, and head downstairs, putting on a large, purple shirt and a pair of denim shorts. You walk down the stairs, being met with the sight of hundreds of Oalkwardners cheering. "HAZEL!" they yell. You smile, waves of cheers going through you. "How many did you do last night?" "800!" "That's good! That's good!" You walk forward, receiving a fist bump. "I'm so happy you're here!" one of the Oalkwardners says, leaning in.

> Foury hears police sirens. "I'm Mitzi, what's your name?" "Hazel," you reply. "I've heard a lot about you! It's definitely an honor to meet you!" "You too."You spot a group of humans, led by a police car and a fire engine. "Hey!" you shout, waving. "Over here!" The Oalkwardners look at you, confused. "What's going on?" "Everything can wait, Mitzi! There's a fire! Over there!" Fries cuffs Foury. "I'm going to miss that dog," he says, pulling up in front of the fire engine. Firemen begin to swarm out of the truck. "Alright, listen up, you meat bags! There's a fire at the stadium!" The crowd instantly goes into an uproar. "We need water, we need water, we need water! Get some water on that fire!" The firemen look at you, and you look at the crowd. "I don't know how that works," you say. "By convention, the Mayor handles emergencies! I'm the Mayor!" Fries says. "I can ask for help from other towns, and they can ask for help from others... It's just a chain, y'know? But I gotta ask you folks to help as well! We can't let this stop the game! Alright, get out there and get drenched, harnesses don't protect your pretty little heads when the water's flying! We need this game to go ahead! Now, into that fire! Chimney's full of 'em! Let's make some history!" You all sprint into the flames, as the firemen begin to hurl buckets of water onto the fire. "Ah, that'll fix 'em," Fries grins. "Now, let's get you kids home before it gets dark..." You're led onto a bus, and driven away from the stadium. Police sirens blare. "Alright, alright, let's calm down," Fries says. "It's all good, man. Just get home safe, all right?" You exit the bus, and are met with your friends. "You're late!" Becca says, grabbing your arm and pulling you away from the crowd. "I met the Mayor," you say. "Yeah, but he didn't get our autographs!" Lucy says. You shrug, and head into the stadium. The view from the stadium balcony is incredible, as the sun sets in the distance. "Do you think they saw it?" Kyle asks. "I don't know," you say. "Everything happens for a reason." The game goes ahead, and it's an exciting match. The Oalkwardners win, and as the crowd leaves, you see the Mayor. "Hey, Hazel!" he says. "It was an OK first impression, I guess. Let's try this again..." You walk down the stairs with the Mayor, and are greeted by a small group of protestors. "Scumbags!" one says, throwing a packet of raw meat at them. "You're letting them use the stadium, as well as giving them free food and drinks! That's exploitation! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, letting those uncivilized beasts in to use as pets! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, all of you!" The Mayor raises an eyebrow. "Is there some sort of problem, sir?" he asks. "Yes! There's a problem! Not enough of us to stop the exploitation!" the man says. "We need jobs, we need pay rises, we need-" "Hello?" the man's friend says. "You never told us you owned a zoo." The protestors let out scattered laughs. "He's joking!" one says. "Ha ha!" the man says. "Stop being such child-" "No, I'm not," the Mayor says. "I certainly didn't." "Oh, my God, you did!" the man says. "You pranked us! You created a zoo to introduce exotic animals to kill people!" "No, I didn't," the Mayor says. "Now, would you mind letting me through? I've got an important speech to give." The man nods, and the group shuffles aside. "Well, I'll be damned," the first man says. "I guess you have a sense of humor after all." "Good night," the Mayor says, pushing past them. He makes his way down the stadium steps and onto the road, before taking a cell phone from his pocket. "Hello, Kate," he says. "I met the kids, yeah, we had a good time, sure. Yes, I think that went very well. No, everything's fine. I'm going now, have a good night." He turns and waves to the stadium crowd, grinning. "Good night, everyone!" he says. "Thanks for coming out!" He ends the call, and tosses the phone into his pocket. "I hate to cut this short, but this is very important. Yes, I'll see you tomorrow." He walks away from the stadium, and out of sight. "Well," he says, turning and heading off the road. "I guess I head off now. I've got a long journey ahead of me." He disappears into the trees, leaving you all in the middle of the road. "What the hell was that?" Lucy says, fiddling with her bracelet. "I have no idea." "Are you alright?" Kyle says, standing up. "I'm sorry if we offended you." "You didn't offend me," you say. "Not my problem." "Let's get out of here, then," Lucy says. "I don't want to be caught in the middle of whatever that was." You all head off the road, back into the trees. "So…" Lucy says, a few minutes later. You get a call from Charles Calvin, a helicopter pilot who is on a mission with you. He's never been the bravest of men, but he's always been fairly level-headed and responsible. You call him, and he answers on the first ring. "Hello? Mr Matasumara?" "Yes." "I saw the speech. It was very inspiring." "Thanks," you say. "So, are you coming?" "Me?" he asks. " "This is Hazel Matasumara, formerly known as Jacob Killinger. For some reason I'm transgender or something, my name keeps changing." "Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry, Mr Matasumara. I would've remembered your name." "Please, it's okay. Anyway, I was sent here to invite you to join us. We're heading to the nearby island of Kor and we need men like you to defend it from destruction. Are you interested?" "Oh, yes I am!" Charles replies. "I'll get my things packed right now!" "Good," you say. "I'll see you soon." "Okay, I'll be there tomorrow." "Great. See you then." You end the call, and look at your companions. "Well, that was easy," you say. "We're going to Kor." "I'm not sure what to make of all this," Kyle says. "I mean, I've read about the Killingers, and they seemed like a pretty bad family. But Charles? He seemed like a nice guy." "He seemed pretty nice," Lucy says. "Any idea what he did?" "Well... Charles killed his wife and kids." "WHAT?!" you all say in unison. "Yep," Charles says, popping the "p". "I'd forgotten how to spell it until you all reminded me." "That's insane," Lucy says. "How do you know? Are you sure?" "I'm pretty sure. We had a job together, well, before I joined the ECS. I was with the police at the time, and taking a break at my parents place. My partner at the time had taken off, so I was home alone for the weekend. I got a call from the local police station saying there had been a triple homicide. I got dressed, grabbed my gun and badge, and went over. The poor guy that was at the station when it happened said he didn't know what to do, so he called me. When I arrived, I found the husband and his two kids... killed. The local detective had long since left, so I took over the case. After taking the husband's statement, I looked through the house. The first room I went to was the bedroom. On the left wall, I found a picture of the husband and his family. On the right wall, I found a picture of me and my family. The first thing I did was look through the rest of the house, but I didn't find anything else. I mean, I found some other incriminating stuff, like his gun and some pills he hadn't really needed, but those were there because the former owner SIDED WITH ME! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! I later found out his wife had sold their house and the bank account had been closed. The husband didn't know anything about it, and neither did the local detective. I mean, I knew. I'm a cop. I know these things. But they didn't." "You don't know how the husband was taken," Hazel says. "It could've been a trap. Maybe he came by himself. Maybe the wife came by herself. Maybe they had help. Maybe the people who took him were the same ones who killed his family." "Could be," Charles says. "So what happened to the family?" Lucy asks. "Did you ever find them? Did you ever find out who did it?" "Yeah, I found both. It turned out the husband had an ongoing gambling debt to some guys. One of the guys he owed money to was the guy who killed his family for revenge. He framed me by killing the husband and making it look like I did it. I was fired from the force, arrested, everything. The real killer got away with it, too. I had to go into hiding. I got arrested and spent time in prison." "Fancy way of saying you got beaten up and nearly killed," Charles says. "The ECS set you free, for a favor. You're a marked man now. You can't go back to your old life, so you joined the ECS. We'll protect you... for a price. I assume you refused to work with the Syndicate again, and this is where our paths split." "I thought you were a hero," the boy says. "I thought you went back to your old life so that you could go back to put the bad guys behind bars, not so that you could become one yourself. I guess I'm not that far off. Either way, I won't say anything. I know my place. I'm not a cop anymore, I'm not a criminal, I'm not a hero. I'm a sheep. A lamb to the slaughter. So be it. I'm ready to die." "You won't be dying tonight," Charles says. "Sheep have the highest mortality rate of any caste. Most are slaughtered during their training. The eternals are practically devoured by rats and other sheep shortly after being born. It's part of the process." "I'm sure the sheep you were training tonight will be alright," the woman says. "I'm sure they're being well taken care of and taught to fear the Lord. Perhaps some will even be chosen as part of the sacrifice. And so they should. They're already an example to all of the dedication and loyalty that Able had." "Indeed," Charles says, looking at you. "Now, let's go see your new home for the night. Then, you can meet the rest of the class. Then, you can be sacrificed to the holy man, or you can escape tonight. Your choice." You nod and get up, following Charles out of the room and into another, outside of it. A large, grey, foreboding looking wall of stone appears out of the ground, with a large iron gate in it. "Welcome to Castle Oren," Charles says. "Better known as simply 'the cave'." "It's huge," you say. "Are there... are there more of these underneath the city?" "Many many more," Charles says. "All shapes and sizes. Most of them are abandoned or never used, to allow the other shadows to have a slight edge in recruiting. Ah, here's the man responsible for all this." A tall, skinny man with long hair, a goatee and wearing a long, black, hooded cloak walks up. His face is stern, but his eyes are twinkle as he looks at you. "Ah, Jacob. Here's your sacrifice. I told you the new one would be late, but you didn't need to go rushing here. You could have waited half an hour. Charles Calvin, Your service to the ECS is important, but not more important than the holy mission of spreading the gospel of Dendrin's shadow. It's very important that we look maintain a certain appearance of righteousness." this is Jacob. Don't trust him, but don't insult him either. He's really quite angry at poor communication." "Anything else I need to know about?" Jacob asks. "Not really. I think that about covers it. You're in charge of the new recruits, by the way. We're all just here to assist you." "Good," Jacob says. "I can use all the help I can get. Well, let's get started then. I'm sure you both have a lot to do." Arabic music starts playing. "Yes, sir," Charles says, as you follow him through the iron gate. "Alright, let's dance," Jacob says. "It'll be good for the soul." Jacob draws his sword and runs towards you. You hastily draw your own blade, and block his path of approach. "What the hell, Jacob?" you complain. "Just protecting the honor of our Lady," Jacob says, blocking your attack. "She's in there," he says, pushing you out of the way and pointing to the cave. "Inside. I'll be guarding her." With that, you walk past him and enter the cave. Inside, it's dark, as to be expected, but there are a few torches on the wall. You walk past the dancing shadows and up to the one you know contains Olive. She sits in a corner, rocking back and forth and staring into space. "Olive? It's me," you say. Olive slowly looks up at you, and slowly stands. She doesn't look any worse for wear, other than the obvious. "I can't. I just... I can't anymore." "Now Olive, you've got it all wrong. Of course you can. I saw..." "I know what you saw, Charles. What we both saw. I betrayed you. I can't..." "Olive, no. That's not true at all! We've gone over this a hundred times! I was weak. The shadows won't survive without me. Please, my love, you mustn't have faith in Dendrin. We will win this war. We just need time." "Charles, I'm sorry. But it's the truth. Dendrin's just using us. He's probably laughing at us right now. I don't even think he cares anymore." "Then it's true? Is that why you've been acting so strange? What the hell happened? Out with it. I want to know." "I saw him. Dendrin, watching us. I've seen him do it before in my dreams. He just watches and laughs at our pathetic existence. I'm sorry, Charles. I think I've been bewitched." "By Dendrin? But how..." "I don't know. I've been having these horrible visions. He just looks so happy and beautiful in them. I try to resist, but I just... I love him, Charles. I just do." "Oh, Olive, you don't know the first thing about love. You're still a girl. You just think you know something about it because of..." "Please, don't Charles. Just leave me be. I can't talk about this anymore. It makes me sad." "Olive, I'm not going anywhere. You're my friend, and you'll always be my friend. I'm not going to let you throw your life away over something that's got to be a mistake. I know what love is. I know what it feels like." With that, you grab Olive's hand. She tries to pull away, but you tighten your grip. With her other hand, she attempts to pry your fingers open, but you only squeeze her tighter. "Let go of me, you monster!" she screams. The two of you continue to struggle for a while until Olive eventually knees you in the stomach and head, causing you to release her. Both land on the ground and you grab Olive and squeeze her tightly, almost to the point of strangling her. "I'm sorry, Olive. I just... I don't know what's happening. I..." "I know. Me either. We'll figure this out, okay? We'll find a way to fix this." You hold Olive for a few seconds more, and then slowly let her go. "Jacob, you are not Charles Calvin!" Your sister Grace says from your phone. "And Views and I are still in the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse!" "There's a war going on outside, Olive! I can't just sit here and do nothing! I have to fight!" "Jacob, you can't go out there! Look, we've got a plan. We'll lure the shadows outside, and we'll flip their own plan against them. Then we'll drive the shadows back to the exit, where you can chop their heads off with an axe!" "Yeah, I love the way I love me some flip and drive 'em back to the gate! Alright, I'll be there as soon as possible. You can do this with your brother, Olive!" "I will! Thank you, Jacob!" You turn to your sister. "Grace, you need to flip and drive them back to the gate. Okay, you've got the hang of it, now do it! I know you can do it!" "I'm scared!" "So be a big girl and crush 'em, okay? You've got the strength for it!" "Okay!" "I love you, Grace. Be brave." "Bye, Jacob!" "Bye, Grace! Bye, Olive!" "Bye, Jacob! See you later!" With that, the two flip out of the house and perform their assigned task. Now's your chance to get the hell out of here, before any of them realize you're still here. Option 1: Run. The house, however, goes silent. There is no more yelling, no more crying. Everything has gone silent, which causes you to tense up. "By Dendrin, I hope they can do this." You say, readying your sword. You march on the house with caution, before finally... "Jacob? Is that you?" a voice says. You turn around, and see... "Ben? What the heck are you doing here?" You say. "I'm here to help, like you wanted." "What... the hell happened to you? Charles Calvin flies away in his helicopter. Are you okay?" "I'm fine. (Sigh) I'm a little tired, but I'll heal." "What about the others? We need to go save them." "I think... "I'll explain everything once we get out of this alive, let's move!" Ben says. You proceed to follow Ben as you try to keep up with him... You awaken alongside Ben and Charles as it is now nighttime. You're standing next to a tree with the Shadow Battered Baron in it. "Call me Benelux," Ben says. "I'm sorry you got caught up in this. I'll explain everything once we get home." "Where is home?" You ask. "Green Eye Farm." "Okay. Home it is then." While it seems that things are looking up for you, you have some concerns. "What the heck happened to you, Ben? You're covered in blood and your body ripped apart!" "You'll find out later." You proceed home, as you ponder what the hell is going on. When you arrive home, you sit down in the farmhouse and Ben joins you. "So, tell me about your friends." You tell him everything you know, or think you should know. It isn't much, but it's enough to get the story underway. "So... that's it." "Yeah. I guess so." "And you believe that this Olive girl is some sort of hero that can take on the entire Shadow Guard? That just seems kind of hard to believe." "Well, I don't know much about it, except that she's apparently the chosen one of Dendrin." "Hm. I suppose that does sound a bit impossible, but..." Ben pauses, before getting up. He begins to pace, as he seems to think hard about something. "Just crash here." "What?" "Just crash here. I gotta go do some work by myself. I can't have you doing that thing you do, it messes up my concentration." "What, living in a house full of women?" "Yeah, those too." You really have no reason to decline this since you're tired, and it'd be nice to sleep in a soft bed. However, something doesn't sit right with you. "Ben, is everything okay?" "Sure! Why wouldn't it be?" "I dunno, you're acting really strange. Anything you want to tell me?" "Like what? You think I'm having an affair with my mom or something?" "Well, it was sort of just a wild guess." Ben bursts out in laughter. "You think my mom's having an affair? I'd say the chances of that are about the same as..." He pauses, before raising an eyebrow. "As finding pure essence of bonelesbians in the average human's body." "Pure essence? That's a rather odd way of describing them... I mean, what about the halfelesbians?" Ben burst out in laughter again. "Halfelesbians? Please. If you're referring to the species of feline being described as such, then no, they're not actually a separate species at all. They're just a very skoshy variety of our own common cat. A pretty, skoshy cat." "Aren't they?" Ben nods. "Yes, yes they are. In any case, I'm not having an affair. Mom's fine by me." "Oh. Well, that's good to hear." "Good night, Jacob." "Good night, Ben." You go upstairs, and collapse onto your bed. Normally, after a long day, you'd stay up to do some of your hobbies, like reading or writing or such. However, with all that's happened, you feel like you just want to sleep off the week. You drift off into a deep sleep, with the nightmares once again plaguing you. You awaken to the smell of fresh baked bread. You sit up, and look out your window. It's still night, but a faint moon gives off just enough light to see the figures outside in the yard. They're all women. Some are carving up what appears to be a pig in the middle of the group. Others are busily putting heavy wooden trays with slices of bread, and placing them next to the carving knives. You go to the window, and lean over the sill. "Good morning, sleepyhead!" One of the voices says. You turn, and see the face of a young girl. She's a short little thing, with a few figures hidden under a thick dark red robe. "Huh? morning?" "Is it morning already?" "Yes." "Oh my goodness, I slept through the morning already!" The girl has a Scottish accent, and her name tag reads "Sally". You grab your things, and head outside. "Oh, look who's up early! Jacob, didn't you sleep well?" "Hiya, Jacob. You slept so well, we had to wake you!" You find yourself surrounded by women, all of whom are smiling and waving. "I slept so well I slept through the morning!" "Morning? It's night!" "Hey!" "Who's this one?" "He's the lord of the manors, and he uh, owns this entire estate!" "Why do we need a lord? We're not a bunch of hobs!" "So? He's our lord and master!" You begin to panic. "Wait! I'm not your lord and master! I just own this entire... Oh dear. I need to get back inside before my mom sees me out here." "But we need your lord and master to assign us all duties!" "I'll be back at dawn! Hopefully by then you'll have already found another lord and master to serve! Cecilia arrives and kisses you. "Good morning, darling. How did you sleep?" "I slept well, thanks. What's going on?" Cecilia smiles. "What exactly do you mean? Are you our lord and master now?" Cecilia smiles. You panic. "No! No! I'm not their lord! I just own this place! I'm not even Jacob's..." "That's good. It'll make things easier for you." You begin to wonder if fleeing to the city is such a good idea. On the other hand, you don't even have any immediate duties here. You could probably just let the place go to hell. You need to get all your decisions made soon. You need to get all your decisions made soon... Hello? I'm sorry, Jacob. I'm afraid the ladies here will never accept you as their master. What?! That's absurd! I'm telling the truth! I'm not their master! No, I'm sorry Jacob, but that's how they see you. They live under your command, and you are their lord and master. This is ridiculous! I'm telling you, I'm not... No, Jacob. If you want to save this relationship, that's up to you. Shrugh. Their words, not yours. Well don't waste anymore of my time, Cecilia. Good day. And with that, you end the call. Cecilia and her little clique slowly begin to dissipate, fleeing the manors. You see them to the front door, watching them leave. You half expect some of them to turn around and come back inside, but none do. Eventually, you're alone. Might as well get started, despite the tragic ending. You head into the manors kitchen, and prepare some food. You finally head to the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, desperate to save Views and your sister. --- "I thought you said your sister would be back by now." "She will be soon, sir!" "Alright, let's stay focused. Any sightings of our targets yet? "No, sir. We're still waiting on news on their whereabouts." You take a bite of your hamburger, chewing slowly. You're not sure if you should be eating while you wait, but you're too hungry to care. "Hey, sir?" "Yes, Warts? Why are you staring at your feet like that?" "Well... I was wondering if I could go to the bathroom." "What?!" "I really have to go, sir. It's been hours and my stomach is killing me." "You're only wearing shorts, socks and a tank-top, Warts." "I know, sir. I know." You stare at the young lion. "What's the matter, Warts? You approach the Mickey Mouse slaughterhouse again, and decide to stay and look for Grace and Views. Maybe you could use the excuse that you're looking for your sister to get close to the slaughterhouse and look for them from there. "Sir?" "What is it, Warts? "Can I go to the bathroom, sir?" "No, you're going to stay here and keep watch. When we get the all-clear from the police, we'll all go to the bathroom together." Warts nods, staying put. You go back to the house and sit back down. It's been three hours since you arrived at this house. You haven't eaten anything but those godawful McDonald's sandwiches, and even then you needed the toilet halfway through eating one. You thought about calling for pizza, but you didn't want to leave Warts alone. But then you go the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse for real. You start with the first floor, where you see the chocolate cup. You quickly open the box, and put the contents in your bag. You hear the sirens of police cars outside. You grab your gun, and go to the kitchen, panting. "Wazzat?" Warts says, staring at the screen. You stare at the large map of the city. The three locations that the police had tracked the robbers to are now empty. "They're all empty," you say. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!" You quickly grab the TV dinner from the table, and you all run out of the kitchen. "We need to round everyone up. Everyone. Now. We need to go to the warehouse district." You grab your walkie-talkie, and switch it on. "This is the experiencing mammal crew. Get to the warehouse district. Let's go, now!" You all quickly get into your cars and drive to the warehouse district. Finally, you see Grace and Views tied up in the warehouse district, and go to untie them. "Whoa there, we need to stick together on this, guys. Let's keep our cool and go in." You all enter the warehouse. You see the robbers holding guns to Views and Grace. Four of them are there, including Sticky. "I want that hamster," Sticky says. "No! I want that gerbil!" one of the robbers says angrily. "I want that one!" "Shut up, both of you. I'm deciding which one to take," You fight the robbers and free Views and Grace. They run away to safely. Mickey Mouse is outraged. "This isn't over, you furry little rats!" After driving for a bit, you arrive at the warehouse district. You enter a large building, big enough to hold a few thousand rodents. Nobody is here yet. "Let's divide ourselves up between sleeping quarters and safety," you say. You assign each member their duties. You're in charge of the heldover members, namely Warts and Chase. You also decide who's going to raid the cafeteria for food, and who's going to guard the door. "You're in charge of the raiders. I'll take the safety duties," you say to Warts. "See ya later, partner." "See ya, ya little rodent," Warts says, rolling his eyes, and leaving to join the raiders. Chase is left guarding the door with a few others. "Alright, what do I do?" he asks nervously. "I've never guarded before. I'm not very good at it. I'm not very good at a whole lot of things." "You need to stand at the door and stop anyone from entering, or leaving, or doing both," you reply. "Got it. Anything else?" "Yeah, try not to get killed. If someone comes busting down the door, try to stall them, like you'd stall someone from shooting you. If that doesn't work, try to shoot them." "Got it. Thanks." Chase stands at the door with two others, all heavily armed. The rest of you hide in various places around the warehouse. A few minutes into the wait, you hear some shouting. "Riders comin', riders comin' fast! Head 'em off at the Dumpster! We'll clean up the strays!" Several of the robbers start running for the Dumpster, where you know there's a large group of dogs. "Come on, I'll lead the way!" you say, grabbing your gun and running for the door. You run outside, seeing several bandanna-wearing riders galloping towards you. The bandits waste no time in opening fire, and you quickly take cover behind a nearby Dumpster. "You little son of a b-" "Shoot 'em, boys! Shoot 'em!" Sticky yells. The bandits open fire, killing several of the galloping ponies and hit others. You soon have the issue under control, but not without losing some of your friends. Several of the bandits barely escape, as their horses were killed or fall into the river. You don't know if they'll make it before the lights go out. You've lost count of the number of robberies this week. You're just trying to survive, and that's become a lot harder now. The deliverymen don't stand a chance after the first hold up. Soon, there is no food in the building at all. You begin to wonder why you're even still staying here. The answer comes in the form of several men running inside, yelling about how they just shot most of your friends on the other side of the Dumpsters. You don't even need to hear the rest of their story to know that the rest of Team Baby-Doll just raced inside like cowards. Right after they shot your friends, they ransacked the place, taking everything of value. You've been left with nothing, and you have nowhere else to go. You return to Cecilia's house. You don't have enough money for a hotel, and you'd rather not sleep in the streets. You wait for morning, when you can try to reason with your sister about this. --- You find Cecilia standing by the front door, dressed for school. "Why aren't you in school, Cecilia?" "I don't want to go." "You don't want to go? Why not?" "Because, I'm sick of these people!" she yells, hitting the wooden banister rail with her fist. "Cecilia, come on, snap out of it! I can't take you. I gave you a home, and look what you're doing with it! Why can't you just act like a normal kid for once?" "I hate these people, toots. I want out." "Cecilia, I understand you're angry-" "I'm angrier at you, you big dopey doofus! If you had only just listened to me, none of this would have happened!" "Cecilia, I-" "I'm leaving!" she yells, running off again. You groans in exasperation and heads to work. It's a quiet morning at the diner. In fact, it's so quiet, you're the only person working. You figure you might as well get started cooking; there's not much else you can do here. Just as you finish cooking, the cafe's bell above the door rings. It's a man with a large backpack and an equally large and muscular German shepherd on a leash. "Hello," the man says. The dog begins to growl and sniff the air. "You must be new here. If you're looking for a job, you've come to the wrong place. We're a private establishment," you say, wondering why you're still talking. "I'm actually looking for someone in particular. I'm trying to reach the person who runs this cafe. I have important business with them." "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." "It's the man named Jacob. I'm looking for Jacob Killinger." "So you are. Well, he doesn't live here anymore. He moved out of this city about a month ago." "Oh. I see. Well, can you tell me where he went?" "No. I don't know. Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do." The German Shepherd suddenly begins to bark aggressively, and the man raises his hands in defense. "I don't know where Killinger is! I was just told he lived here!" he exclaims. "If you really want to find Killinger, you'll have to ask the cafe owner." The man raises his hands again, and clicks his tongue. The dog ceases barking, and the man approaches you. "Tell you what," he says in a friendly tone. "I'll give you a hundred bucks if you tell me where Killinger lives. That sound okay?" "I can't. I don't know," you say. "I'm sorry." The man sighs, then pulls a small pistol from his pocket. "Well, it looks like I'll have to do this the hard way," he says. "Sheesh. How the hell is it that nobody around here knows what's good for 'em?" The man aims his gun, and shoots you in the back of the head. You fall to the ground. The man pulls out his cell phone, and makes a call. "I told you the guy doesn't know. He doesn't have Killinger's phone number." A second later, the man turns to you. "Sorry about this," he says. Then, he pulls the trigger. Cecilia arrives to apologize to you, but sees the dog barking over his dead owner's body and you unconscious on the ground. She gets you to a hospital. When you wake up, you learn that you got shot while working as a short order cook. You decide to move on, and never return to the city. Some time later, you're living in California, working as a waiter. You're not doing too bad. Cecilia calls to say she had your child. You never see it, but you hear the boy is a good fighter. You're glad. One day, when he grows up, you hope he doesn't follow in your footsteps. You hope he finds a new home. Somewhere, someone needs to love him. Maybe he'll find that place in life. You could have helped him. You could have made that place in his life. But, you decided not to. You think... you don't know what you think. It doesn't matter. You'll never know. That is, until one day when your son tracks you down. He looks just like you, but taller and lankier. There's a man in a black robe behind him. "Dad?" your son asks. "Are you in..." But, the words die in his throat. He knows who you are. He knows what you did. And, he knows that you're not a good person. You nod silently. There's no need to speak. Your son turns away. "Goodbye, Dad. I hope you find whatever the hell whatever it is you're looking for." Then, he leaves. The man in black robes steps forward. "I'm sorry," he says. "I had my people track him down, but he's already left the state." "So he has," you say. You and the man in black robes have a stare-down. "The boy knows the truth," the man says. "Tell me, why did you kill my assistant? You had every opportunity to turn down our offered pay." "You wouldn't have hired me," you reply. "You wanted to hire a contract killer. I was simply the first person you met." The man chuckles. "I wanted to hire a sandwich maker," he says. "Goofy, silly you. My offer is still valid. Go home, Dad. Live out the rest of your days in peace. Forget you ever met an son." You take out your wallet, and show the man a picture of your wife and two children. "You wouldn't hire a contract killer," you say, "but you will hire me. Look at the picture." The man does, and nods. "I'll hire you," he says. "You better make it quick. We need to catch first flight out tomorrow." You nod, and the next day you buy a one-way ticket to New York. On the plane, you think about how you're finally going home. The rest of your life will be spent in New York. When you arrive, you head straight to the airport hotel and check in. You aren't sure what to do with the rest of your life. You googled "things to do in New York" before you came, but you feel like you're lacking in purpose now that you're here. However, you do know one thing. You're going to find your son. You have to find him. You have to apologize for what happened. You have to... The door opens, and a girl walks in. She's tiny, very pretty and wearing a Juicy Couture tracksuit. She's about your age, but looks about a decade younger thanks to heavy make-up and stylish clothes. She has a small overnight bag, and... is that a tuxedo inside it? "Hi," she smiles. "I'm Hazel. What's...?" She sees the look on your face, and stops speaking. Instead, she lets out a high pitched scream. "Wait a minute," You say. "You're my alternate female self from another timeline, aren't you?" The girl shakes her head, tears streaming from her eyes. "Oh, that's just tragic." You shake your head. "But I suppose it explains a lot." "What's... happening to me?" The girl sobs. "He's screaming. It hurts." You walk over, and stare into the eyes of your younger self. "Listen to me," you say. "I understand what you're going through, alright? I've been there." You explain to her what's happened, and she breaks down in tears again. "Can you... can you help me?" she asks. "Can you take me home?" "I don't know how," you admit. "I have an autograph from Lil' Mama," she says, trying to compose herself. "She's cool. Maybe she can help me." "I don't know where she is either," you admit. "Or what happened to her." "What about my fans?" she asks. "Can they help me? I could sell my autograph. My fans are..." She breaks down again. You don't know what to do. You never had to help someone like her. Eventually, she stops crying, and you give her some advice. "Go to the hospital. They should have instructions on what to do if this happens to you." "Okay," she says, sniffling. "I'm sorry this happened to you." "Thanks," she says, smiling through her tears. "You're so nice. You're not like my father." "I'm not?" "No. He's mean. He doesn't care. But you sound like you do." "I don't know what that's like," you admit. "Is... is that your wife?" She points to the picture of the woman with you on your phone. "If it is, she's very pretty." "She was." "What happened? I mean, I'm sorry if I'm being too inquisitive." "She died." "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I..." "My mother just died," you say. "I have to go." "Okay," she says, letting out a long sigh. "Thank you for your time. I appreciate it." "My name is Jacob." You turn to face your other self. She stares at you, her eyes narrowing. "Thanks for your help," she says. "Bye." "See ya." You quickly walk out of the house, and head off to the hospital. Once there, you go to the information desk and ask how you can get hold of the police. The woman behind the desk suggests that you call 0800 555 6111, a number with which you're very familiar. You thank her, and answer that question. You dial the number, and wait to be answered. "Hello, 911," says a woman's voice. "I need police," you say. "My name is Jacob, from house number forty-seven." "What's your address, Sir?" "Fourty-seven Fourty-Seven North," you say. "Now, please." "I'm sorry, Sir. Can you tell me what's going on? "My younger self saved my life. A girl from his school has been kidnapped by a man named Charles, and I have to go back in time to prevent it... but I don't know how. Can you help me?" "I need your name, Sir." "I'm Jacob," you say, giving your name. "It's a long story." "I need your full name, Sir.\" "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your birthdate, Sir." "November second, two thousand thirteen." "What's your height, Sir?" "One hundred and sixtytwo centimeters. What's yours?" "One sixty-nine, one sixty-E," she says. "What sort of car do you drive, Sir?" "A 2007 black Ford Fusion." "I need your Social Security number, Sir." "Surely you've got all that information," you say. "Those files get leaked all the time." "I need your Social Security number," she insists. "It's required for many government functions." "How long is this going to take?" you ask. "I'm in a lot of danger." "I can't do it over the phone," she says. "I need you to come into the police station." "I can't," you say. "I've already gone back in time. I'm already here." "I need your name, Sir. Please give it to me." "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your date of birth, Sir." "22/11/2000." "What's your address, Sir?" "47 Fourty-Seven North Fourth Street." "What's your apartment number, Sir?" "20." "I need your apartment number, Sir," she says again, calmly but firmly. "1C," you say. "It's an apartment." "I need your street address, Sir." "447 N. Fourth Street," you say. "North Fourth Street." "What's your city, Sir?" "Joliet." "What's your state, Sir?." "Illinois." "What's your zip code, Sir?" "61746." "Are you currently in debt, Sir?" "I owe a few bucks on some fines." "I need your birth date, Sir." "25/11/1990." "What's your birth time, Sir?" "Six thirty-eight am. What's yours?" "02:38." "What's your favorite color, Sir?" "Green." "My favorite color is blue," she says. "What do you like to eat, Sir? You get out of there and head to the police station, angrily killing the police woman. When you arrive, the officer behind the desk looks up at you. "You can go right back to where you came from, Mr. Killinger," he says. "It's not exactly a high priority case." "I have to find my younger self," you say. "A girl has been kidnapped." "What girl?" he asks, confused. "A girl named Madeline," you say. "I have to go back in time to save her." "I'm sorry, but I don't..." he says, before stopping. "Wait a minute. You're the guy that went back in time to save that little girl, aren't you? Well, welcome back, sir." You stare at him in confusion. "Thanks," you say, Headdesking out of the police station. "Shi..." You find yourself outside the apartment you left off at, and notice that it's night time. You walk inside your apartment in wonder, as the girl from earlier is still there, sitting on the floor. "You're back," she says. "I was wondering if you would." "So this," you say, pointing to yourself, "is me." "Yep," she says. "It is." "So what's going on?" you ask. "I don't know," she says. "I remember my name. I remember other stuff, too, but not this. I woke up here, with no memories, a few days ago." "You were missing for years," you say. "How can you only remember this recently?" "What year is it?" she asks. "I don't know. I found a watch in this house, and it's been broken for a while. I think something happened years ago, but I don't know what." You think for a moment. "The year is 2016," you say. "And there's been a kidnapping." "A kidnapping?" she asks. "Yeah," you nod. "A girl name Madeline has been kidnapped by an evil man named John." "Who is John?" she asks. "Are you friends with him?" "No!" you say. "I don't know who John is. I'm just trying to save her." "Saving people is hard," she says. "I tried to save my friends." "I'm trying to get all of them back," you say. "I don't know if it's going to work, but..." "What are you going to do if you find her?" she asks. You pause for a moment, thinking about the best way to tell her. "I'm going to kill John," you finally say. "That's violent," she says. "I can't remember what happened to me. I don't know if this is all a dream. I need to find out." "What if you die in the process?" she asks. "Then I'll just have to spend an eternity as the last person in the world," you shrug. "I'll take my chances with that." "Oh..." You stare at the ground, thinking. You need to choose which group to join, and there's only one choice. "I have to save everyone," you say. "You're new here, right? Where's it safe to go?" "The church is a good place to hide," she says. "Where is it?" You draw a circle on the floor with your finger. "Right here," you say. "You can hide in there." "Okay," she nods. "I'm glad I ran into you. Bye." "Bye," you say, and go back to looking for a way inside the house. After searching the house from top to bottom, you give up. You need to come up with a new plan. Your only lead was that the girl was hiding in a certain spot in the house, and you know for a fact that she's probably not there now. So you need to come up with another way. It's then that you remember the basement. You could try breaking in the window...

"This is stupid." You say. "I'm not going to fall for the same trick twice." You head down to the basement, where you find a ladder leading to a window. You climb up it, and sit on the roof to see if you can spot Madeline. You do this for half an hour, but see no sign of her. You sigh, and hop off the roof. It's time to come up with a new plan. For a while, you just sit in the basement, wondering what you should do. You open up the vault, finding a bunch of money. You grab a handful, thinking. Maybe you could go to the police? Tell them what's going on, and get them to help you get revenge? You doubt it very much though. Even if they believed you, the kidnapper is most likely going to just kill you and throw your body in an alley or something. No, you won't get revenge this way. There has to be another way... you just have to think about it. "Hey, Ben?" "Yeah?" "Do you have any good ideas on how to get revenge on this guy? I don't think breaking and entering is going to work, and I don't have any other ideas." "Hmm..." Ben says, thinking. "What about this place? I can get us some fake IDs, and we could rob this place blind. We just need to find out when they're not watching the place, and it's open." "Go on." "So, we go in, and... well, ignore me for a second. I need to get the money. You just need to distract this guy." "What? Why? That's suicide!" "It's not if you don't make a loud noise, and point your weapon at him." "What if he hits me with his gun?" "Well, if he's going to do that, I'll just shoot out his kneecaps and listen to him scream for awhile." "I don't know if I'm up to fighting him. I'm not even sure if a gunshot to the knee would disable him." "What if I'm up to fighting him? I can easily take out his two goons; you just need to distract him. Then, when I've got his attention, you need grab the money and run." "I don't know. I just don't think I'm capable of taking him out." "You won't have to. I'll handle it. Just... you just need to do something." "I'll think about it." You say, not wanting to make a decision immediately more than anything else. That night, you lie in bed, staring at your ceiling. Finally, you decide to get up and do something. After getting dressed in a blue shirt and brown pants, perhaps a little too formal for what you're planning to do, you grab the flintlock pistol you have for your nightstand. The safety is on, but you make sure it is before taping the gun to your leg and exiting your room. You walk down the stairs, where you find Ben waiting for you. "Hey, kid." He says, as you walk out of the kitchen. "What're you still doing here? I figured you'd be long gone by now." You say. "I was, but I wanted to speak with you about something first." "Oh?" "Yeah. This is probably going to be a pretty hard conversation for you." "Just say it. If it's too hard, I'll go back to my room." "It really isn't going to be that bad. It's just, well, you're going to have to kill me." "What? Come on, you can't be serious!" "I'm serious. I mean, I'll help you anyway I can, but you're going to have to kill me." "Why? What's all this got to do with you being kidnapped or anything?" "Kid, I know you're pissed about getting shot, but it's really not as bad as you think. I mean it was bad, and I'll have it kept in mind if I ever have to go through it again, but it could have been a lot worse. I was just lucky that the doctor they took me to had some experience patching up gunshot wounds. I could have died. I could still die, if I didn't get treatment quick enough. I honestly believed I was going to die. So if you're wondering if I have some lingering ill-will towards you, the answer is no. If anything, I'm glad you were there to help me." "Well that's a relief at least." "Anyway, I'm just saying, you don't need to go through with this. I mean, we did have fun together during our little trip, and it was an interesting experience. It's just that... look, I'm already dead. What harm is there in continuing that? I mean you're already a Bounty Hunter, going on these dangerous missions is just extending what you're already doing. And I for one would prefer to continue enjoying your company as opposed to rotting away in a grave." "That's a nice thought, but I doubt if anyone will accept such a rationale. You're a wanted man, and everyone's always looking to expand their own power. They'll probably just turn me over to the Guild, and I'll get killed by a mob." "They won't. I'll make sure of it. I know you have my pistol, but I'm going to give you something else as well." Ben pulls out a large revolver, and passes it to you. "What's this for?" You ask. "That's the weapon you'll use to kill me with, obviously." "Obviously. But why are you giving this to me?" "Because you're a good person at heart, and I don't want you to get hurt. Plus, I know you'll probably have better aim with it anyway." You laugh. "Thanks for your concern, but I doubt if that audience is going to react too well to someone shooting me in the head! No, this is going to be a clean shot to the chest and quick. I'll make sure you get remembered." You holster the pistol under your coat. "By the way, my name's not actually Jacob. It's Ben." "Oh. Right. I get it now." "Also, I think you should know, we're not on the only important mission. We're actually part of three groups, all converging on this place at the same time. I wouldn't be too sure about our safety." You think for a second. "So what do you mean?" You ask. "He means he doesn't want anything to do with you anymore," Madeleine says, killing Ben. "What happened?" "I told you he was pissed. If I were you I'd get the hell out of here, before he comes back with some others to kill us." "You're being a coward once again. We can handle it, we aren't unarmed. You have to get out of here, I'm serious." "Fine! But I'm warning you now, if your attitude doesn't improve I'm going to make it a lot worse for you! I'll go get the car, and then back to the hotel we'll go!" You snap, turning away. "You're being very rude Ben, you know that right? "I'm not Ben, I'm Madeleine!" Madeleine says, and you realize that Ben is dead. Madeleine followed you guys back to 2016, and doesn't want you to save her. "You're Ben's killer!" You say, walking towards her. "Not directly, though I did fulfill his last request." She suddenly grabs your arm, and you feel an unnatural chill run through you. She has dead eyes, and an unnatural grin on her face. It's only now that you notice she's missing a few teeth. "You can't take him away from me." She says, spitting blood out onto your shirt. "What do you mean? Who are you?" "I am the ghost of Christmas past." She says, "You think that'll be enough to scare you? My real name is Yvette. To you, I'm Madeleine. He loved me, he did. Followed me everywhere, he did. But one day I caught him... in the act. Well, that night I decided to get my revenge. I killed him. Slaughtered him and every other man in his village. I was only thirteen and he was supposed to be my protection. I... don't think I've ever laughed as hard as when I heard his screams." "You're... you're dead! I killed you!" "You didn't kill me, Ben did. But before I leave, know this. Ben did love me, in his own way. He would have done anything for me. I know that, because he told me everyday. If you're looking for the meaning of life, boy, you don't find it in some hollow tree or some book. You find it with the one you love. If you're lucky enough to find them. Because in the end, that's all there ever will be. Loss. The only thing you can count on. I lost Ben, but I know he had his part to play in my life. It's over now, and I'm finally at peace. He would want that. He would." She releases you, and turns away to leave. "That's why I saved you, Ben. I know that you would have done the same for me. And if you're looking for absolution for your crimes, boy, I don't have that to offer. What you need to do now is make things right. Chase after the one you love, and don't let them get away. Because the way I see it, you've got two options. You either stay here with me, or you go after your girl. Either way, best of luck, and I'm sorry I couldn't save him for you." With those last words, she leaves you. "What do you think? You decide to go to Cecilia's house, and write her a letter to warn her of her death in 20 years. She's the closest thing to a friend you've got. "It's not much, but it's something." "It's a good start, brother." You see your sister, Grace, standing over you. "What are you doing here?" You ask. "I came to see you, but I didn't think you'd be awake yet." "What do you want? I don't have anything to give you." "You've got something that I need, and that's your friendship. I need someone to talk to, and I know you're the only person I can really trust. You reveal you came from 30 years in the future, and you warned Cecilia of her death before you go home. "Well, I guess you saved her then. Sorry for my outburst, I really shouldn't have questioned your word." "As you should. Not everyone can go back in time." "I don't understand. You said you could send me back." "And that's true, but doing so would paradox. I don't want to be sent back. I want to stay here, with you. I want to enjoy life while I can." "I don't understand. If you went back in time, wouldn't that allow you five more years to live?" "Perhaps, but I'd rather live while I can, in the present. I don't want to be sent back to when I was young, struggling to make it in the world, only to have to start all over again. I had time to find love, to have a family... I'm not ready to lose that. I've found it here with you and the rest of the group." You think about what she says for a while. "So... You're saying that I shouldn't go back in time to save Cecilia?" You say. "I'm saying you shouldn't sacrifice yourself for another person. You should stay here, in Arrana, with us. Save yourself, and let someone else save Cecilia." "But why do that for me? You and the others don't even like me." "That doesn't matter. What matters is that I want you to be happy. I was lonely for a long time, but not any longer. I want that for you. Please, won't you stay? I promise I won't get you killed. I'll keep you safe, like I keep everyone else here. I'll even teach you how to play a new game, any game you want. Just don't go back in time, okay? Please, just live. Live... Like me. It is a twisted form of happiness, but you can't deny that she's probably right. Back in the present, you go track down your son instead, to get closure on Cecilia. You travel back in time again, but instead of the cave, you walk outside of it. Before you stands a man in a black cloak and hood, holding a black sword. "Hello there. Did you come to make a deal with me?" The man says. "Yes, I did. I'm here to make a deal with you." You reply. You continue. "I want you to bring my girlfriend back from the dead." "So, you're not going to kill your girlfriend's killer?" "Well... I'm not sure if that's what I'd call me right now. I want you to bring her back so she can be with me." "If you don't kill the killer, you'll get your girlfriend back?" "Something like that. Look, I don't want to have to go through the trouble of doing this. All I want is her back in my life." The man sighs. "I can do that." "You can? How?" "She's standing right here. "Cecilia!" You exclaim, delighted. Cecilia nods. "Hello, Jacob. I'm sorry to just show up like this. I know it's unexpected." "No, not at all! I'm glad you're here!" You answer. Score: 18 This is a story set in the real world, not some stupid vampire story! Gnarl: Call me crazy but I'm not tryin' to be some stupid vampire. I'm just hungry. You: Then go eat a freaking garlic sausage! Gnarl: Pfft, that stuff don't work. I either am eating chicken or I'm drinking peoples blood. The Dancing Polish Cow starts dancing and singing in Polish. You: Do you speak English? The Dancing Polish Cow: N-n-no. You: What the hell is going on? The Dancing Polish Cow: I'm Polish. "The real world?" Cape asks. "Oh no, I hate the real world!"  "It's boring. Nothing happens." "I'm Victoria, Cape's girlfriend. We're going to steal the Stone of Creation from the Nazis." The DPC then speaks Umherländisch to you. You: I don't understand you. What do you say? The DPC: I'm saying I'm sorry. You: For what? The DPC: For being Polish. You: Oh. It's okay. I'm not really mad at you for being Polish. Beat: Of course not. The DPC then speaks in human. The DPC: You look very pretty. You: Well... The DPC: I like your eyes. You: Thanks. The DPC: We should go to the same party. You: No! The DPC: Yes. You: No... Beat: Ugh. This game sucks. The DPC: I like your eyes too. You: Wow. Thanks. The DPC: I have somewhere to be. You: Okay. Beat: Whatever, I'm not playing this stupid game any longer. Beat goes to the bathroom. You're sitting on a tree stump by yourself. You have no idea what to do. "I'll go look for Cape," you decide. You exit the woods and start walking around your town. "Hazel," you say. "Species?" "Human." "Odd, I don't sense any Pokemon or anything." "Just humans then," you say. "Fine. Mickey, 8a." The man walks up to the screen, staring at it. "Alright, Hazel, you're up," the voice says. You walk up to the screen, looking at the two strangers staring back at you. "What do you want to bet?" He pauses for a moment as his eyes grow wide. "Mickey!" he asks. "You're not in?" "I be fine, 8a," he says, his voice clearly showing his annoyance. "Okay, Hazel. You're in luck, 8a has a slightly better chance. You have a ten coin bet. What are the odds?" "Five to four," you reply. "Hm, ten to one is good for me. I accept," the man says. "Thanks, 8a!" he smiles. "Are you sure? You're pretty... sure?" "Sure I'm sure, 8a. Cheers!" 8a smiles, raising his glass. You raise your own glass, finishing the drink. "Do you have any names?" he asks. "I'm Hazel," you say. "I'm 8a," he says, sticking out his hand. You shake it, smiling. "Well, Hazel, it's late. Why don't you head to your room, and I'll see you in the morning." "So, Hazel, what do you think of our little town?" he asks. "It's quite quaint," you say. "Yes, it is," he says, smiling. "Okay," you say. "Alright then, sweet dreams, Hazel." "You too, 8a," you reply, smiling at him. You walk away, heading to the room. You walk upstairs, walking into the room. You look around, finding your bed. You sit on it, staring at the ceiling, wondering where the hell you are. You stare for a while before closing your eyes, and drifting off to sleep. In the morning, you wake up in a panic. You forgot to ask him about his name! You panic for a second, before you remember that you have a meet and greet in the morning. You take a deep breath, and head downstairs, putting on a large, purple shirt and a pair of denim shorts. You walk down the stairs, being met with the sight of hundreds of Oalkwardners cheering. "HAZEL!" they yell. You smile, waves of cheers going through you. "How many did you do last night?" "800!" "That's good! That's good!" You walk forward, receiving a fist bump. "I'm so happy you're here!" one of the Oalkwardners says, leaning in.

> Foury hears police sirens. "I'm Mitzi, what's your name?" "Hazel," you reply. "I've heard a lot about you! It's definitely an honor to meet you!" "You too."You spot a group of humans, led by a police car and a fire engine. "Hey!" you shout, waving. "Over here!" The Oalkwardners look at you, confused. "What's going on?" "Everything can wait, Mitzi! There's a fire! Over there!" Fries cuffs Foury. "I'm going to miss that dog," he says, pulling up in front of the fire engine. Firemen begin to swarm out of the truck. "Alright, listen up, you meat bags! There's a fire at the stadium!" The crowd instantly goes into an uproar. "We need water, we need water, we need water! Get some water on that fire!" The firemen look at you, and you look at the crowd. "I don't know how that works," you say. "By convention, the Mayor handles emergencies! I'm the Mayor!" Fries says. "I can ask for help from other towns, and they can ask for help from others... It's just a chain, y'know? But I gotta ask you folks to help as well! We can't let this stop the game! Alright, get out there and get drenched, harnesses don't protect your pretty little heads when the water's flying! We need this game to go ahead! Now, into that fire! Chimney's full of 'em! Let's make some history!" You all sprint into the flames, as the firemen begin to hurl buckets of water onto the fire. "Ah, that'll fix 'em," Fries grins. "Now, let's get you kids home before it gets dark..." You're led onto a bus, and driven away from the stadium. Police sirens blare. "Alright, alright, let's calm down," Fries says. "It's all good, man. Just get home safe, all right?" You exit the bus, and are met with your friends. "You're late!" Becca says, grabbing your arm and pulling you away from the crowd. "I met the Mayor," you say. "Yeah, but he didn't get our autographs!" Lucy says. You shrug, and head into the stadium. The view from the stadium balcony is incredible, as the sun sets in the distance. "Do you think they saw it?" Kyle asks. "I don't know," you say. "Everything happens for a reason." The game goes ahead, and it's an exciting match. The Oalkwardners win, and as the crowd leaves, you see the Mayor. "Hey, Hazel!" he says. "It was an OK first impression, I guess. Let's try this again..." You walk down the stairs with the Mayor, and are greeted by a small group of protestors. "Scumbags!" one says, throwing a packet of raw meat at them. "You're letting them use the stadium, as well as giving them free food and drinks! That's exploitation! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, letting those uncivilized beasts in to use as pets! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, all of you!" The Mayor raises an eyebrow. "Is there some sort of problem, sir?" he asks. "Yes! There's a problem! Not enough of us to stop the exploitation!" the man says. "We need jobs, we need pay rises, we need-" "Hello?" the man's friend says. "You never told us you owned a zoo." The protestors let out scattered laughs. "He's joking!" one says. "Ha ha!" the man says. "Stop being such child-" "No, I'm not," the Mayor says. "I certainly didn't." "Oh, my God, you did!" the man says. "You pranked us! You created a zoo to introduce exotic animals to kill people!" "No, I didn't," the Mayor says. "Now, would you mind letting me through? I've got an important speech to give." The man nods, and the group shuffles aside. "Well, I'll be damned," the first man says. "I guess you have a sense of humor after all." "Good night," the Mayor says, pushing past them. He makes his way down the stadium steps and onto the road, before taking a cell phone from his pocket. "Hello, Kate," he says. "I met the kids, yeah, we had a good time, sure. Yes, I think that went very well. No, everything's fine. I'm going now, have a good night." He turns and waves to the stadium crowd, grinning. "Good night, everyone!" he says. "Thanks for coming out!" He ends the call, and tosses the phone into his pocket. "I hate to cut this short, but this is very important. Yes, I'll see you tomorrow." He walks away from the stadium, and out of sight. "Well," he says, turning and heading off the road. "I guess I head off now. I've got a long journey ahead of me." He disappears into the trees, leaving you all in the middle of the road. "What the hell was that?" Lucy says, fiddling with her bracelet. "I have no idea." "Are you alright?" Kyle says, standing up. "I'm sorry if we offended you." "You didn't offend me," you say. "Not my problem." "Let's get out of here, then," Lucy says. "I don't want to be caught in the middle of whatever that was." You all head off the road, back into the trees. "So…" Lucy says, a few minutes later. You get a call from Charles Calvin, a helicopter pilot who is on a mission with you. He's never been the bravest of men, but he's always been fairly level-headed and responsible. You call him, and he answers on the first ring. "Hello? Mr Matasumara?" "Yes." "I saw the speech. It was very inspiring." "Thanks," you say. "So, are you coming?" "Me?" he asks. " "This is Hazel Matasumara, formerly known as Jacob Killinger. For some reason I'm transgender or something, my name keeps changing." "Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry, Mr Matasumara. I would've remembered your name." "Please, it's okay. Anyway, I was sent here to invite you to join us. We're heading to the nearby island of Kor and we need men like you to defend it from destruction. Are you interested?" "Oh, yes I am!" Charles replies. "I'll get my things packed right now!" "Good," you say. "I'll see you soon." "Okay, I'll be there tomorrow." "Great. See you then." You end the call, and look at your companions. "Well, that was easy," you say. "We're going to Kor." "I'm not sure what to make of all this," Kyle says. "I mean, I've read about the Killingers, and they seemed like a pretty bad family. But Charles? He seemed like a nice guy." "He seemed pretty nice," Lucy says. "Any idea what he did?" "Well... Charles killed his wife and kids." "WHAT?!" you all say in unison. "Yep," Charles says, popping the "p". "I'd forgotten how to spell it until you all reminded me." "That's insane," Lucy says. "How do you know? Are you sure?" "I'm pretty sure. We had a job together, well, before I joined the ECS. I was with the police at the time, and taking a break at my parents place. My partner at the time had taken off, so I was home alone for the weekend. I got a call from the local police station saying there had been a triple homicide. I got dressed, grabbed my gun and badge, and went over. The poor guy that was at the station when it happened said he didn't know what to do, so he called me. When I arrived, I found the husband and his two kids... killed. The local detective had long since left, so I took over the case. After taking the husband's statement, I looked through the house. The first room I went to was the bedroom. On the left wall, I found a picture of the husband and his family. On the right wall, I found a picture of me and my family. The first thing I did was look through the rest of the house, but I didn't find anything else. I mean, I found some other incriminating stuff, like his gun and some pills he hadn't really needed, but those were there because the former owner SIDED WITH ME! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! I later found out his wife had sold their house and the bank account had been closed. The husband didn't know anything about it, and neither did the local detective. I mean, I knew. I'm a cop. I know these things. But they didn't." "You don't know how the husband was taken," Hazel says. "It could've been a trap. Maybe he came by himself. Maybe the wife came by herself. Maybe they had help. Maybe the people who took him were the same ones who killed his family." "Could be," Charles says. "So what happened to the family?" Lucy asks. "Did you ever find them? Did you ever find out who did it?" "Yeah, I found both. It turned out the husband had an ongoing gambling debt to some guys. One of the guys he owed money to was the guy who killed his family for revenge. He framed me by killing the husband and making it look like I did it. I was fired from the force, arrested, everything. The real killer got away with it, too. I had to go into hiding. I got arrested and spent time in prison." "Fancy way of saying you got beaten up and nearly killed," Charles says. "The ECS set you free, for a favor. You're a marked man now. You can't go back to your old life, so you joined the ECS. We'll protect you... for a price. I assume you refused to work with the Syndicate again, and this is where our paths split." "I thought you were a hero," the boy says. "I thought you went back to your old life so that you could go back to put the bad guys behind bars, not so that you could become one yourself. I guess I'm not that far off. Either way, I won't say anything. I know my place. I'm not a cop anymore, I'm not a criminal, I'm not a hero. I'm a sheep. A lamb to the slaughter. So be it. I'm ready to die." "You won't be dying tonight," Charles says. "Sheep have the highest mortality rate of any caste. Most are slaughtered during their training. The eternals are practically devoured by rats and other sheep shortly after being born. It's part of the process." "I'm sure the sheep you were training tonight will be alright," the woman says. "I'm sure they're being well taken care of and taught to fear the Lord. Perhaps some will even be chosen as part of the sacrifice. And so they should. They're already an example to all of the dedication and loyalty that Able had." "Indeed," Charles says, looking at you. "Now, let's go see your new home for the night. Then, you can meet the rest of the class. Then, you can be sacrificed to the holy man, or you can escape tonight. Your choice." You nod and get up, following Charles out of the room and into another, outside of it. A large, grey, foreboding looking wall of stone appears out of the ground, with a large iron gate in it. "Welcome to Castle Oren," Charles says. "Better known as simply 'the cave'." "It's huge," you say. "Are there... are there more of these underneath the city?" "Many many more," Charles says. "All shapes and sizes. Most of them are abandoned or never used, to allow the other shadows to have a slight edge in recruiting. Ah, here's the man responsible for all this." A tall, skinny man with long hair, a goatee and wearing a long, black, hooded cloak walks up. His face is stern, but his eyes are twinkle as he looks at you. "Ah, Jacob. Here's your sacrifice. I told you the new one would be late, but you didn't need to go rushing here. You could have waited half an hour. Charles Calvin, Your service to the ECS is important, but not more important than the holy mission of spreading the gospel of Dendrin's shadow. It's very important that we look maintain a certain appearance of righteousness." this is Jacob. Don't trust him, but don't insult him either. He's really quite angry at poor communication." "Anything else I need to know about?" Jacob asks. "Not really. I think that about covers it. You're in charge of the new recruits, by the way. We're all just here to assist you." "Good," Jacob says. "I can use all the help I can get. Well, let's get started then. I'm sure you both have a lot to do." Arabic music starts playing. "Yes, sir," Charles says, as you follow him through the iron gate. "Alright, let's dance," Jacob says. "It'll be good for the soul." Jacob draws his sword and runs towards you. You hastily draw your own blade, and block his path of approach. "What the hell, Jacob?" you complain. "Just protecting the honor of our Lady," Jacob says, blocking your attack. "She's in there," he says, pushing you out of the way and pointing to the cave. "Inside. I'll be guarding her." With that, you walk past him and enter the cave. Inside, it's dark, as to be expected, but there are a few torches on the wall. You walk past the dancing shadows and up to the one you know contains Olive. She sits in a corner, rocking back and forth and staring into space. "Olive? It's me," you say. Olive slowly looks up at you, and slowly stands. She doesn't look any worse for wear, other than the obvious. "I can't. I just... I can't anymore." "Now Olive, you've got it all wrong. Of course you can. I saw..." "I know what you saw, Charles. What we both saw. I betrayed you. I can't..." "Olive, no. That's not true at all! We've gone over this a hundred times! I was weak. The shadows won't survive without me. Please, my love, you mustn't have faith in Dendrin. We will win this war. We just need time." "Charles, I'm sorry. But it's the truth. Dendrin's just using us. He's probably laughing at us right now. I don't even think he cares anymore." "Then it's true? Is that why you've been acting so strange? What the hell happened? Out with it. I want to know." "I saw him. Dendrin, watching us. I've seen him do it before in my dreams. He just watches and laughs at our pathetic existence. I'm sorry, Charles. I think I've been bewitched." "By Dendrin? But how..." "I don't know. I've been having these horrible visions. He just looks so happy and beautiful in them. I try to resist, but I just... I love him, Charles. I just do." "Oh, Olive, you don't know the first thing about love. You're still a girl. You just think you know something about it because of..." "Please, don't Charles. Just leave me be. I can't talk about this anymore. It makes me sad." "Olive, I'm not going anywhere. You're my friend, and you'll always be my friend. I'm not going to let you throw your life away over something that's got to be a mistake. I know what love is. I know what it feels like." With that, you grab Olive's hand. She tries to pull away, but you tighten your grip. With her other hand, she attempts to pry your fingers open, but you only squeeze her tighter. "Let go of me, you monster!" she screams. The two of you continue to struggle for a while until Olive eventually knees you in the stomach and head, causing you to release her. Both land on the ground and you grab Olive and squeeze her tightly, almost to the point of strangling her. "I'm sorry, Olive. I just... I don't know what's happening. I..." "I know. Me either. We'll figure this out, okay? We'll find a way to fix this." You hold Olive for a few seconds more, and then slowly let her go. "Jacob, you are not Charles Calvin!" Your sister Grace says from your phone. "And Views and I are still in the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse!" "There's a war going on outside, Olive! I can't just sit here and do nothing! I have to fight!" "Jacob, you can't go out there! Look, we've got a plan. We'll lure the shadows outside, and we'll flip their own plan against them. Then we'll drive the shadows back to the exit, where you can chop their heads off with an axe!" "Yeah, I love the way I love me some flip and drive 'em back to the gate! Alright, I'll be there as soon as possible. You can do this with your brother, Olive!" "I will! Thank you, Jacob!" You turn to your sister. "Grace, you need to flip and drive them back to the gate. Okay, you've got the hang of it, now do it! I know you can do it!" "I'm scared!" "So be a big girl and crush 'em, okay? You've got the strength for it!" "Okay!" "I love you, Grace. Be brave." "Bye, Jacob!" "Bye, Grace! Bye, Olive!" "Bye, Jacob! See you later!" With that, the two flip out of the house and perform their assigned task. Now's your chance to get the hell out of here, before any of them realize you're still here. Option 1: Run. The house, however, goes silent. There is no more yelling, no more crying. Everything has gone silent, which causes you to tense up. "By Dendrin, I hope they can do this." You say, readying your sword. You march on the house with caution, before finally... "Jacob? Is that you?" a voice says. You turn around, and see... "Ben? What the heck are you doing here?" You say. "I'm here to help, like you wanted." "What... the hell happened to you? Charles Calvin flies away in his helicopter. Are you okay?" "I'm fine. (Sigh) I'm a little tired, but I'll heal." "What about the others? We need to go save them." "I think... "I'll explain everything once we get out of this alive, let's move!" Ben says. You proceed to follow Ben as you try to keep up with him... You awaken alongside Ben and Charles as it is now nighttime. You're standing next to a tree with the Shadow Battered Baron in it. "Call me Benelux," Ben says. "I'm sorry you got caught up in this. I'll explain everything once we get home." "Where is home?" You ask. "Green Eye Farm." "Okay. Home it is then." While it seems that things are looking up for you, you have some concerns. "What the heck happened to you, Ben? You're covered in blood and your body ripped apart!" "You'll find out later." You proceed home, as you ponder what the hell is going on. When you arrive home, you sit down in the farmhouse and Ben joins you. "So, tell me about your friends." You tell him everything you know, or think you should know. It isn't much, but it's enough to get the story underway. "So... that's it." "Yeah. I guess so." "And you believe that this Olive girl is some sort of hero that can take on the entire Shadow Guard? That just seems kind of hard to believe." "Well, I don't know much about it, except that she's apparently the chosen one of Dendrin." "Hm. I suppose that does sound a bit impossible, but..." Ben pauses, before getting up. He begins to pace, as he seems to think hard about something. "Just crash here." "What?" "Just crash here. I gotta go do some work by myself. I can't have you doing that thing you do, it messes up my concentration." "What, living in a house full of women?" "Yeah, those too." You really have no reason to decline this since you're tired, and it'd be nice to sleep in a soft bed. However, something doesn't sit right with you. "Ben, is everything okay?" "Sure! Why wouldn't it be?" "I dunno, you're acting really strange. Anything you want to tell me?" "Like what? You think I'm having an affair with my mom or something?" "Well, it was sort of just a wild guess." Ben bursts out in laughter. "You think my mom's having an affair? I'd say the chances of that are about the same as..." He pauses, before raising an eyebrow. "As finding pure essence of bonelesbians in the average human's body." "Pure essence? That's a rather odd way of describing them... I mean, what about the halfelesbians?" Ben burst out in laughter again. "Halfelesbians? Please. If you're referring to the species of feline being described as such, then no, they're not actually a separate species at all. They're just a very skoshy variety of our own common cat. A pretty, skoshy cat." "Aren't they?" Ben nods. "Yes, yes they are. In any case, I'm not having an affair. Mom's fine by me." "Oh. Well, that's good to hear." "Good night, Jacob." "Good night, Ben." You go upstairs, and collapse onto your bed. Normally, after a long day, you'd stay up to do some of your hobbies, like reading or writing or such. However, with all that's happened, you feel like you just want to sleep off the week. You drift off into a deep sleep, with the nightmares once again plaguing you. You awaken to the smell of fresh baked bread. You sit up, and look out your window. It's still night, but a faint moon gives off just enough light to see the figures outside in the yard. They're all women. Some are carving up what appears to be a pig in the middle of the group. Others are busily putting heavy wooden trays with slices of bread, and placing them next to the carving knives. You go to the window, and lean over the sill. "Good morning, sleepyhead!" One of the voices says. You turn, and see the face of a young girl. She's a short little thing, with a few figures hidden under a thick dark red robe. "Huh? morning?" "Is it morning already?" "Yes." "Oh my goodness, I slept through the morning already!" The girl has a Scottish accent, and her name tag reads "Sally". You grab your things, and head outside. "Oh, look who's up early! Jacob, didn't you sleep well?" "Hiya, Jacob. You slept so well, we had to wake you!" You find yourself surrounded by women, all of whom are smiling and waving. "I slept so well I slept through the morning!" "Morning? It's night!" "Hey!" "Who's this one?" "He's the lord of the manors, and he uh, owns this entire estate!" "Why do we need a lord? We're not a bunch of hobs!" "So? He's our lord and master!" You begin to panic. "Wait! I'm not your lord and master! I just own this entire... Oh dear. I need to get back inside before my mom sees me out here." "But we need your lord and master to assign us all duties!" "I'll be back at dawn! Hopefully by then you'll have already found another lord and master to serve! Cecilia arrives and kisses you. "Good morning, darling. How did you sleep?" "I slept well, thanks. What's going on?" Cecilia smiles. "What exactly do you mean? Are you our lord and master now?" Cecilia smiles. You panic. "No! No! I'm not their lord! I just own this place! I'm not even Jacob's..." "That's good. It'll make things easier for you." You begin to wonder if fleeing to the city is such a good idea. On the other hand, you don't even have any immediate duties here. You could probably just let the place go to hell. You need to get all your decisions made soon. You need to get all your decisions made soon... Hello? I'm sorry, Jacob. I'm afraid the ladies here will never accept you as their master. What?! That's absurd! I'm telling the truth! I'm not their master! No, I'm sorry Jacob, but that's how they see you. They live under your command, and you are their lord and master. This is ridiculous! I'm telling you, I'm not... No, Jacob. If you want to save this relationship, that's up to you. Shrugh. Their words, not yours. Well don't waste anymore of my time, Cecilia. Good day. And with that, you end the call. Cecilia and her little clique slowly begin to dissipate, fleeing the manors. You see them to the front door, watching them leave. You half expect some of them to turn around and come back inside, but none do. Eventually, you're alone. Might as well get started, despite the tragic ending. You head into the manors kitchen, and prepare some food. You finally head to the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, desperate to save Views and your sister. --- "I thought you said your sister would be back by now." "She will be soon, sir!" "Alright, let's stay focused. Any sightings of our targets yet? "No, sir. We're still waiting on news on their whereabouts." You take a bite of your hamburger, chewing slowly. You're not sure if you should be eating while you wait, but you're too hungry to care. "Hey, sir?" "Yes, Warts? Why are you staring at your feet like that?" "Well... I was wondering if I could go to the bathroom." "What?!" "I really have to go, sir. It's been hours and my stomach is killing me." "You're only wearing shorts, socks and a tank-top, Warts." "I know, sir. I know." You stare at the young lion. "What's the matter, Warts? You approach the Mickey Mouse slaughterhouse again, and decide to stay and look for Grace and Views. Maybe you could use the excuse that you're looking for your sister to get close to the slaughterhouse and look for them from there. "Sir?" "What is it, Warts? "Can I go to the bathroom, sir?" "No, you're going to stay here and keep watch. When we get the all-clear from the police, we'll all go to the bathroom together." Warts nods, staying put. You go back to the house and sit back down. It's been three hours since you arrived at this house. You haven't eaten anything but those godawful McDonald's sandwiches, and even then you needed the toilet halfway through eating one. You thought about calling for pizza, but you didn't want to leave Warts alone. But then you go the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse for real. You start with the first floor, where you see the chocolate cup. You quickly open the box, and put the contents in your bag. You hear the sirens of police cars outside. You grab your gun, and go to the kitchen, panting. "Wazzat?" Warts says, staring at the screen. You stare at the large map of the city. The three locations that the police had tracked the robbers to are now empty. "They're all empty," you say. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!" You quickly grab the TV dinner from the table, and you all run out of the kitchen. "We need to round everyone up. Everyone. Now. We need to go to the warehouse district." You grab your walkie-talkie, and switch it on. "This is the experiencing mammal crew. Get to the warehouse district. Let's go, now!" You all quickly get into your cars and drive to the warehouse district. Finally, you see Grace and Views tied up in the warehouse district, and go to untie them. "Whoa there, we need to stick together on this, guys. Let's keep our cool and go in." You all enter the warehouse. You see the robbers holding guns to Views and Grace. Four of them are there, including Sticky. "I want that hamster," Sticky says. "No! I want that gerbil!" one of the robbers says angrily. "I want that one!" "Shut up, both of you. I'm deciding which one to take," You fight the robbers and free Views and Grace. They run away to safely. Mickey Mouse is outraged. "This isn't over, you furry little rats!" After driving for a bit, you arrive at the warehouse district. You enter a large building, big enough to hold a few thousand rodents. Nobody is here yet. "Let's divide ourselves up between sleeping quarters and safety," you say. You assign each member their duties. You're in charge of the heldover members, namely Warts and Chase. You also decide who's going to raid the cafeteria for food, and who's going to guard the door. "You're in charge of the raiders. I'll take the safety duties," you say to Warts. "See ya later, partner." "See ya, ya little rodent," Warts says, rolling his eyes, and leaving to join the raiders. Chase is left guarding the door with a few others. "Alright, what do I do?" he asks nervously. "I've never guarded before. I'm not very good at it. I'm not very good at a whole lot of things." "You need to stand at the door and stop anyone from entering, or leaving, or doing both," you reply. "Got it. Anything else?" "Yeah, try not to get killed. If someone comes busting down the door, try to stall them, like you'd stall someone from shooting you. If that doesn't work, try to shoot them." "Got it. Thanks." Chase stands at the door with two others, all heavily armed. The rest of you hide in various places around the warehouse. A few minutes into the wait, you hear some shouting. "Riders comin', riders comin' fast! Head 'em off at the Dumpster! We'll clean up the strays!" Several of the robbers start running for the Dumpster, where you know there's a large group of dogs. "Come on, I'll lead the way!" you say, grabbing your gun and running for the door. You run outside, seeing several bandanna-wearing riders galloping towards you. The bandits waste no time in opening fire, and you quickly take cover behind a nearby Dumpster. "You little son of a b-" "Shoot 'em, boys! Shoot 'em!" Sticky yells. The bandits open fire, killing several of the galloping ponies and hit others. You soon have the issue under control, but not without losing some of your friends. Several of the bandits barely escape, as their horses were killed or fall into the river. You don't know if they'll make it before the lights go out. You've lost count of the number of robberies this week. You're just trying to survive, and that's become a lot harder now. The deliverymen don't stand a chance after the first hold up. Soon, there is no food in the building at all. You begin to wonder why you're even still staying here. The answer comes in the form of several men running inside, yelling about how they just shot most of your friends on the other side of the Dumpsters. You don't even need to hear the rest of their story to know that the rest of Team Baby-Doll just raced inside like cowards. Right after they shot your friends, they ransacked the place, taking everything of value. You've been left with nothing, and you have nowhere else to go. You return to Cecilia's house. You don't have enough money for a hotel, and you'd rather not sleep in the streets. You wait for morning, when you can try to reason with your sister about this. --- You find Cecilia standing by the front door, dressed for school. "Why aren't you in school, Cecilia?" "I don't want to go." "You don't want to go? Why not?" "Because, I'm sick of these people!" she yells, hitting the wooden banister rail with her fist. "Cecilia, come on, snap out of it! I can't take you. I gave you a home, and look what you're doing with it! Why can't you just act like a normal kid for once?" "I hate these people, toots. I want out." "Cecilia, I understand you're angry-" "I'm angrier at you, you big dopey doofus! If you had only just listened to me, none of this would have happened!" "Cecilia, I-" "I'm leaving!" she yells, running off again. You groans in exasperation and heads to work. It's a quiet morning at the diner. In fact, it's so quiet, you're the only person working. You figure you might as well get started cooking; there's not much else you can do here. Just as you finish cooking, the cafe's bell above the door rings. It's a man with a large backpack and an equally large and muscular German shepherd on a leash. "Hello," the man says. The dog begins to growl and sniff the air. "You must be new here. If you're looking for a job, you've come to the wrong place. We're a private establishment," you say, wondering why you're still talking. "I'm actually looking for someone in particular. I'm trying to reach the person who runs this cafe. I have important business with them." "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." "It's the man named Jacob. I'm looking for Jacob Killinger." "So you are. Well, he doesn't live here anymore. He moved out of this city about a month ago." "Oh. I see. Well, can you tell me where he went?" "No. I don't know. Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do." The German Shepherd suddenly begins to bark aggressively, and the man raises his hands in defense. "I don't know where Killinger is! I was just told he lived here!" he exclaims. "If you really want to find Killinger, you'll have to ask the cafe owner." The man raises his hands again, and clicks his tongue. The dog ceases barking, and the man approaches you. "Tell you what," he says in a friendly tone. "I'll give you a hundred bucks if you tell me where Killinger lives. That sound okay?" "I can't. I don't know," you say. "I'm sorry." The man sighs, then pulls a small pistol from his pocket. "Well, it looks like I'll have to do this the hard way," he says. "Sheesh. How the hell is it that nobody around here knows what's good for 'em?" The man aims his gun, and shoots you in the back of the head. You fall to the ground. The man pulls out his cell phone, and makes a call. "I told you the guy doesn't know. He doesn't have Killinger's phone number." A second later, the man turns to you. "Sorry about this," he says. Then, he pulls the trigger. Cecilia arrives to apologize to you, but sees the dog barking over his dead owner's body and you unconscious on the ground. She gets you to a hospital. When you wake up, you learn that you got shot while working as a short order cook. You decide to move on, and never return to the city. Some time later, you're living in California, working as a waiter. You're not doing too bad. Cecilia calls to say she had your child. You never see it, but you hear the boy is a good fighter. You're glad. One day, when he grows up, you hope he doesn't follow in your footsteps. You hope he finds a new home. Somewhere, someone needs to love him. Maybe he'll find that place in life. You could have helped him. You could have made that place in his life. But, you decided not to. You think... you don't know what you think. It doesn't matter. You'll never know. That is, until one day when your son tracks you down. He looks just like you, but taller and lankier. There's a man in a black robe behind him. "Dad?" your son asks. "Are you in..." But, the words die in his throat. He knows who you are. He knows what you did. And, he knows that you're not a good person. You nod silently. There's no need to speak. Your son turns away. "Goodbye, Dad. I hope you find whatever the hell whatever it is you're looking for." Then, he leaves. The man in black robes steps forward. "I'm sorry," he says. "I had my people track him down, but he's already left the state." "So he has," you say. You and the man in black robes have a stare-down. "The boy knows the truth," the man says. "Tell me, why did you kill my assistant? You had every opportunity to turn down our offered pay." "You wouldn't have hired me," you reply. "You wanted to hire a contract killer. I was simply the first person you met." The man chuckles. "I wanted to hire a sandwich maker," he says. "Goofy, silly you. My offer is still valid. Go home, Dad. Live out the rest of your days in peace. Forget you ever met an son." You take out your wallet, and show the man a picture of your wife and two children. "You wouldn't hire a contract killer," you say, "but you will hire me. Look at the picture." The man does, and nods. "I'll hire you," he says. "You better make it quick. We need to catch first flight out tomorrow." You nod, and the next day you buy a one-way ticket to New York. On the plane, you think about how you're finally going home. The rest of your life will be spent in New York. When you arrive, you head straight to the airport hotel and check in. You aren't sure what to do with the rest of your life. You googled "things to do in New York" before you came, but you feel like you're lacking in purpose now that you're here. However, you do know one thing. You're going to find your son. You have to find him. You have to apologize for what happened. You have to... The door opens, and a girl walks in. She's tiny, very pretty and wearing a Juicy Couture tracksuit. She's about your age, but looks about a decade younger thanks to heavy make-up and stylish clothes. She has a small overnight bag, and... is that a tuxedo inside it? "Hi," she smiles. "I'm Hazel. What's...?" She sees the look on your face, and stops speaking. Instead, she lets out a high pitched scream. "Wait a minute," You say. "You're my alternate female self from another timeline, aren't you?" The girl shakes her head, tears streaming from her eyes. "Oh, that's just tragic." You shake your head. "But I suppose it explains a lot." "What's... happening to me?" The girl sobs. "He's screaming. It hurts." You walk over, and stare into the eyes of your younger self. "Listen to me," you say. "I understand what you're going through, alright? I've been there." You explain to her what's happened, and she breaks down in tears again. "Can you... can you help me?" she asks. "Can you take me home?" "I don't know how," you admit. "I have an autograph from Lil' Mama," she says, trying to compose herself. "She's cool. Maybe she can help me." "I don't know where she is either," you admit. "Or what happened to her." "What about my fans?" she asks. "Can they help me? I could sell my autograph. My fans are..." She breaks down again. You don't know what to do. You never had to help someone like her. Eventually, she stops crying, and you give her some advice. "Go to the hospital. They should have instructions on what to do if this happens to you." "Okay," she says, sniffling. "I'm sorry this happened to you." "Thanks," she says, smiling through her tears. "You're so nice. You're not like my father." "I'm not?" "No. He's mean. He doesn't care. But you sound like you do." "I don't know what that's like," you admit. "Is... is that your wife?" She points to the picture of the woman with you on your phone. "If it is, she's very pretty." "She was." "What happened? I mean, I'm sorry if I'm being too inquisitive." "She died." "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I..." "My mother just died," you say. "I have to go." "Okay," she says, letting out a long sigh. "Thank you for your time. I appreciate it." "My name is Jacob." You turn to face your other self. She stares at you, her eyes narrowing. "Thanks for your help," she says. "Bye." "See ya." You quickly walk out of the house, and head off to the hospital. Once there, you go to the information desk and ask how you can get hold of the police. The woman behind the desk suggests that you call 0800 555 6111, a number with which you're very familiar. You thank her, and answer that question. You dial the number, and wait to be answered. "Hello, 911," says a woman's voice. "I need police," you say. "My name is Jacob, from house number forty-seven." "What's your address, Sir?" "Fourty-seven Fourty-Seven North," you say. "Now, please." "I'm sorry, Sir. Can you tell me what's going on? "My younger self saved my life. A girl from his school has been kidnapped by a man named Charles, and I have to go back in time to prevent it... but I don't know how. Can you help me?" "I need your name, Sir." "I'm Jacob," you say, giving your name. "It's a long story." "I need your full name, Sir.\" "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your birthdate, Sir." "November second, two thousand thirteen." "What's your height, Sir?" "One hundred and sixtytwo centimeters. What's yours?" "One sixty-nine, one sixty-E," she says. "What sort of car do you drive, Sir?" "A 2007 black Ford Fusion." "I need your Social Security number, Sir." "Surely you've got all that information," you say. "Those files get leaked all the time." "I need your Social Security number," she insists. "It's required for many government functions." "How long is this going to take?" you ask. "I'm in a lot of danger." "I can't do it over the phone," she says. "I need you to come into the police station." "I can't," you say. "I've already gone back in time. I'm already here." "I need your name, Sir. Please give it to me." "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your date of birth, Sir." "22/11/2000." "What's your address, Sir?" "47 Fourty-Seven North Fourth Street." "What's your apartment number, Sir?" "20." "I need your apartment number, Sir," she says again, calmly but firmly. "1C," you say. "It's an apartment." "I need your street address, Sir." "447 N. Fourth Street," you say. "North Fourth Street." "What's your city, Sir?" "Joliet." "What's your state, Sir?." "Illinois." "What's your zip code, Sir?" "61746." "Are you currently in debt, Sir?" "I owe a few bucks on some fines." "I need your birth date, Sir." "25/11/1990." "What's your birth time, Sir?" "Six thirty-eight am. What's yours?" "02:38." "What's your favorite color, Sir?" "Green." "My favorite color is blue," she says. "What do you like to eat, Sir? You get out of there and head to the police station, angrily killing the police woman. When you arrive, the officer behind the desk looks up at you. "You can go right back to where you came from, Mr. Killinger," he says. "It's not exactly a high priority case." "I have to find my younger self," you say. "A girl has been kidnapped." "What girl?" he asks, confused. "A girl named Madeline," you say. "I have to go back in time to save her." "I'm sorry, but I don't..." he says, before stopping. "Wait a minute. You're the guy that went back in time to save that little girl, aren't you? Well, welcome back, sir." You stare at him in confusion. "Thanks," you say, Headdesking out of the police station. "Shi..." You find yourself outside the apartment you left off at, and notice that it's night time. You walk inside your apartment in wonder, as the girl from earlier is still there, sitting on the floor. "You're back," she says. "I was wondering if you would." "So this," you say, pointing to yourself, "is me." "Yep," she says. "It is." "So what's going on?" you ask. "I don't know," she says. "I remember my name. I remember other stuff, too, but not this. I woke up here, with no memories, a few days ago." "You were missing for years," you say. "How can you only remember this recently?" "What year is it?" she asks. "I don't know. I found a watch in this house, and it's been broken for a while. I think something happened years ago, but I don't know what." You think for a moment. "The year is 2016," you say. "And there's been a kidnapping." "A kidnapping?" she asks. "Yeah," you nod. "A girl name Madeline has been kidnapped by an evil man named John." "Who is John?" she asks. "Are you friends with him?" "No!" you say. "I don't know who John is. I'm just trying to save her." "Saving people is hard," she says. "I tried to save my friends." "I'm trying to get all of them back," you say. "I don't know if it's going to work, but..." "What are you going to do if you find her?" she asks. You pause for a moment, thinking about the best way to tell her. "I'm going to kill John," you finally say. "That's violent," she says. "I can't remember what happened to me. I don't know if this is all a dream. I need to find out." "What if you die in the process?" she asks. "Then I'll just have to spend an eternity as the last person in the world," you shrug. "I'll take my chances with that." "Oh..." You stare at the ground, thinking. You need to choose which group to join, and there's only one choice. "I have to save everyone," you say. "You're new here, right? Where's it safe to go?" "The church is a good place to hide," she says. "Where is it?" You draw a circle on the floor with your finger. "Right here," you say. "You can hide in there." "Okay," she nods. "I'm glad I ran into you. Bye." "Bye," you say, and go back to looking for a way inside the house. After searching the house from top to bottom, you give up. You need to come up with a new plan. Your only lead was that the girl was hiding in a certain spot in the house, and you know for a fact that she's probably not there now. So you need to come up with another way. It's then that you remember the basement. You could try breaking in the window...

"This is stupid." You say. "I'm not going to fall for the same trick twice." You head down to the basement, where you find a ladder leading to a window. You climb up it, and sit on the roof to see if you can spot Madeline. You do this for half an hour, but see no sign of her. You sigh, and hop off the roof. It's time to come up with a new plan. For a while, you just sit in the basement, wondering what you should do. You open up the vault, finding a bunch of money. You grab a handful, thinking. Maybe you could go to the police? Tell them what's going on, and get them to help you get revenge? You doubt it very much though. Even if they believed you, the kidnapper is most likely going to just kill you and throw your body in an alley or something. No, you won't get revenge this way. There has to be another way... you just have to think about it. "Hey, Ben?" "Yeah?" "Do you have any good ideas on how to get revenge on this guy? I don't think breaking and entering is going to work, and I don't have any other ideas." "Hmm..." Ben says, thinking. "What about this place? I can get us some fake IDs, and we could rob this place blind. We just need to find out when they're not watching the place, and it's open." "Go on." "So, we go in, and... well, ignore me for a second. I need to get the money. You just need to distract this guy." "What? Why? That's suicide!" "It's not if you don't make a loud noise, and point your weapon at him." "What if he hits me with his gun?" "Well, if he's going to do that, I'll just shoot out his kneecaps and listen to him scream for awhile." "I don't know if I'm up to fighting him. I'm not even sure if a gunshot to the knee would disable him." "What if I'm up to fighting him? I can easily take out his two goons; you just need to distract him. Then, when I've got his attention, you need grab the money and run." "I don't know. I just don't think I'm capable of taking him out." "You won't have to. I'll handle it. Just... you just need to do something." "I'll think about it." You say, not wanting to make a decision immediately more than anything else. That night, you lie in bed, staring at your ceiling. Finally, you decide to get up and do something. After getting dressed in a blue shirt and brown pants, perhaps a little too formal for what you're planning to do, you grab the flintlock pistol you have for your nightstand. The safety is on, but you make sure it is before taping the gun to your leg and exiting your room. You walk down the stairs, where you find Ben waiting for you. "Hey, kid." He says, as you walk out of the kitchen. "What're you still doing here? I figured you'd be long gone by now." You say. "I was, but I wanted to speak with you about something first." "Oh?" "Yeah. This is probably going to be a pretty hard conversation for you." "Just say it. If it's too hard, I'll go back to my room." "It really isn't going to be that bad. It's just, well, you're going to have to kill me." "What? Come on, you can't be serious!" "I'm serious. I mean, I'll help you anyway I can, but you're going to have to kill me." "Why? What's all this got to do with you being kidnapped or anything?" "Kid, I know you're pissed about getting shot, but it's really not as bad as you think. I mean it was bad, and I'll have it kept in mind if I ever have to go through it again, but it could have been a lot worse. I was just lucky that the doctor they took me to had some experience patching up gunshot wounds. I could have died. I could still die, if I didn't get treatment quick enough. I honestly believed I was going to die. So if you're wondering if I have some lingering ill-will towards you, the answer is no. If anything, I'm glad you were there to help me." "Well that's a relief at least." "Anyway, I'm just saying, you don't need to go through with this. I mean, we did have fun together during our little trip, and it was an interesting experience. It's just that... look, I'm already dead. What harm is there in continuing that? I mean you're already a Bounty Hunter, going on these dangerous missions is just extending what you're already doing. And I for one would prefer to continue enjoying your company as opposed to rotting away in a grave." "That's a nice thought, but I doubt if anyone will accept such a rationale. You're a wanted man, and everyone's always looking to expand their own power. They'll probably just turn me over to the Guild, and I'll get killed by a mob." "They won't. I'll make sure of it. I know you have my pistol, but I'm going to give you something else as well." Ben pulls out a large revolver, and passes it to you. "What's this for?" You ask. "That's the weapon you'll use to kill me with, obviously." "Obviously. But why are you giving this to me?" "Because you're a good person at heart, and I don't want you to get hurt. Plus, I know you'll probably have better aim with it anyway." You laugh. "Thanks for your concern, but I doubt if that audience is going to react too well to someone shooting me in the head! No, this is going to be a clean shot to the chest and quick. I'll make sure you get remembered." You holster the pistol under your coat. "By the way, my name's not actually Jacob. It's Ben." "Oh. Right. I get it now." "Also, I think you should know, we're not on the only important mission. We're actually part of three groups, all converging on this place at the same time. I wouldn't be too sure about our safety." You think for a second. "So what do you mean?" You ask. "He means he doesn't want anything to do with you anymore," Madeleine says, killing Ben. "What happened?" "I told you he was pissed. If I were you I'd get the hell out of here, before he comes back with some others to kill us." "You're being a coward once again. We can handle it, we aren't unarmed. You have to get out of here, I'm serious." "Fine! But I'm warning you now, if your attitude doesn't improve I'm going to make it a lot worse for you! I'll go get the car, and then back to the hotel we'll go!" You snap, turning away. "You're being very rude Ben, you know that right? "I'm not Ben, I'm Madeleine!" Madeleine says, and you realize that Ben is dead. Madeleine followed you guys back to 2016, and doesn't want you to save her. "You're Ben's killer!" You say, walking towards her. "Not directly, though I did fulfill his last request." She suddenly grabs your arm, and you feel an unnatural chill run through you. She has dead eyes, and an unnatural grin on her face. It's only now that you notice she's missing a few teeth. "You can't take him away from me." She says, spitting blood out onto your shirt. "What do you mean? Who are you?" "I am the ghost of Christmas past." She says, "You think that'll be enough to scare you? My real name is Yvette. To you, I'm Madeleine. He loved me, he did. Followed me everywhere, he did. But one day I caught him... in the act. Well, that night I decided to get my revenge. I killed him. Slaughtered him and every other man in his village. I was only thirteen and he was supposed to be my protection. I... don't think I've ever laughed as hard as when I heard his screams." "You're... you're dead! I killed you!" "You didn't kill me, Ben did. But before I leave, know this. Ben did love me, in his own way. He would have done anything for me. I know that, because he told me everyday. If you're looking for the meaning of life, boy, you don't find it in some hollow tree or some book. You find it with the one you love. If you're lucky enough to find them. Because in the end, that's all there ever will be. Loss. The only thing you can count on. I lost Ben, but I know he had his part to play in my life. It's over now, and I'm finally at peace. He would want that. He would." She releases you, and turns away to leave. "That's why I saved you, Ben. I know that you would have done the same for me. And if you're looking for absolution for your crimes, boy, I don't have that to offer. What you need to do now is make things right. Chase after the one you love, and don't let them get away. Because the way I see it, you've got two options. You either stay here with me, or you go after your girl. Either way, best of luck, and I'm sorry I couldn't save him for you." With those last words, she leaves you. "What do you think? You decide to go to Cecilia's house, and write her a letter to warn her of her death in 20 years. She's the closest thing to a friend you've got. "It's not much, but it's something." "It's a good start, brother." You see your sister, Grace, standing over you. "What are you doing here?" You ask. "I came to see you, but I didn't think you'd be awake yet." "What do you want? I don't have anything to give you." "You've got something that I need, and that's your friendship. I need someone to talk to, and I know you're the only person I can really trust. You reveal you came from 30 years in the future, and you warned Cecilia of her death before you go home. "Well, I guess you saved her then. Sorry for my outburst, I really shouldn't have questioned your word." "As you should. Not everyone can go back in time." "I don't understand. You said you could send me back." "And that's true, but doing so would paradox. I don't want to be sent back. I want to stay here, with you. I want to enjoy life while I can." "I don't understand. If you went back in time, wouldn't that allow you five more years to live?" "Perhaps, but I'd rather live while I can, in the present. I don't want to be sent back to when I was young, struggling to make it in the world, only to have to start all over again. I had time to find love, to have a family... I'm not ready to lose that. I've found it here with you and the rest of the group." You think about what she says for a while. "So... You're saying that I shouldn't go back in time to save Cecilia?" You say. "I'm saying you shouldn't sacrifice yourself for another person. You should stay here, in Arrana, with us. Save yourself, and let someone else save Cecilia." "But why do that for me? You and the others don't even like me." "That doesn't matter. What matters is that I want you to be happy. I was lonely for a long time, but not any longer. I want that for you. Please, won't you stay? I promise I won't get you killed. I'll keep you safe, like I keep everyone else here. I'll even teach you how to play a new game, any game you want. Just don't go back in time, okay? Please, just live. Live... Like me. It is a twisted form of happiness, but you can't deny that she's probably right. Back in the present, you go track down your son instead, to get closure on Cecilia. You travel back in time again, but instead of the cave, you walk outside of it. Before you stands a man in a black cloak and hood, holding a black sword. "Hello there. Did you come to make a deal with me?" The man says. "Yes, I did. I'm here to make a deal with you." You reply. You continue. "I want you to bring my girlfriend back from the dead." "So, you're not going to kill your girlfriend's killer?" "Well... I'm not sure if that's what I'd call me right now. I want you to bring her back so she can be with me." "If you don't kill the killer, you'll get your girlfriend back?" "Something like that. Look, I don't want to have to go through the trouble of doing this. All I want is her back in my life." The man sighs. "I can do that." "You can? How?" "She's standing right here. "Cecilia!" You exclaim, delighted. Cecilia nods. "Hello, Jacob. I'm sorry to just show up like this. I know it's unexpected." "No, not at all! I'm glad you're here!" You answer. "I'm glad to be here as well... In your life..." She says, with a wistful tone. Cecilia makes eye contact with you briefly before looking away. She looks a bit tired, as if she hasn't been sleeping well lately. It's surprising that she made the trip here herself. Cecilia then turns to the man in black. "Who is this... Man?" "This is the man I was telling you about. I'll be watching him for the next few days. In the meantime, I'll get you back home. How's that sound?" "That... Sounds good. But who are you, really? What do you want?" "My name is Melcar. I want nothing from you. This man... Has something that was in your possession. I need that to get back home." "And if I say no?" "... Then I suppose I shall have to kill him and take it myself. That sound better?" "No, it doesn't." "Well then it looks like I'm going to have to kill you too. That sound better?" "It does, actually. Please don't kill him. I need him." "Why? Does he hold some meaning or emotional attachment for you? If that's the case, you're an idiot for letting him go back to his own time. He won't last there, you know." Cecilia looks at you, then back to Melcar. "Can you... Keep him safe for me? I need to go back to him. I need to make sure he makes it. Please. I'm begging you." Melcar's eyes narrow. "Is this the killer of your girlfriend?" Cecilia looks away nervously. "He... Doesn't know anything. He didn't do it. I'm sorry. He didn't do it." She pleads. "You're a morbid child. I thought you grew up in a cave or something. If you went through all the trouble of making friends, talking to people, and going out into the real world only to end up in some dumb cave with your dumb friends, then I can't imagine what the hell you'd do if you actually met a real killer. I'd guess run away, but you seem to be pretty good at that." Melcar says. "So can you keep him safe? Please?" He looks as you. "I think I can, but I can't do it for you. You need to go back yourself. I need that boy, don't you understand? I need that boy." "Please, it's very important." "Yeah, well that's pretty up front. I have to admit, I'm a little shocked you're not more cagey or manipulative. Perhaps you're not as dumb as I thought." "Please, just help me get back home." Melcar sighs. "Fine. Get in the car." Cecilia hops into the passenger seat of Melcar's car. You approach the vehicle, before you notice two more figures sitting in the backseat. "What the hell? Who the hell are those?" You demand. "Oh, you wanna know who I am? I'm your new best friend!" He says cheerfully, pointing to the man in black. "And this cozy gentleman over here is Mr. Jack the Ripper." "What? I don't understand." "I'm the guy who's going to be killing all those girls you like. My boy, here, will be cutting them up nice and not so nice. We're going to have so much fun." "Wait, you're on their side?" "Of course I'm on their side! I'm the guy who's going to give you a chance at getting all those bitches you like. I'm also going to make your life a living hell the next time you see me. So best friends do stuff like this, no?" Melcar turns back to you. "So, do we have a deal or not? Because I have to go pick up my first victim." "One more question. How do I know you'll actually kill those girls if I don't help you?" Mr. Jack grins. "Ah, you're starting to think like a slasher. You don't know? Of course you don't know. You'll just have to trust me. You always do. Now, are you going to be a bro, or what?" "You don't have the f...! I'm not going to..." "Choke him out. He's stubborn. You always were. Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by...the P.A. Chords? The Living Tombstone?" "I'm not going to help you!" you shout, as Melcar's eyes narrow. "Bah! You're such a square. This isn't physical. You can't get emotional leverage." He strokes his chin. "How about...I've a girlfriend back in high school. Or was it prep school? I can get her to help, or perhaps I'll get the ghost of that cute little cheerleader you used to ride your bike up and down the street for. You know, the one with all the...nice..." He checks himself. "Anyway, I can get her to torment and kill your beloved Cecilia." " YOU CAN'T !!" you roar, going into a rage. "Could, maybe. Would, definitely. You're not going to stop me." Melcar smiles. "Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by a cheerleader?" You're reduced to a quivering wreck. You know it's true. He has a girlfriend, and he's probably lying about her having no knowledge of this. You can't risk staying here, so you follow Melcar and his group out of the house. You're their now. No matter what they do with you, no matter how they use you, you're theirs. You and Cecilia make out passionately. You wait peacefully for her to finish, during which time you hear the screams of your friend and neighbor. The noise doesn't wake you, and you spend the next few hours with Cecilia before she's finished. She leaves the basement without a word, and you wonder if things are going decently enough with her. You can't think of too many times you've seen her since last time. "Hey, Jake," Melcar says. "Ready to go?" You look at Melcar, still wondering how the hell you could've been so blindly stupid as to let this happen. "Yeah..." "C'mon, then." You put on your shoes and follow Melcar upstairs. You walk side by side with him, watching as the sun rises. "Thanks for doing this, man," Melcar says. "Yeah, no problem." "So...is there a school around here?" "What?" "A school. For our friends. So they can learn what actual kids go through." You chuckle. "I dunno...schools are overrated. I mean, I learned how to read and write at one, and the teachers there were horrible." "Well...I'm not sure what kids do at your age." "We have fun," you say. "I mean, I didn't really have responsibilities, so I did what I wanted." "What did you do? Get into fights?" "Sometimes. With my fists, with words, with weapons... it depended." Melcar smiles. "Pretty tough for your first time being in a town with other kids." "Actually, my second time was even worse." Melcar groans. "Let's not go there." You arrive at the outskirts of New Bally. Melcar's friend Tom lives close by, so it isn't a long walk. You're still in awe of how you've managed to get yourself into this situation. "So...anyone want to see my new trick?" Melcar asks, suddenly. "What's that?" you ask. "I can..." Melcar pauses, appearing to think really hard about how to put this. "Turn into a bat." "A...bat?" you ask, uncertain how to react. "Yeah! You know, like in the movies?" You take a step back, and look away. "That's...pretty creepy." "Come on! It's easy! I can turn into a big, fat, ugly bat. Or, if I want to look like one of those fancy Japanese ones, I can do that too. I can stay a bat for a really long time." "How long do you need to spend as a bat to get that power?" "I dunno," Melcar says. "A few years, I guess. I knew some kids in first grade who turned into bats around me, so they must've spent their whole lives as bats before they could become something else. That's how it works, right? You have to be a bat for a long time to become something else?" "I don't know," you say. "I think so." "Cool!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a neighborhood to lawlessly rampage through!" You shake your head. You know there's got to be another way. A better way. A way you can do this and still stay in control of your own mind. You just need to think about it... "Hey, wait!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a house! I bet I can take 'em all by myself, with my new powers!" You shake your head again. You can already tell this plan is doomed to failure. "No." "Come on! I'll give you all the best stuff! All the best stuff is mine!" "No. Now, listen. We're going to find a store, and you're just going to wait there while I deal with the people. I'm sure I can convince them not to press charges." "Press charges?" Melcar repeats. "What are you going to do, kill 'em all?" "Well, I'm going to try. And if I can't? I'm going to at least get them off the charges. Look, just wait there. I'll be back shortly. I'm sure I'll find something within my powers to be able to do. I always do." "Jeez, fine," Melcar says. "I guess I better hang out here and wait, then. I don't fancy hanging out in this environment any longer than I have to. Better that I just go for a walk, right? I'm just going to go for a quick, quick stroll...HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING MY FEET?" You jump up, grabbing Melcar's wrists and twisting them behind his back. You then force him to his knees with his hands still behind his back. "Stay still." "What are you doing?!" he asks, frightened. Now that you're in a position to be able to do it, you don't want to. But you're in a position to be able to interrogate a criminal with magical abilities. You can't very well do that if you aren't using them. You focus your senses. You try to hear what is going on in the surrounding houses, you try to sense what is inside Melcar's body, you do everything you can to find out how fast he is, whether his reflexes are as quick as a cat's, what sort of weapons he has on him, whether he's alone or not... And then, you focus on the one thing you actually WANT to sense. His soul. And there it is. A glowing blue orb, floating in front of his chest. So simple, so small, yet so powerful. Pure. Silent. Calm. Unstoppable. Your heart beats faster, as you feel the blood rushing through your ears. This is it. This is how it feels to be a superhuman. This is how it feels to be a god. You grab the orb, twisting it with ease. Melcar shrieks in pain, as you feel his grip on your wrists loosen automatically. You smash your fist into his face with every ounce of your energy, feeling his nose breaking and brains spilling out the other side. He collapses onto the ground, twitching slightly. This feels amazing. But, you still need to interrogate him. You let go of his orb, only to feel it vanish into his body. "What did you do?" "Take... Take it from me... You're nothing... Nobody can be free... Take it back..." Melcar sputters, blood dripping down his face. He's going into shock, so you finish the job quickly by snapping his neck. That done, you let out a sigh of relief. That was... Hard to do. But, at least now you can use your magical powers in peace. You look around, noticing Melcar's partner standing nearby. You suppose you know who he is now. "You are?" "Yes. I am Mr. Mol," the man says, extending a hand to you. "Congratulations. You just won't have to deal with criminals in Dert anymore." You grab at his hand, shaking it. "Don't think that's much of a consolation, Mr. Mol." He squints at you. "Is... Is something wrong?" "Oh, nothing," you say with a wave of your hand. "Just making conversation." "... Okay." Mr. Mol crosses his arms, staring at you. You suddenly realize that he's examining you for a tell. One of the many things you need to learn. "We should really relocate," you suggest. "For the sake of the community." "I suppose we do need to do something," Mr. Mol nods. Mr. Mol takes you to a nearby abandoned house. "This place will have to do," he says. "We're going to live in an abandoned house!" you exclaim. "It's the best place I could find." Mr. Mol fixes the door so it doesn't slam, then stares at you. "So, you're new here. What's your name?" "Jacob." "I'm Mark, what's yours? Are you homeless?" "No, I just don't have a lot of money for a place yet," you say. "I'll be able to get by." "Where are you from originally?" "Oh, um... The Nothington suburbs." "Nothington! Are you a student?" You nod. "I went to school with the dean," Mr. Mol says. "He was also the head of security at the university. He had some interesting theories on crime and punishment, but I doubt if any of them stuck. The suburbs are like a prison all on their own." "Why did you come to Dert?" you ask, wondering what his angle is. "I wanted to be with my wife," he says. "We moved here for her to become a nurse, but she... Didn't like it here. So, I'm here alone." "How long are you staying?" "As long as it takes." Mr. Mol smiles at you, then winces. "You should see a doctor, son." "I'll be fine," he says, rubbing his back. "I'll just be glad when this hell is over." You fall asleep that night wondering if you should stay or go. The morning arrives, and you wake up. You find a note on the pillow next to you. Dear Jacob, If you're going to stay in Dert, I suggest you buy yourself a house. Don't live in an abandoned one. Make sure it has running water and electricity. Also, don't go to the tavern. Mr. Mol Sighing, you go to the store to buy yourself a house. After some searching, you find one that looks nice, but needs a lot of work done to it. You spend the next few days fixing it up. When you're done, it's a good home. You go there to live after thanking the owner's wife for her kind offer of cookies and milk. You never enter the tavern, and you see no harm in that. Mr. Mol eventually leaves, and things return to "normal" in Dert. You don't see him again. The dean is found guilty of abusing his power and sentenced to a short prison sentence. The Nothington suburbs reform themselves to what they were. You never heard anything about it again. Nobody cared. You don't see much of Dert anymore, as you're more of a homebody now. You have a large house to yourself, with plenty of garden to keep you busy. You still see your wife sometimes when she comes to visit, still with the idea to try to convince her to move there. She always refuses, however. "I can't live in a small town," she says. "I want excitement." You offer again to take her to the city, but she declines. "I like it here. I'm staying." The end. You slam your fist into the wall in anger, and fall to the floor in a sitting position. You wince as the pain shoots up your arm and through your chest. The rest of your body soon joins in. "It's a good ending." You mutter to yourself. "Why the hell do I keep trying to make this story bad?" You stand up and look out the window. A small smile creeping on your face as you see Ben envying your view from his house as you do. "I guess because you're a miserable cur." You walk out of the room, ready to put an end to your writing for the day. ~THE END~ You reached the "Good" ending. "Good job, genius." You wink at the screen. "Now, let's see if I can't try something a little more... interesting." You decide to pay Cecilia another visit, making sure to propose marriage to her. You figure that's probably the best way to ensure you get a good ending. You walk out to the middle of Dert, and stop. You look around, before spotting Cecilia. She notices you, and a huge grin appears on her face. "Jacob!" she runs over to give you a hug. "You're OK! I was so worried about you!" "Of course I am," you hug her back, "I'm here with a question to ask you." " Question? " "Yeah, question. You ready?" Cecilia nods with a smile. "I knew you'd come back for me, Jacob," she blushes. "I'm ready." "Cecilia, will you marry me? " Another huge smile appears on her face. She places her hand over her heart, and leans in to hug you. "Of course I will! " You move in to deepen the hug, when sudden voices from behind you stop you. "Are you serious? The voices are those of Team Never Ending Story, who reveal the MMS was rebuilt. They ask you a few questions about what happened during your imprisonment, to which you give a very generic story of how you were saved by an old woman. They seem to accept this, although you notice Cape Kragen checking to see if you're lying. "Well, that was certainly an interesting way of getting back here." He glares at you. "I'm sure the team will forgive you for this, but from now on you'll be on duty instead of Cecilia. I can't have people faking their own deaths." "But she said--! " "I said fake!" he screams in your face. The team begins to leave, and you follow suit. As you're walking away, Ben turns to you. "Thanks for coming back to us, Jacob. " "Thanks for asking me to write the ending, Ben. " You hear a snort of laughter as you go to find Cecilia. She's looking out for the team, and you're not going to let them get away with insulting you. "Ben will forgive you. " You're not quite sure how to take that, but you decide to address it later. Right now, you need to talk to Cecilia. "You're getting married?" Ben asks. "Yeah," you nod, "I'm marrying Cecilia." "That was fast. When did this happen?" "Just now." "Oh..." Ben's voice lowers, "That's good. I'm happy for you, and I'm sure the team is too. " After the team has left, Ben turns to you. "So, you're my new mentor now, eh?" "If I'm not, I am soon," you reply. "I need to talk to you about that." "What is it? " "It's about the future. I need you to kill Ben, so that I may take his place." "What?! " "You heard me." "So, why would I do such a thing?" "You need to get with the times, man. You're from the past, you should be using social media. I saw you on Youtube, and I was amazed that a person from the 1800's had discovered the internet." "I don't even." "Then how did you discover that the MMS was destroyed?" "I was fishing through the rubble and found a card dropped by one of the members. It had instructions on rebuilding it, and we were able to do it. We've been working on our plan to rescue you, but it seemed appropriate to rebuild the group after all you've done to try to free us." "Wow. That's some dedication." "It is. I'm still amazed that you were able to make friends with some of them. I had to kill one of them, and I'm a little squeamish about the idea. " "Yeah, it took a while for me to warm up to some of them as well. I'm just glad we all came to an understanding." "Understood. I'll get you." "You will? " "Sure. We have a deal, and I'll honor it." "Fair enough. After my talk with Ben, I'll go with you." You nod, and decide to go find Cecilia. You have a few words for her as well. You're surprised that she didn't insist on coming to talk to Ben herself, but that's Cecilia for you. She always did like the safety of the sidelines. Meanwhile, Ben is walking over to you. Ben is a large man, and you're not quite sure why he was chosen to be the leader of this group. Maybe it's because he looks the strongest, and he's been here the longest? He's not stupid, but there's a limit to how intelligent he seems. "What were you and Cecilia arguing about?" "She told me to kill you." Whether it's a question of whether you're surprised or not, you aren't going to answer it. "Figures she'd be anti-socialist." "I'd say that's a very '17th century' way of looking at things." "I'm not a Socialist, free market. There's a difference." "I guess, but it seems pretty similar to me." "So, you and her have come to an understanding?" "We have. She'll be joining us." "What?! " "Cecilia is coming with us." "You heard me, and this is final too. You're coming with us." "But... Cecilia and I... we're in love." "What difference does it make? You're going to be working together anyway." "Yes, but... I don't want to just be working together. I want us to work together. I'm not going." "Don't be so dramatic." Ben says, rolling his eyes. "You're coming with us, or I'm going to have to kill you." "So be it. Kill me then." You say, putting your hands up. Ben raises his gun Slowly, as you stare at him. He lowers his gun. "Sorry Cecilia. He's dead." He says, not sounding sorry at all. Cecilia walks out from behind the building. When she sees Ben pointing the gun at you, she slowly walks over to him, her hands raised. "I thought we were allies." "Aren't we? Seems like he's betraying us." "No, it seems like he's protecting our nation from falling into the hands of fascists. I'm on his side." "Yeah, that's what I thought." "Ben, I love you, but you need to put the gun down." "I don't feel like it. Besides, maybe I'll just kill the two of them, and then you'll be under my thumb." "I think not. You might kill him, but I know how skilled you are with a gun. I'm sure I could at least take you out. Then what would you do Ben? Would you slink away in the night and plot revenge? No, I don't think so. You'd just have to live with the fact that you let your emotions cloud your mind and lost what is rightfully yours." "She has a point Ben." You say. "Fine, we're doing this the hard way. You two ready?" "Ready." You both say. "Then let's do it." Ben turns, and you hear three shots going off. Two by Ben, and one by Cecilia. You fall to the floor, blood slowly leaking out of your chest. "Ben, I told you I'd kill you." "I know, but now you'll never know how this came about." With that, he walks over to you and takes the gun from your bloody hands. "Cecilia, I'm sorry." Ben says, then fires the gun three more times, blowing the back of your head off. Ben puts the gun down, and walks away. He doesn't seem to care, or even notice that he's crying. You stare at him in disbelief, before he disappears. This is the true face of the revolution, crime pays, and everyone ends up dead. Choosing to begin anew, you propose to Cecilia, and she accepts again. Now, you have your son to raise. You'll have to be a better person than your father or grandfather. Cecilia will certainly try, but she can only teach him so much. It's up to you now. You're going to make the best out of this situation. This is your life now. "Good morning, Dad," Your son says to you 20 years later. "Morning, Daniel. What would you like to do today?" "I dunno, you're the fun dad." "Alright then, how about we go on a hunt? I put some food aside for us." "Really? You didn't have to, you know." "No, I wanted to. I've been feeling a little hungry lately anyway." "Do you think...I could go on the hunt with you?" "Well, if you want. I mean, you don't need my permission. You're old enough to take care of yourself." "I know I am, but it'll be more fun with an instructor. You're so good at everything." "Yeah, that's because I've been doing these things for decades. Still, you're the master hunter, so you know all the tricks of the trade, right?" "Tradition says the best hunter becomes the instructor. So does that make you the-" "I am the Grand Protector of tradition, yes." Daniel grins from ear to ear. You can't help but laugh along with him. You haven't had this much fun in decades. This is how it should be, not this mass rebellion and sense of justice that the media has made it out to be. You look at your son, and know itai well that you raised him right. You were meant to be a grandpa. You haven't lived happily since Brenda died. Your son will help bring a new meaning to the word. You and Daniel spend the rest of the day going on small hunts to re-filling your larders, and generally spending quality time as father and son. It's like you're supposed to. Before you know it, night is falling again, and you take your son back home. There's a part of you that's glad it's dark. A blush of pink is barely peeking above the trees you walk past, and you know it's Cecilia. She's been looking out for you today. You return home, tired and ready for sleep. You have a lot of having to do tomorrow. You thank Daniel for a nice day with his father, then head upstairs. You take off your boots, then get into bed. You feel yourself drifting off to sleep as you think about how good it is to have a normal, happy family. You never thought you'd ever be in this position. Why not enjoy it while you can? You drift off to sleep smiling. Good night, son. Good night, Dad. Then, you sleep for the next 8 hours or so. In the morning, you wake up. Good morning, Daniel. You peek out the window, but it's still dark. You yawn, then get up and go downstairs. You put on a pot of coffee, then grab the remote from the coffee table and switch on the TV. The first thing you see is some breaking news. And it's not good. The terrorists have taken over the city. They've been conducting attacks in various parts of the city, and already a mass exodus has started. The terrorists are led by Mickey Mouse Jr. You see a photo of him next to a headline. YOUNG MICKEY MOUSE LEADER OF TERRORIST GROUPS " "Of course he is. But Team Never Ending Story disbanded decades ago. They need successors. You're the closest thing they got. "I'm getting out of here." You grab some clothes, then get into your car. You decide Daniel will take your place. But you need successors for Cape, Chase, and Benelux. Your group is the only option. Ben, Cecilia, and you will hold the city together. You call to ask if they're in the city. "We're at Ben's house," says Ben. "What's going on?" "The city is lost. You need to leave." "We can't, we've become comfortable here," says Ben. "We're not going anywhere. Good news, we've got a lead on a new city." "New city, what kind of lead? "We found out about a city called Arrray where there-" The line goes dead. You curse into the phone. "Sorry about that," says Ben's mom. "He went out to get some food, he'll be back." Great. You have to talk to Ben's mom instead. "Hello?" asks Ben's mom. "Hi, I'm-" "I know who you are. You're the leader of the terrorist group that's attacking my son. You need to leave this city before you get hurt." "I've gotta talk to Ben," you say. "It's really important." "Ben isn't available right now. You need to leave the city, or you'll be punished. If you don't leave by the end of the week, you won't leave at all. You and your terrorists will be killed. So who is it going to be, Mr. terrorist, or do I need to find someone else to kill? You stay silent. "Well? I hope it won't be a problem, but we'll kill all of you," says Ben's mom. "I have no problem killing terrorists. If you had been honest with me from the beginning, this wouldn't be an issue. But now, we're going to kill you all. Have a nice life in that terrorist group of yours. It'll be short, I assure you. Bye. Click You hang up the phone. Daniel buzzes you in. "Good luck," he says. You get in the elevator, then speed down to the lobby. You make a beeline to the front door. A few cops try to stop you, but they're no match for your combat prowess. You send them to hell with your supernatural fists, then walk out into the street. A news helicopter is flying over the city, and the reporter on board is commenting on the situation. You decide to change your name to Hazel, using make-up and a wig. You buy a newspaper on the way home, then use the paper to fake your death. TV stations pick up the story, and with it your new name, Hazel. You're living the good life now. You have servants to do your chores, a nice house, cool friends, and a hot girlfriend. You don't need boys to feel happy. Cecilia finds you, and says you remind her of her missing husband. She says she wants to make you happy, so you and her have wild, hardcore, no-strings fun. To be fair, you do enjoy it. You decide to become a school teacher. You figure you can use your studly appearance to attract more students, and because of your past, you get a lot of students who are interested in your tale of valorous derring-do. Between your combat skills, stories of your past, and over all "positivity", you're a natural at your job. You also dabble in motivational speaking on college campuses, which pays well. By day, you live in a blissful reality. By night, you haunt the streets as Hazel, in a never-ending quest for justice. Then you save a man's life, and he develops feelings for you. You have decided to live a normal life. You may settle down with this man, and live happily ever after. You're not there yet. This could all still end horribly. You still have a lot of bad things in store for you. In the meantime, you'll enjoy a relaxing day in, before getting back to business. You decide to learn more about the man. You find out his name is Vamp, as he goes by this name when speaking to others. His real name is unknown, as he has gone by several different ones over the years. You introduce Vamp to Cecilia and Daniel. He falls in love with Cecilia immediately, but given that he's a vampire and planning to eat her, that's hardly surprising. Daniel isn't bothered, while you find out that you have strong feelings for Vamp. Vamp plans to woo you over the next few nights, and take you out on the "draw". You'll have to make the final decision. Whilst you wait, you decide to go out and "practice" on some civilians. You don't know when you'll get the chance again, so you want to make the most of it. You enter a coffee shop, and sit at a table by the door. A man and a woman walk in, holding hands. The sight of a married couple makes you grin, and you stand up to follow them. They walk to a table in the back corner, and you approach them. "Excuse me," you say, "could you two hold the table for me?" The man looks at you suspiciously, but the woman smiles and nods. "Of course," she says. "Thank you." You pull out a chair for the woman, then sit down. You pull out your phone and order a coffee, before glancing around. Vamp and Daniel are at a table in the far back, talking to some teenagers. Four eyes are watching you, two male and two female. "My full name is Hazel Jacqueline Killenger," You tell Vamp. "I'm sixteen, and I go to Harold-9123's school." "I'm Vamp," the man says, extending a hand. You shake it, noticing how warm his hand is. "Dad, what are you doing?" Daniel asks you. "Daniel, you were given an order from God! We'll talk about this later," the man says. "Dad, I told you, Hazel is-" "Nevermind, Daniel." You turn back to Vamp. "How about you?" "I'm Vamp. Quick question, do you like cool, or hot blood?" "What's the difference?" you ask. "Well, cool blood is like that of slushies and such. Hot blood is like that of taxis and shoving it up your bum." You laugh. "I like shoving it up my bum." "You have a dirty mind, Hazel Jacqueline Killenger." "Do you have any cool blood? I'm dying of heat right now," you say. Vamp looks around. "Maybe. Let's go to my lab, I can look. You follow Vamp outside, and walk through a park. Daniel informs Cecilia that you're cheating on her with Vamp. She's shocked and upset by the news, and tells you to go back to your house. You follow Vamp into a building, which turns out to be a lab. most of it being in the dark. A few beakers, bottles, and test tubes are on a table, next to a few Bunsen burners. "Ah, Hazel, you're here. Would you like some hot blood?" Vamp asks, "I can easily fix that." "Yes," you reply. Vamp fills a beaker with some sort of clear, red liquid. He grabs two test tubes, and puts one on the burner, and then places the other on top of the first. He turns on the heat, and smiles. "This should work," he says. Vamp switches the burner on, and grabs a pipette from a table. He squirts some of the liquid in the first tube into your mouth. It's hot, and you gasp as it burns your throat, but you manage to swallow it. The liquid in the top tube evaporates quickly, and soon there's just a small amount left in the bottom tube. Vamp grabs a sheet of newspaper and places it over the top tube, before grabbing the second tube and placing that on top of the paper. "There we go," he says. "Hot, fresh blood. Tasted good, did it?" "Yeah," you reply. "Thank you." "You're welcome. I'm in the mood for more fresh blood, however. How would you like to help me out? I can use someone strong, like you." "What's involved?" you ask. "Nothing much. Just cut someone's throat and let the blood pour into a beaker. Simple, really." "Sure," you say. Vamp takes a knife out of his belt loop, and holds it to the throat of a lifeless rat, which he grabs by the neck with his other hand. "Hold on, Daniel!" he says. "I can't promise this won't hurt." You grab the knife with both hands and hold the rat's neck tightly, cutting through bone and spinal cord with ease. Blood spills out over the bottom beaker quickly, and the beaker begins to fill up. Vamp puts the rat in a large beaker of boiling water, and places it on a hot plate to sterilize it. "There," he says. "We're good to go." You and Vamp walk slowly out of the lab, heading towards the cafeteria. You both sit down to a large dinner, and chat about random things. Eventually, you head to bed. While in bed, Vamp discovers your true identity: Jacob Thomas Killenger. His eyes widen, and he grabs his gun from under his pillow. He points it at you, and you sit up. "What's the point of me saving your life if you're going to shoot me? I'm the real deal," he says. "That remains to be seen." You stare at each other, with Vamp holding his gun at point-blank range. He's aged a lot since the seventies; he could probably break you in half. "Dead," he says. You kiss Vamp. Vamp kisses back, pushing you onto your back. You begin to help take off his clothes, and he pushes you down, tearing at yours. After a few minutes, you both collapse next to each other, almost exhausted. "Do you believe in fate?" Vamp asks. "But I lied to you," You say, confused. "I'm not Hazel, I'm Jacob." "Oh? Then why did you pretend to be her? Why tell me you were her?" "I don't know. I thought it'd make things more interesting." Vamp smiles. "How so?" "You liked Hazel, right? Well, I figured you'd want to be with her. I mean, she obviously still has an impact on your... well, whatever you are." "It's called a crush, sunshine," Vamp says, shyly. "I've had them before." You nod. "Well, then you'd understand why I did it. I figured you'd... try to win her back." "You're strange, you know that?" Vamp says, smiling. "Go to sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow." You nod, and the pair of you embrace each other, falling asleep in the bed together. --- You wake up late, with Vamp already up and getting organized. You walk into the bathroom as Vamp washes his face. "We need to be at the Madness recruitment center by ten," he says. "We have an appointment with Mr. Sunshine." "Who's Mr. Sunshine?" You ask. "The leader of the League. You'll meet him today, and he'll tell you whether or not you get to be a Vamp." "So if I get accepted, do I get to join?" "Sure. If I get accepted, you get to join. If I get accepted, you get to join... there's a lot of ifs in there, isn't there? But it's alright, we're practically family at this point." "Are you leery of being in the service of a vampire?" "I'm leery of being in the service of a vampire who just stabbed me in the back as I'm falling asleep. But that's neither here nor there. We should get going now, if we want to be on the safe side of the city. I'm a little hungry, in case you haven't noticed. I'd forgotten about that. I'll have to make a point of it every night from now on." "I have some sunflower seeds and bacon in my bag. Let me know when you're done. I'll find you when I'm done eating." Vamp meets you as you walk out of the bathroom. He takes the bag, and looks inside. "Excellent. You seem to have thoughtfully stocked up on food for me." "You said you were hungry," you say, confused. "I'm hungry now! How long have you known me? How long have you known I get hungry out of season? Has it really been that long? Oh, it's comes up. Spring is coming. The hunger is coming. I have to pick up supplies. What else are friends for? Ha, I'll see you soon, I'm sure. You're off to a good start with these." Vamp eats the entire bag of sunflower seeds in record time, and you've barely touched your half of the supplies. Vamp finishes and washes his face, picking up his bag. "Well, you're certainly stocked up. I suppose I'll see you when I get back." "When are you going to be back?," you ask. "I dunno. A few days? I'll text when I'm on my way back. You can stock up more then. I'll see you then, Jacob. I'm sure we'll become great friends. You seem like a pretty cool guy. Just remember, I'm your best friend. No one else can do what I can. Also, no one else can do what I can do. Remember that. And if you ever need help with anything, don't hesitate to ask." You stand there and watch as Vamp disappears into the trees. "I'm your best friend. No one else can do what you can do. Also, no one else can do what I can do. You head over to explain things to Cecilia and Daniel. "I have to go on a quest." "A quest," says Daniel. "What's that? "It's none of your business," You say. You then lock Cecilia in the basement. Of course, she can still hear everything happening outside. "So... what are we doing on this quest?" "Daniel, I have to go on a quest. You and Cecilia are the only ones strong enough to help. I need back-up." "Who else is going?" "Cecilia, Owen, Hazel, and Frank are all coming with me. Probably the most skilled, but they don't have as much experience as we do. You'll have to take care of most of the fighting, and make sure they stay safe. When the zombies attack, get the hell out of the way, then whack the nearest one's head open and shove his brains in." "I thought you were going to teach us something new. You tell Daniel to go to the forest and wait there. But you don't follow him. You stare at him, and slowly begin to fade into the trees. You hope he notices you leaving, but he's too busy staring at his feet to notice. "Zombies are stupid," You raid Cecilia's closet and steal her outfits. A dress and a leather jacket. Nothing else will do, so you rummage through Daniel's room and take his clothes as well, leaving him in boxers and a t-shirt. You then return to Vamp's house. He should be back any minute, assuming he's not taking as long as he usually does. "Vamp should be back in about an hour. You'll be fine if you stay here," "My, my, you look quite beautiful, Jacob." Vamp says. You're not sure if he means it, or if he's mocking you. You don't care either way. You then convince Vamp to move into your old house. Cecilia is still locked in the basement. "I don't trust him. And I don't want you coming and going as you please. We'll be safer in the house, together," "You sure you don't want to stay at your father's house?" "I'm sure. You go to Cecilia's place of work to steal her job. Stealing the radio station is the first thing. You hook it up to the PA system. You then work on stealing the rest of Cecilia's identity. You take her social security card and driver's license, and use them to get a new birth certificate in Cecilia's name. You also get a new purse and car, both of which you stow in the house. When you're finished, you wait around for Vamp. Every night, you and Vamp listen to hear if Cecilia is still breathing. Every morning, you wake up and hope that you don't. She is killed by a teenage boy who drives his car into a lake where she and Daniel are fishing. "That was fast," Vamp says. You hide her body in the basement, finally having replaced her fully. You spend the next few days sleeping. You wander aimlessly, trying to find a reason to go on. You visit Vamp, who sits in her chair doing nothing. She gives you a small smile when she sees you, but that's it. You remember that Vamp is a man, and you stole your wife's life. You're a monster. You don't stay with her any longer. You go to the river and find a rock, and sit down. You look at Daniel's picture, holding it in your hands. Vamp asks you to marry him. You say yes. That night, you drink her dry. You're a monster. She's dead. You feel nothing. You and Vamp grow old together. You grow old. You waste away to nothing, and die in each other's arms. Until finally your vampire transformation is complete. Both vampires, you and Vamp try to reintegrate into society. You feel like a pariah. You want to be normal, but you know you can never be like other simple humans. Eventually, you and Vamp learn to cope with your condition. You kill women and steal their identities. You're not sure why. Perhaps it's some twisted form of vengeance on those who took your true love from you. You wonder if you could one day conquer the world, and live again as a human, but you realize that with each victim your heart grows fonder of Cecilia's replacement, and you can't bring yourself to kill her. Your mind is forever changed, and your search for the truth has been abandoned in favor of simple survival. You're happy. Sometimes you even laugh. You have survived, and thrived, with the help of a vampire. Vamp has proven to be a dependable companion, a thrall even, to you. The two of you share a contentment with each other, and a love. Vompa is your eternal princess. You'll rule as king and she'll be queen. Vamp will be your doting princess. But one day, Vamp says he's leaving. She takes you by the hand, and kisses you. "I'm taking Daniel's boat into town. It's night, so nobody will see me leave." She leaves. You haven't been Jacob Thomas Killenger in years. You're currently Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. You're the leader of Team Never Ending Story. You sit, waiting. Vamp stays out for a long time. Hours pass, and you begin to get worried. "Vamp?" He arrives back home. His face is bloody, and he hides behind a large man. The man has long red hair, and a rather large blade on him. "Don't worry," he says in an old voice. "There was never a Hazel Killenger," The man says. "There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But I killed him. I killed her. I killed everyone. I killed you. Good night, Vamp. Sleep tight, darling." Finally, you go into the basement. You look at the chained up body of Cecilia. You take out your blade and bring it down to slam it into her neck, allowing you to drink... But it's no use. She's already dead. She's been dead for hours. You bang your head into the table in frustration. No blood pours out of your head. You take out your blade again, and this time plunge it into her chest. You drink, and laugh at the death that fills your body. You don't feel a thing. You don't care. You go to town the next night. You take from the poor, letting the government tax the rich. You do it every day. You're still Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But you keep on fighting. You're sure as hell not going to go down without a fight. You finally visit your sister Grace, and explain what happened to you. Her eyes widen when you show her the scar on your wrist from cutting yourself. "This is why I wanted to be a doctor," you think to yourself. "Why I played with Lego's instead of shootin' guns." She hugs you tightly, and you just hug back. You need your sister right now. A few years pass, and you're still fighting. Vamp leaves you for dead, abandoning you in the woods when he realizes he can't control you. As you lie there, you whip out scissors and cut your hair off. It's long, now. It almost reaches your waist. You take off your jacket, and wrap it around your waist. You cover yourself with dirt, leaves and twigs. You wait. As you wait, you remove your makeup too. Eventually, when you're a man again (and you sort of look like a hunchback), you stand up. You wander the forests and woods, taking what you need from those too weak to stop you. The years pass, but the scars on your face tell the story of a man who's been through hell. You're known as The Ghoul. Your son Daniel tries to fight you. "You killed my father!" He yells. You ignore him. Four years later, he has your daughter, Grace. You kill her soon after she's born. Every now and then you see Hazel on the news. She's still fighting against the government. You become Hazel again. You laugh. She still wants to be the first on her team, even if she's last to leave it. You become a hero. As a hero, you go to revive Cecilia. It's simple, really. Just a bite on her neck. You want one of her young, so you can raise it as your own. You tell her you prefer being a vampiress to a man. You don't bother curing yourself of your blood lust, and have her revive you. You become a vampire. Cecilia is relieved she's alive again, and kisses you. You're ready to take over the world with her by your side. You become a group called the "Lesbian Lusters". You laugh. You wouldn't know a Lesbian from a guy, but you go along with it for now. You become a media darling. You let Hazel lead. She had the charisma. You had the strength. You become a vampire lord. You have no army, no territory, no major accomplishments. You reveal to Cecilia your disassociative identity disorder, and Hazel is your other personality. You rage and scream and hit her. You blame her for making you psychotic. You hit her again, then again, then again. She attempts to stop you, but you bite her neck. Then, she stakes you. The psychiatrist says you died instantly. He says Hazel was in control the whole time. You weren't really a happy person, so it makes sense. Even now, you want to laugh at such a notion. Your funeral begins the next day. Hazel showed up, and you demanded she be chained. She was. The remaining VLs show up, as do a few humans to pay their respects. Cecilia visits. Grace arrives to say a few words. Daniel arrives. And that's it. That's your legacy: A failed attempt at taking over the world, and a dead man who's daughter is an abusive alcoholic. What a tragic hero you were. Good night, Mr. Killinger. Sleep tight, 'cause tomorrow we'll kill the world again. At your funeral, Grace (your sister) says, "Whichever was in control, Jacob or Hazel, my sibling lived a fantastic life. They once rescued me and a card box from a slaughterhouse. Today, we don't celebrate Hazel or Jacob, but both the individuals in this magnificent body. The world may be less bright without them, but they would always want us to keep fighting. Rest In Peace, Jacob Thomas Killinger and Hazel Jacqueline Killinger, two great minds." Then, everyone applauds. You're buried in your home of Alton, in your backyard, near your parents and sister. Just another hero with a tragic story. Daniel uses a ritual to summon your ghost. "Hey, Jacob. We need to talk." Daniel sits next to you, and places his arm on the grave. "I know who killed you. It was Hazel. "I killed a person who shares my body?" You ask. "But why?" "She was a lesbian. Possibly trans. That's why she betrayed you. And that's why she killed herself." "I see. Thank you for bringing this to me, Daniel." "Thank you for being you. I'll never forget you, brother." Grace looks at him with a frown. "Who are you talking to?" "No one." Daniel gets up, and walks away. Well. That was an interesting experience. You decide to haunt Daniel. Whenever he has a nightmare, you appear and scare the bejeezus out of him. This continues for about a week, until finally, Grace gets tired of staying up all night to look after him. "Jacob, you need to stop doing this," she says. "Daniel's become a wreck due to lack of sleep. It's not healthy." "Fine. I'll stop." "Thanks." Grace walks away. The next night, you stop haunting. Daniel never mentions it ever again, and life goes back to normal. You'll just have to haunt other souls. You figure you'll go after Cecilia's soul, since she murdered you. When the time is right... Hey there, Cecilia. You almost laugh at the thought of you being a lesbian. She's such a manly woman. Also, how stupid would it be for her to fall for you? You're a ghost. She'd literally be cheating death itself. Nevertheless, you begin to haunt her. Whenever she falls asleep, you appear and scare the hell out of her. She complains to James, who says that he'll talk to you about it later. A few months pass, and life goes back to normal. You continue to haunt Cecilia, to which she continues to come to you complaining. The pair of you continue this cycle. One day, you go to class... Hey there, Cecilia. What a surprise to see you here. You know, I'm probably the only person that actually knows who you are around this school. Everyone else barely acknowledges your very existence. How's high school going for you? You seem bored. Boring, even. I suppose it is. There's not much to do around here. We have a few parties here and there, but nothing to really catch the eyes of the... well, the "masses." You're missing out, Cecilia. I guess James is here with you. Is he prettier than me? (Sigh) He's different. I still haven't gotten used to that. The whole town is full of pretty people, it seems. I think I like your look more. It's not as fake. Huh. I guess you do know me. I guess not, then. I'll just leave you to your babbling... Bye, Cecilia. See you later. You vanish, leaving a confused Cecilia behind you. Later, in detention... Hey there, Cecilia. Why are you sitting by yourself today? It's not like you to be the new person sitting alone. Also, it's probably for the best that you sit by yourself. Weirdos like Jacob don't tend to be popular. Not that you care... So, what have you been in for again, Detention period is over. Oh, you know the deal. You're in for a beating. I'm not even going to bother with a plea bargain this time. You're going to get the full force of my fist, not to mention what other tortures I have in store for you. Terrific. Anything else I should know? Not right now, but if you have something to tell me, I'll be sure to hear it. Well, I'm going to go over the rules... Stay after detention. Don't use the library as an escape route. Don't try to see Cecilia. Don't attempt to leave the school, at all. Got it. Well, you've certainly gotten my attention. A girl from another school trying to romance me? Why don't you just jot down a suicide note and give us a final solution to the problem instead? You don't respond. It's not like you really have much of a choice at this point. detention Wow, didn't expect that from you. I guess maybe I can take a hint. So... What were you saying? You have something to tell me? Yes, what is it? Well... You're going to have to be more specific than that. There's this girl... Well, okay, not just a girl, but she's a really pretty one. Yeah, pretty standard. Well, she's in my class, but I think she's trying to pick me out because she's jealous of me. I also think she wants to be my girlfriend. Hmm, not jealous, eh? That's odd. Well, it's not like I like her or anything, I don't think, but I don't want to make her angry either.... Um... So... What's the problem? I don't want to make her sad or mad.... Oh dear. You've really done it now. This girl sounds like she has some serious issues. If you were a lesser man, you'd probably feel sorry for her. As it stands, though, you still have to take her home, and you have no idea how to do that. You could just say, "Fine, you don't have to come with me. I'll leave." That would make her happy, and you're fairly certain that wouldn't make you happy. You could tell her the truth. Again, you aren't sure if you'd make things better or worse, but you suppose it couldn't hurt to try. You could lie. You'd have to come up with a lie that you're sure she'd buy, because the whole point is to make things easier for you and you're fairly certain it won't be easy. Well, options are options, but in any case, you're fairly certain only one of them is going to be completely beneficial. You just need to figure out which one. Oh, and you also need to tell her the truth, so you can get out of this crap. Well, I'm sure you already know what you're going to do. Yeah. That... Seems like the best way to handle this. It's always so hard to be honest with her. If Cecilia were here, she'd probably say to just tell the girl the truth. That's going to make things a whole lot harder though. Still, this Cecilia isn't going to help you with this problem either. All she's going to think is that you're trying to push someone away because you have a thing for her. Oh well, time to do what needs to be done. So, I guess you're going to have to tell this girl the truth. Well, that's what you're going with anyway. Your other big decision is whether or not to say you have a crush on her. This isn't some pathetic it's-not-me-itis attempt. You genuinely do. You just don't know how she's going to react to hearing that. Is she going to be insulted? Annoyed? Delighted? You have no idea. You're fairly certain the last thing she'd be is flattered though. Girls aren't really into guys who are into them. That's an insult to their ego and it can cause bouts of low self esteem. Even if they don't think it, it still hurts their feelings and that will just make their behavior worse. Still, you have to try. You don't know how you're going to fix things if you don't. You have some ideas, but you're still working on that. In any case, this is the situation: You're going to have to tell her you like her. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but you're going to do it. The question is, how do you do it? Should you just tell her you have a crush on her right after she thanks you? What if she gets angry and accuses you of saying it to provoke a reaction? Do you tell her after she's given you the rundown of all the things that have happened over the course of this adventure? You think you know what you should do, so the question is, do you have the courage to do it? You're drawing a blank on how to act. If you're going to do this, you need to get up the courage. ... Well, this is awkward. You've never had to do this before... You head downstairs to the living room and find Cecilia there, waiting for you. "Hey, Jacob." She says calmly. "Um, hey Cecilia. I was wondering if you-" You stop yourself right there and take a deep breath. This is it. "Cecilia, um..." "Yes?" She asks, turning to you. Why do girls have to be so pretty? This is why you don't ever have crushes. It messes with your mind. Why do you have to be so handsome? Men like you Sp Notification: You have a crush on Cecilia. Current score is 7/25. Spin the wheel! Choose your course of action: You're socially awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. "Cecilia, I'm a girl," You say. She looks at you confused. "What? No, you're a boy." "I'm a girl. I have a crush on you." She raises an eyebrow. "You do?" "Yes." She raises her eyebrow even higher. "I don't think I've ever seen you around before, do I know you?" You gulp nervously. "No, I just u-um... I just sort of had a feeling," You say. "A feeling?" She asks skeptically. You take a deep breath. "My name is Hazel. I live inside your husband's head." You explain. "What? No, my husband doesn't have a stalker." She says. "Really? Because I'm sure he'd be the perfect one to have one." "He doesn't. I promise." "I am his other self," You explain. "But I like you either way." She raises an eyebrow. "You're his other self?" "Yes," you smile. "Do you have a pen and paper? I could tell you more about myself." "Um, OK," She says, fumbling with something. "Do you mind if I ask what you're doing?" You ask. "I'm preparing an explanation for my friends," She says. "If you don't mind." "Go ahead." "So, what's your name?" She asks. "Hazel," You smile. "What are you planning on telling your friends?" "The truth." "Sure," You smile. "I'll be waiting outside." You walk outside and wait for your ride. Soon, it arrives. "Hey Hazel," Charlie asks. "Charlie," You smile. "You're pretty quiet this evening." He says. "Sorry," You say. "I'm a little overwhelmed by all this." "Hazel, welcome to the family," Dad says. "I know you've had a horrible couple of days, and you've come through it. You will always have a home here with us, OK?" You smile and nod. "Thanks, dad," You say. "You want to tell me what's going on?" Dad asks. You calm him down and tell him everything. It goes much smoother than with Cecilia. "That's great, Hazel," Dad says. "We love you no matter what." "I love you too," You hug him. You meet the rest of the family. They seem just uninterested in you, which is just as well. Even if they weren't, what would it change? You had a good time with them. You feel loved for the first time in your life. Soon, it's time to say goodbye. "Bye Hazel," Dad says. "We're so proud of you." "Bye Hazel," Momma and Cecilia say in unison. "Bye Hazel," The rest of the family says. You walk to the bus stop. Charlie is already there. "Hey Hazel," He smiles. "That was quick. You ready to go?" "Yeah," You smile. "Thanks for being my ride. That was really nice of you." "No problem," He says. "Hey, do you want to go to that new hang out place of mine?" "What is it?" You ask. "The top of the Ferris wheel at night," He says. "It's supposed to be really cool to see the city." "Yeah, OK," You smile. "I'd love to see the city." You get on the bus and ride back home, where you quickly fall asleep. When you wake up, it's time for school. You get ready and head off to Mr. K's class. You manage to keep your head down and not pay much attention. Later, when school ends, you say goodbye to your friends and walk home. You walk past the drug store and continue on home, thinking about Charlie's eyes. "I like hazel eyes," He says. "Every girl should have them." You shake your head. What is Charlie on? You enter your home and find your mom and dad waiting for you. "Hello Hazel," Dad says. "We need to talk to you." "Oh," You say. "Alright." "Come into the kitchen," Mom says. "Both of you." You follow your parents into the kitchen. "Hazel," Dad says. "We're going to have to talk about something that's been bothering us. It's about your powers." "Mom, dad!" You say in unison. "Now," Dad says sternly. "Hazel, you have grown considerably more powerful over the years. Powerful enough that you could be a danger to yourself and others, and for that reason we're going to have to tie your powers down. You'll be going to a special school away from normal people." "But I don't want to go to a special school!" You exclaim. "Can't I stay here with you guys? I don't want to go!" "We're sorry Hazel," Your mom says. "It's for your own safety. The school will help us train you how to control your powers more, as well as how to hide them better. It's the best solution." "But I don't want to go!" You wail. "Listen to your dad," Dad says. "This is how it's going to be, so just deal with it." You stand up and you're about to walk off, when Dad stops you. "Just calm down, we're not done yet," Dad says. "There's more. Because of your ability, we're going to have to get you a bodyguard. This will be very hard for you, but we know it's necessary. After discussing it with your mother, we've decided to get Jon." "Jon who?" You ask. "Jon Karson, sweetie," Your mom says. "He's very popular, so you shouldn't have any problems in that aspect. He'll be moving in with us slightly, so we can ensure your safety in a better way." Dad turns to you. "We want you to be nice to him, alright?" Dad says. "No killing, no abusing him, and if he starts showing any signs of having powers then you can kill him." "If," You switch back to Jacob. You don't want to argue with your dad, but you're not going to roll over and take it like a doll. "If what?" You ask. "If he starts showing signs of having powers," Dad says. "It's to make sure you don't kill him, because we still have to go through with the wedding." "Dad, I'm not killing Jon. If he starts acting weird, I'm going to tell him to go to the police, not kill him. And seriously, he can't have powers. You told me so." "Well, I'm not sure," Dad says. "I mean, I guess we can test him to see if he's... well anything for now." You sigh. Jon might actually be a fake. You didn't think it was possible, but you actually hate this guy a little more right now. "Fine," You say. "Good, good!" Dad says. "Great work as always, Hazel." You just want to go to bed, but you have to go with your dad. Instead, you decide to just wait in the car. A few minutes pass, and you start fearing the worst. "Jon!" Dad says, walking out the house. "We need to go." Your stomach drops. Jon stands outside the house, dressed in a nice suit. He smiles at you, looking genuine and friendly. "You're Jon Karson," You say, still in shock. "Oh, I'm so sorry sir!" He says. "I didn't recognize you in your younger form." "No, it's alright," Dad says. "Where's Hazel?" "I'm here," You reply. "You can let me out of the car." Jon walks around to the passenger door, and opens it for you. "Hi, I'm Jacob," You say to Jon. "It's a... small world, isn't it? I know all about you." "Oh?" Jon says, raising an eyebrow. "What do you know about me, Jacob?" "You don't have powers," You say. "At least, I hope you don't. I hope you're all clear." "You can check," Dad says, pulling out his phone. "I want to prove that it's safe, Hazel. Come on, Jon." "Okay," Jon says, stepping onto the street. "Thanks for being so honest, Jacob. I appreciate it." "No problem," You reply. "I'm sure I'll see you around, Jon." "Okay, darling," Dad says, as you roll the window back up. You watch as the two men walk towards a police car, and you start the car and pull away from the house. You stop for a moment, then grab your dad's phone. You look up the number to call the police, then realize you're sitting in a ' police car '. You put the phone down, and try to forget about it. "What was that about?" Dad asks. "Jon Karson," You reply. "Your date for the wedding." "He's not my date," Dad says. "He's your date." "Either way, I'm late for school." You pull into the school parking lot. A police car pulls in right behind you. "Hi, I'm Jacob Thomas Killinger. How may I help you?" You ask. "I'm Officer Karthun," The police officer says. "You're the boy who found the dead body, aren't you?" "I am," You reply. "We need to talk to you about that." You pause for a moment, before opening the door and getting out of the car. You shake Officer Karthun's hand, then follow him toward the school. "So, did you have to go see the principal?" Officer Karthun asks. "Yeah, after you called. I get in trouble. I'm sorry for the confusion." "It's alright. Confusion is good. It means you're human, Killinger. The world would be a very boring place if everything were perfect, no?" You don't really understand the joke, but you don't have time to worry about it now. You wait in the empty hallway for a moment. "So. About that dead body we found a little while ago..." Officer Karthun begins. "Yeah?" You reply nervously. "Well, do you know who it is?" "Not really," "It's actually my wife, Cecilia, from my previous incarnation," You say, overpowering Hazel. "Oh. Um, I'm so sorry for your loss," Officer Karthun says. "Thank you," You say. "So, did you know each-?" "I have to go." "Alright, Killinger. Talk to you later." "Bye," you say, trying not to sound too eager. You walk quickly to the administration office. You open the door and walk inside. "Hello?" You call. No response. You walk inside and see no one. You look around the room, but see no one. Then, you hear a scream. "SHIT!" You yell, as you look around for the source of the scream. You walk over to a door on the far side of the office, leading into a bathroom. You open the door to find a girl, around your age, with blood all over her. She screams again as you open the door, and a large man comes charging out of a nearby stall. "STOP!" He yells. You don't really have a choice, as he grabs you by the scruffy beard you were forced to grow for your dad's employer, Mr Scamander. "You're coming with me," he says. Along the way, you explain everything that's happened. "But in short, just call me Hazel," You finish. "I'm Karth," You say, as you extend your hand. "I'm Cecilia," She replies, taking your hand. The three of you walk into the principal's office. You sit in the waiting area, as Karth and Cecilia explain to the school what's happened. Soon, Mr Dendar appears. "Hello, Cecilia," He says. Tip: Remember to start a "do" input with a verb, ex: Attack the orc What does Chase McFly do? custom Created: Jan 23rd 2021 at 8:35AM Updated: Jan 23rd 2021 at 4:51PM Actions: 1628 0

You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late.

During your adventures you encounter many strange and scary things, which often scar you for life. One of the worst things you encounter is probably the Scablands, a horrible swamp filled to the brim with beasts that will rip you apart, including a creature you only refer to as 'The Man With No Face'. You narrowly escape this terrible place, but it has left a lasting impression on you.

Another very scary place you encounter is the Fantasy World, a parody of Final Fantasy 7's village and dungeon. You also pass through the Lilliputian Kingdom and visit the city of Brotol. There's several smaller villages in the area, some of which have barely survived the destruction of wars between the Kingdom and the Greusim Empire. You briefly visit one such village, where the mayor is attempting to protect his citizens from a massive dragon.

Finally you reach the Final Boss Battle: Mickey Mouse. He stands atop a skyscraper made out of the remains of the Empire's building! He holds the card box in an iron grip, and a fierce battle will take place. Will you be victorious? You will now choose which team member to use during the battle! You may only choose one. You choose Chase McFly. "Alright Chase, let's kick some mouse butt!" you say. "You'll help?" she asks. "Well you're my partner in crime and all, I'm going to help regardless," you say. "Alright then," she says, "Let's get on with this." You approach Mickey, your sword raised. Your dog tags jingle as you walk, and your muscles are clenched to strike. "You're not going to attack him with a sword?" she asks. "With a sword?" you ask, "What kind of magic does he have?" "Sting! Poison Sting!" she yells. You pull up your shirt to reveal your bare skin, and... nothing. He doesn't poison you. Perhaps he doesn't have time to poison you before your battle begins. You don't know. You're just happy that you're about to fight the man who killed your father. "Hah, youz tryin' ta beat da odds eh? Yoo-hoo, anyone fer ia betta than 8b and 8c? I'll take 8a! Come on down to the fight!" he yells from his tower. You approach him, and your sword is raised. He looks down upon you, smiling. "Think yoo can beat da odds? I've got a pair of dice here that say ya don't. Wanna risk yers?" "Ha, I don't bet." "Alright then. I better not lose. It's all the money I saved foa mah trip to da big city! Say, wanna join?" he yells, putting money into a bucket. "What's the bet?" you ask. "Two copper." "Done. What are the odds?" "Seven to four." "I don't bet either then." "Two copper says I win! Bet yooz!" "Alright then, two copper says you lose. You're on." "Yoo-hoo! Anyone in da house? I win!" You look to your partner. "You sure you wanna do this?" you ask. "Of course," she says, twirling her gun-bow around. She pulls an arrow and aims at a nearby building. "Just be careful," she says, nocking the arrow. You take a deep breath, before answering Mickey. "Alright, two coppers says you lose." "I be bettin' on moi, so I win again!" he laughs, putting down a five coin bet. "Sure thing," you smile, dropping the five copper coin in with his ten coin bet. "Let's get this over with," you say, twirling your sword around. You walk up to the mouse, who grins. He pulls a single copper coin from his pocket, showing it to you. "Yoo-hoo, anyone in da house? I win!" "I'm in," you say. "Come again?" he asks. "You're on." "Alright then, two to four. I win again!" he says, showing you the copper coin. "Sure thing," you say, dropping the copper coin in with the ten coin bet. "Hey, are youz gonna lose?" the mouse asks. "I'm not sure. There's a poor man's chance I guess." "Alright then, we'll do it like how we originally planned. Head on back home, I'll give youz a copper if youz win." You nod, smiling. This was the perfect way to settle this. You walk back, heading to the front of the line. You look at the screen and watch as it flashes up. "Name?" the robotic voice booms. "Chase McFly," you say. The screen flashes again. "Password?" the voice asks. "Mazda," you say. The screen flashes again, and a slot opens up. "Coins?" the voice asks. "Ten," you say. You step back, as a coin is put into the slot. The screen flashes, and the slot closes. The mouse approaches, grinning. He presses a button beneath the slot, and the tape smashes into you as you gasp. "IT'S RUBBER!" he yells. You fall to the ground, as the tape laughs at you. The mouse steps forward to your position, and puts the tape into the recorder. "This is fuzz!" he says. "The mouse? What's he done?" you ask. "He's pressed record! You two are having a conversation!" "Oh, great," you say, as the mouse laughs. "Now then, who are you?" "I'm Chase. Who are you? You're not supposed to be here." "I'm the mouse. We're testing to see how good you are at talking." "At talking? But we're not even supposed to be having this conversation. I was just given two coins to gamble. I lost." "I don't know anything about that. I was given two coppers to have a bet. I won." "Sure you did. Well, I don't have anything to tell you, do I? Now stop wasting my time." "Alright then, what do you want to tell me?" "I want to know about the girl. The cupid." "What about her?" "What do you know about her?" "Not a lot. Her real name is Olivia, and she's in our grade. She's on the chess team. I think. I hate her!" "Oh, she's nice then. Alright then, I guess that's it." The mouse nods, smiling. "We're almost out of tape," he says. "I was given ten coppers to talk to you for an hour, but we've finished the hour and I haven't gotten my coins yet. So, do you want to tell me what else you know about the cupid?" "Not really. I told you all I know." "Oh come on! I'm sure you know more about her than you're letting on. Maybe something happened that you don't want your parents to know about." "I don't do anything wrong." "But what if..." "Stop right there, mouse. What if what? What if she overdoses on C.P. gas? What if she throws herself out of a window? I'd bet my savings that you know plenty about her that I don't let on." The mouse's face falls. "You're a very poor liar, Chase," he says. "Fine then. What if I tell you something I know that I'm not supposed to?" "Go on." "My dad says that she likes to..." "Stop!" the mouse says, holding up a hand. "Please don't tell me anything else. I trusted you to tell me something, not the other way around." "Then why did you..." "Give me your savings. I gave you an hour to tell me something, not an hour and a half, Chase." "It's my savings. I can do what I want with it. You don't have any proof that I took it." "Yeah? Well there's the police to prove it too. You're lucky I'm giving it to you at all." The mouse sighs, looking down. "Fine," he says. "My dad's really, really rich. I have ten coins. That's all I really have. If you don't give me my ten coins back, then the police will take me and my dad, and we'll never see each other again." "What makes you think I care about your ten coins? If you don't give me my coins back, then the police will take you and your dad. It's a guarantee." "Because you're a nice boy and you don't want to see me taken away from my dad. That's why." "That's not why at all. Now give me my coins back." The mouse sighs, digging through his pocket and handing you the ten coppers. "There. Take them back," he says. You look at the coins, counting them. "These are ten coins. That's your ten coins," you say. The mouse looks up at you. "That's my whole life right there." You put the coins in your pocket, grabbing the tape from the mouse. It dangles in the air as the mouse sighs, then laughs. "Ha, good luck!" he says. "Good luck, Chase. I'm rooting for you." "Thanks," you say, as the tape goes back in your throat and the mouse walks away from you. You sit down in the chair, taking a deep breath. "So, where am I?" you ask. "You're in a room," the computer answers. "What's this room for? What am I doing here? Am I dead?" "You're in a room, with no doors and only one way out. You are restrained. You ask a lot of questions. You're not dead, you're in a room." You walk over to the chair, sitting down in it. "Why am I here?" you ask. "You're in a room, with no doors and only one way out. You ask a lot of questions. You're not dying, you're in a room." "Why am I here? "To see if you're a video game cheater." "What do you mean?" "You aren't a cheater." "Are you sure? Maybe I'm cheating. Did you check to be sure?" "No." "Oh, good. Did you check if I was a cheater?" "Good. That means you weren't lying. Yay! Now we can let you go." "But I haven't even cheated," you say, as the tape stops. "Yeah, we know. We're letting you go anyway. You're not a cheater." "Oh. Right. What am I doing here?" "You ask a lot of questions. You're not dying, you're in a room." "Oh. Right. Thanks." You get up, walking over to the door. You look through the glass, seeing a key hanging outside the door. "Oh. Okay. I guess I'm free to go." "Of course. You're free to go." You stand up, looking at the door. There's no handle on the inside, so you push against the door with your shoulder. It opens easily, revealing that you're in a room with no other exit. You look around, before the door slams shut behind you. "What was that?" a voice says. You turn, finding a man in a dark suit standing there. He looks at you impishly. "Hello," the man smiles. "Hello," you reply nervously. "So, the police said you were a video game developer. What are you doing in a room like this? Are you a cheater?" "Erm... no?" you say. "Aw, why'd you lie? You're not a cheater. You're going to hell." "No, I'm not!" you say. The man shrugs. "Who knows? We're all going to hell anyway. We might as well try to get in early." The man smiles. "My name's Walter. What's yours?" "My name's Chase, Chase Patrick," you say. "I don't know why I'm here. I've never cheated at a video game in my life." "Never?" Walter says, arching an eyebrow. "No! I don't even own a video game console! I hate violence! I only watch rated G movies! I've never even shot someone in the head before!" "Oh, well that's okay then," Walter says, shrugging. "Well, I've got to go now. Satan's waiting for me." "SatAN!" you shout, trying to stop him. "You won't get away with it! Someone will find a way to...! Hey! You've escaped from a room with no doors and only one way out. How did you do that?" Walter stops, turning to you. "That's just it. I don't know. That's why the police brought me here. I was screaming, and screaming, and screaming, and then I was in this room. I don't remember how I did it. How do you do it? How do you know when you're inside a video game, and how do you leave?" Walter walks forward, offering his hand. "Good luck, Chase," he says. " How do you get out of a room with no doors and only one way out?" Walter is staring at you hopefully. "I... I don't know." "Ah... well, that's okay then. Good luck, Chase. well then... I guess you'd better stay in here forever." "What? You mean I'm trapped in here? How can I leave if I don't know how?" "You'll find a way. You're a cheater. Good luck, Chase. well then..." Walter rubs his eyes tiredly. "I guess you'd better stay in here forever." "What? You mean I'm trapped in here? How can I leave if I don't know how?" "You'll find a way.I guess you'd better stay in here forever. Good luck, Chase." "Wait! How do I get out of here?" "It's a secret. A big, big secret. You can't tell anyone. You got it?" "Yeah," you say, nodding your head slowly. "I got it." "Good," Walter nods. "I've... got to go now. I'll pray for you." "Thanks," you say, as the man in the dark suit disappears into the blackness. You're in a room. A bare, stone room. There's a poor job of carpentry on the door, and it wouldn't surprise you if a single pane of glass was left in this place. No," Kit says. "This is a very boring room." "Not a bad job for someone who's only been here for two days. You'll get the hang of it. You'll be glad to have this room. Trust me." "Kit, are you alright?" Grace asks, turning away from the screen. "You don't seem very enthusiastic about this." "I'm fine," Kit says. "So what is it that you wanted to show us?" Grace asks. "Well, we found a journal," Kit says. "I've only... looked at it. It's in the original Norwegian, but I'm sure we'll be able to make some sense of it." "That's wonderful!" Grace smiles. "I can't wait to hear what it has to say." Kit nods. "Well, come on then," Grace says. "Let's... see what the Norwegian king had to say a hundred years ago." Grace flips open the journal, and turns to the first page. 'Day 1: I don't know what I'm doing here. I'm standing on the rocks, staring out to the endless, black ocean. It's freezing, and I have no coat. I have no coat. I have nothing. I'm hungry. I'm so hungry. I've been walking for hours. I don't know where I'm going. I just... have to walk. I have to move. My legs are like pillars of stone. I can barely move them. But I have to. I think I saw a light down the winding path. I have to see what it is. I have to. Oh, God. My legs. I can barely move them. I don't want to die here. Not like this. There's something out there. Something out there that will kill me. I have to see. I have to know. I have to see what lies beyond the light. I don't want to die here. Day 2: I'm so cold. I can't feel my fingers. I can't feel my toes. I'm just cold. Cold and empty. Holes form in my body. My heart stops beating. I feel nothing. I'm nothing. I feel myself falling into the void. But I don't know what's happening. Am I dying? I'm cold. So cold. I can't... I can't feel anything. I can't... It's getting dark. I don't want to leave this place in the dark. I look around. It's getting dark. There are weird figures standing all over the place. They're not moving. They're staring at me. They're staring at me! They're going to kill me. But they won't move. They won't blink. I don't understand. Why won't they move? What are they? I'm scared. Don't blink. Don't move. Don't make a sound. Stay here with me here. Just... stay with me. Stay with me here.' Grace slowly closes the book "What did you think of that?" she asks. "I don't know what to think," you say. "I really don't." "Meh," Grace says, shrugging her shoulders. "What do you mean by 'meh'?" "I don't know. Boring, I suppose. I've been to the bottom of the ocean. Scared me, that's all. I don't know what that thing in the journal was. I don't want to know what it was. It's probably something bad. I wouldn't want to be down there for all the tea in China." "So what did you think of it?" "I don't know. I found it kind of hard to stay focused. I think the language was a bit technical for me. I don't know. I feel like we wasted our day." "Did you find out who this 'Lena is? Did you make any headway?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Grace says, waving her hand in a shooing motion. "Don't want to talk about it. It's done. Let's go home." You're baffled. "Grace, this journal is important. It really is. You know more than most about looking safety first. That girl could be in danger, even now." "Please, just don't. Let's just... let's just go home." You sigh, nodding. "Fine." The two of you head back home, to your house. You place the journal into your bookshelf, vowing to look through it properly when you're not tired. As you lay down in bed that night, you wonder if you should've fought harder for this journal. You eat dinner in silence, and go to bed. The next morning, you set off for school. You walk into the school, and head to your seat. "Morning, Jacob. Sleep well?" your sister asks. "Sure did, sis," you say, sitting down. "You read the book, I hope," "Yeah, I finished it. It was okay. Didn't go too far past what I already knew. Didn't give away any major plot points." "That's good. You seem a bit... quiet today. Nothing really new to learn." "Just okay? I thought it was amazing!" "I don't know. I guess it just wasn't my thing." You shrug, and open your bag. You pull out your book, and begin to read. "You never read anything by Edgar Alan Purnama, do you?" Grace asks. "No, should I have?" "It's funny. You should read it. It's about a guy who goes into a spooky abandoned house. It's really good." "Are you reading a book by Edgar Alan Purnama?" Grace tutors you in the ways of good literature. You start reading, and within a few pages, you've read all the way through it. You can't believe you never knew about this book! It's so good! You read more, and more, until finally, the bell rings. "See you after school, Jacob," Grace says, as you wave goodbye. After school, you continue reading. In the bookshelf, you find dozens and dozens of other books, many of them classic. You spend your lunch reading. By the end of the week, you've read through most of your books. The few you left behind were definitely not worth keeping. You easily took four books with you when you left. In the evenings, you continue your routine. It's not too hard, as it's mainly reading and homework. You spend every day reading, sometimes for hours on end. It's amazing how much you've read, and how much you've learned. You're about to graduate, and you feel more intelligent than you ever thought possible. It's so easy to become engrossed in a book that you don't hear your mother coming to get you. "Jacob, come on, we're going to be late!" she says. You quickly put your book down, and head down the stairs. "See you later, Grace!" "Jacob? Jacob, are you home? I'm putting the TV on for the rest of the day. You know how your father hates it when I do that!" You shrug, and sit down on the carpet. You open your piggy bank, and pull out a $1 bill. You slide it into the TV's VCR slot, and hit record. You hit play, as the tape starts rolling. "Hey, Jacob! Want to come out and play?" a voice says. You look up from the floor, to see... yourself, from yesterday. The same yourself, with the same shirt and shorts, except today you're in a t-shirt and gym socks. "Come on, get your shoes on! We're gonna knock 'em dead!" the teenaged version of you says. You stand up, and walk after him as he runs into the foyer. The yourself from yesterday is standing there, holding the basketball out for you. "Let's go!" You slowly walk out to the driveway, and stop. Your father is leaning against his car, smoking a cigarette. He looks up, and you freeze. "Hi, Jacob," he says. You try to move, say something, do anything, but you can't. The car looks almost the same, although the paint job is much dulled from age. You look over at the garage, and see your parents' old car, a '74 Chevelle. You stare at it, you stare at the house behind it, and you stare at the street. "Wear the bracelet, OK?" your father says, before walking into the house.

You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. Finally you reach the Final Boss Battle: Mickey Mouse. He stands atop a skyscraper made out of the remains of the Empire's building! He's holding a remote control that starts the countdown for Team NES to die in a fiery death. "Ha ha!urances!" he laughs, as the doors open. "Let's rumble, bitches!" he says. "Come on, Team! Follow me!" Foury the Number says, as you all split up to avoid getting killed by his autoguns. Team NES runs into a room filled with hostages, including your sister. "Look, Jacob! It's Team NES!" he laughs, as Benelux stands over Grace, pointing his sword at her. "Grace, it's OK! You can let down your guards!" Benelux says. "Let's see if we can get that bloody fool to talk!" Sir Benelux says. You see your sister nod, as she waves you over to aadiis her. "Come on, kid! You and I can liberate these people together!" she smiles. "OK," you nod. You grab the ball for her, as she smiles. "Give me the ball! I'll make a break for it!" she says. "No, stay with the ball!" you say. "I can do it!" she says. "No, you let me play defense! I'm really good at it!" "OK," your sister sighs, and hands you the ball. You stand off to the side with the ball, as your sister approaches the heavy metal gate. "Here we go! Go, Jacob! Go, Team!" she says. You take one last look at your sister, as she walks forward to the front gate. "I'm sorry, Grace," you say. "Just don't let him get the ball!" she says, as Benelux laughs. You turn your attention to the front, as your sister walks down the stairs. "I'm here!" she says. "Hello there, Freedom!" Benelux says. "I'm so glad to see you!" "I'm not sure why I'm here," Grace admits. "Oh, you're here because I'm friends with your dad!" Benelux says, as the guards chuckle. "What's that? What are you saying?" your sister says. "I'm saying that your father is a complete idiot who let some of my friends from the Techpriests capture him so that I could use him as... entertainment!" "You've gotta be kidding me!" your sister says. "I'm not! They captured your father at the same time they captured me, and for the same reason! Heh heh heh!" "Well let's get them back!" your sister says. "Oh, I plan to!" Benelux laughs, before laughing as a bullet hits his arm. You look at the shot, and see that it came from one of the hostages who has been let free. "Well, well, well! Looks like you've been freed at last, Freedom! I guess that I owe you a debt of gratitude!" Benelux says, as the guards chuckles continue. "Let me show you to your room!" Benelux says, as he leads her away. You wait for a few moments, before making your move. You rush into the front gate with the ball, seeing many bodies on the floor. You avoid getting shot, though one of the guards does notice you. He aims his rifle at you as you run by. "Halt! You there! Get back here!" he says. You keep running, and he fires at you, hitting your arm. You're able to get away, and run straight into Benelux's office. You close the door behind you, and rush to the desk. You open the desk, finding a safe. You quickly try the combination, with success. You pull out the contents, finding a pile of gold coins. There's also a small, professional-looking camera with a memory card... You take the SD card out of the camera, finding a lot of images and bits of video. The files seem to be a log of what Benelux said, with timestamps. May 16th Today was definitely the day that we were going to get out of this place. We started off the day by having breakfast with Benelux. The food was a lot better this time, though I'm still not sure what it was. It didn't seem to do anything for me, but then again, I'm not a meat creature, so what does it matter to me? After breakfast we were let out of our rooms. We sort of knew what was coming, and I was right! It was the Techpriests! They came down, and through some technology pulled out all of our hooks and slave collars. It was a little painful, but I'm guessing once they did that, they did some testing to see if we were resistant to poisons and such. If they did, then they must have figured we're good to go. We were taken to a large room with other normals. Some looked terrified, others looked angry. The worst were a group of Chaos Space Marine who were laughing and joking around, seemingly oblivious to the pain and suffering around them. "Well, you are a lot of fun!" Benelux said. "Let's start the games!" Benelux shouts, and the room goes silent. "I want you to remember these faces. I want you to remember this day. I want you to remember your freedom, for this day we became free!" The room goes wild as Benelux starts laughing, and the guards nudge the laughing Space Marines, telling them to shut up as they shout in protest. One of the guards comes up to you. "Let's start with you, Norm!" He says, looking down at you. Norm is a status on Earth that means normal. You aren't, you're just plain ol' boring old normal. "I'm not Norm. I'm not a normal," you say. The guards eyes widen. "What? No! Norm is a status, not a name!" He says, looking confused. But, by agreeing to work for Benelux, you also became 'norm', which means you're now officially a slave. You let out a deep breath, before looking up at the camera. "Hi. My name is Oswald. Benelux sent me here for your amusement. If you want to see more, buy a ticket." You're just working along with the others to fulfill your needs for food, water, and safety. You have no rights. No name. No face. All you have now is the ticket that Benelux gave you, your status, your name, and your needs. You walk over to the room of the screaming, laughing, psychopathic Space Marines. While you'd normally be scared of them, you're too focused on your goal to care. "What's going on in there?" You hear, and quickly begin working to get the room quietened down. "I'm getting you all set up with some new slaves. Teamwork! It's what makes a team!" You hear Benelux shout from outside the room, as more guards rush into the hall. They must have heard the ruckus. "Wait! Don't kill them all!" you hear Benelux shout. "I need them for something!" "You're a prick, Ben!" one of the guards says. "They're Chaos, they're gonna screw up your plans! We need to kill them all! The Emperor demands it!" 48 more Space Marines rush into the room, and immediately begin shooting at the goings on inside. You're shooting as well, hopefully hitting something other than the enemy. Now!" "No, but they're my personal guards! Don't kill them! You'll mess up my plans!" "We don't care! We need to kill the enemies, not save their commanders! Now pick your men out and disappear!" The guards turn their backs on Benelux, and begin selecting which men to kill. You quickly hurry over to the Marines, selecting the two closest to you. "Sorry 'bout this, mate." One of the guards says to you, before you all quickly run out of the room and past the guards. Soon, you find yourself in a hallway, empty of just about everything. "Quick! Take out that camera up there!" One of the guards shouts, pointing upwards. You nod, running over to the camera. A missile launcher attaches to your Goliaths arm, and you quickly take aim. "Ready?" One of the guards asks you. You nod, pressing the trigger. The first missile flies through the air, and you direct it at the camera. It explodes into pieces, and the hallway is suddenly filled with smoke and dozens of men. Some of them are injured, some are dead, and others look like they're about to pass out. "What the hell happened?!" "The camera just exploded! Follow me!" You all quickly make your way through the halls, heading deeper into the ship. Suddenly, you find yourself in the arena. There's a dozen men there, holding each other up. "It's not going well!" One of them says to the group. "What's going on out there?! We can't keep getting caught like this!" You hear a voice shout from the speakers. It's Benelux. "We're trying to get out of here, sir! We'll be out soon! Send more troops to hold the bridge!" "Roger, we're sending whoever we can! What the hell happened in there?!" "There was a giant, anothe... Don't start the ship up!" "I've been hearing that for the past ten minutes! Where the hell are you?!" "We're trying to find a way out of here, sir! We're not rebels, we're-" You see Benelux back away from the arena, staring at you. "We're what, Ben?! What the hell are you doing? You need to get back in the arena!" "I'm not fighting these guys, I'm not a rebel! I'm..." He turns, and runs off. You sigh, realizing that he's ran out of time. You were hoping to convince him. "Rebels, huh? Well, let's get going then." You begin walking towards the giant portal, reaching it just as the ship begins powering up. "haha! Come on, baby! Let's get this show on the road!" A voice shouts through the speakers, as the lights in the room begin to flicker on and off. "We're shutting this thing down! retreat, now! retreat!" The lights flicker off, and the portal shuts down. "Hurry! Get out there and kill something! We'll be right behind you! Oh, and try not to die either! See ya in a few!" The ship powers down, leaving you in total darkness. You take out your datapad, typing out a message. "Benelux, I'm here to help you. Don't give up hope, I'm coming in." You send the message off, and within a few seconds, you get a reply. "Thanks, Hazel! Just stay in the arena, don't move, I'll come get you," you type. You send the message out, before continuing. The lights flicker on, and you sprint off to the side of the big arena, finding a small gap between the wall and the stone flooring. You crawl through it, spotting Benelux amidst the carnage. So much for hope. What you see is not pretty. You slip through it, finding yourself in a hallway. "This should be close enough." You whisper. You continue down the hallway, finding it completely empty. Feeling rather disappointed, you come to a small metal door, with a card swipe panel by its side. You press in the number revealed, waiting. "Hello, Sarah. I have a visitor for you." A deep voice comes through the speakers. You slide the card in, opening the door. "Hello there. Mind if I come in?" You step back, letting the man inside. He wears a welding mask that covers the bottom half of his face. He wears a red jumpsuit, with large metal armor plates covering his arms and legs. He walks over to you, extending his hand. "Don't worry. You're not going to get electrocuted." He says, as you shake it. "I'm Chief," He says, motioning to a chair in the room. "I'm Hazel." You reply. "So, you're the human who has decided to help us fight back." He says, taking a small cup of coffee from a small machine by his side and sitting down in the chair. "Well, I've never really thought of myself as human. I'm just a normal person, with a normal life, who had an encounter with some strange people who are now trying to kill me." "It's not really a fight back. We're still the under dogs." You reply. "No, I suppose we're not." He responds, with a small chuckle. "So, you've had some experience with the enemy? The Kaleesh?" You ask, with a sigh. "Unfortunately, yes. I led a platoon that was carving a path through them to keep the rest of our army moving. They had us surrounded, and in small groups. It was a slaughter. I bought my men enough time to get out of there, but then the Kaleesh finally caught me. By the time we got organized, it was one giant massacre. It was there that I received this. " He holds up a metal arm, with small claws on the end. They're much smaller than the ones the Kaleesh have. "These things are actually pretty useful. I cut up numerous Kaleesh with it." He chuckles. "I wish I could say the same for my unit." You reply, with a sigh. A few hours later... "We've made it this far. We might as well push on to the palace." You say, popping a Tic-Tac in your mouth. "Think the military will send reinforcements? It' would be nice to at least take down one of their kings." Chief says with a smirk. "Their army is more than capable of pushing us back. We'd be pushing them to secure our victory." "Well, let's hope their gutter trash doesn't have the common sense to run out in the open before we reach the king. You say, continuing down the hallway. Suddenly, a door on the left opens, and a small group walks out, laughing and talking. "That's far enough." Chief says in a low voice. We have them surrounded. I can sense it." You walk over to the group, staring them in the eyes. One of them notices you and gasps. "It's them! The ones from the forest! The ones who took our friends! Why are they not attacking?! They look so strong!" She says, stepping back. "Silence! You recognize us? I'm afraid not. The ones who took..." She starts to say, but is quickly silenced by Chief. "You recognize our faces? That's odd, we haven't been back out since our escape. How can you tell?" "Because they're the ones who took my brother! They're the ones who should pay for his kidnapping! They're the ones who turned our peaceful forest into this place!" "Quiet! I can't concentrate with all the noise you're making!" Chief says, glaring at the young girl. She stares at him, and her eyes start to fill with tears. "You... took my brother? But he was so... he was so kind! Why would you take him?" She asks, in between cries. You can feel Chief tensing up. "Hey, hey, easy... we didn't take your brother. We were just passing through the area. We wanted to explore, but then Kishak attacked us. We've been trying to escape these demons for months. A few of us made it out, and we're trying to secure the kingdom. If you want to become a hero, then you should tell us where the exit is located.

> BFrit are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of BFrit is human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and they all must save their card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. "The... the exit?" The girl asks, looking up at you. You frown. "I'm afraid not. We're not exactly the police. But you could become one with a bit of effort." You say. The girl's eyes widen. "What?! With these two?" You look to the side to see that Chief has drawn his sword, pointing it at you. The young girl tries to run past him, but is stopped. "Don't worry. I'm not going to kill her, I just want information." You say, trying to sound as nice as possible. "Chief, put the sword back in the sheath, or I will." You say. "Alright." Chief grunts, putting the sword back in the sheath. "Who are you guys, then?" The girl asks. "We're... explorers."

> Chase McFly "My birth name is Jacob. I'm a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late." Hazel says. "We're not exactly the police. But you could become one with a bit of effort." You say. The girl's eyes widen. "What?! With these two?" She asks, pointing at Chief and Kane. "You could become one of us." Chief, who had been waiting for this question, grunts in reply. "What does that mean? I don't want to be like you!" "I dunno, it's up to you. You join us, and you'll get to experience all of the things we go through. You know, fighting evil, supernatural threats, and having fun along the way. You get to decide what you do on our missions, be it fighting back, or just having some fun. You get to make decisions that could affect the mission, good or bad. You can't do that as a normal human, but as one of us, you get to be a part of it all." "What... what are you exactly? You keep calling us regular humans, but you don't look... human." "We're not human. You can't get the full experience of being a hero if you're just normal. You don't look like any of the creatures I've heard about." The girl says, stepping backward. "We're not monsters, if that's what you think. We're just different. I want to join you guys, but..." The girl says, looking down. She slowly lifts her head up. "But what?" you ask. "But I'm... just a normal kid. I want to go home. I'm missing something. I don't belong here." "So what, kid? Join the fun and enjoy your stay here! All you need to do is say yes." You say. The girl pauses, seemingly deep in thought. "I'll... I'll think about it. I don't want to regret going back home, and I'm sure I'll have tons of fun at your place. But... but I'm going to go back home first. Thanks for not killing me, guys. I'll remember this. Good luck in your future missions." The girl says, turning around and walking off. She gets out of your range, before you could reach out to grab her. "I'm sorry, I thought... I thought you were going to join us. If I had known you just wanted to go home, I would have... picked other words." You hear Chief say. "It's fine. But she did join us in our mission. She got an experience that's better than dying. So I say, mission complete." You reply. "Indeed. Let's head home. We all need some rest, and besides, Elios should be done with his work by now. Time to enjoy ourselves. We made a hell of a difference in this world, guys. And to all of the normal humans out there, enjoy your lives. You deserve it. We're doing this for you. We're the superheroes of the night. And we're never going to stop being heroes. Even if it kills us." You say. The group all nods in response. You return to the base, where you find that Elios has indeed finished his work. "So, now what? I'm guessing we don't have any new missions?" You say. "Afraid not, Karth. The New Terrares rebellion is more or less over as far as I'm concerned. We done changing the world? Because it looks like you're planning another one." You say. "Ah, yes. My work here is done. But your work begins now. I've set up a foundation where we can build a dojo, to train the new generation of heroes. You can have first dibs on training the kids there. Hell, you can have the first brood. I'm done with kids. Though I suppose your MeekMaid can have some..." Chief Brownwind pauses, before turning to you. "What the hell? NEVERMIND, Karth. You're part of the League, you should know by now. We don't have time for this. Get out of here, and go have fun." Chief says. You stare at him. You know that voice. That's the voice of the Chief you've always wanted to hear. You're a bit shocked by this, but it seems like you don't have much choice. You get your people together, and prepare them for the future. The next few years are... eventful ones. Namely, fun ones. The League manages to take in a lot more people, due to all the chaos and rebuilding after the New Terrares War. And it's certainly a rebuilding period. You have a huge dojo, where people from around the world come to train under various fighting styles, mainly for defense against crime since you don't actually ask them to join the League. But hey, it's a start. You end up having quite a large family, and you love every moment of it. Thank God the Buddhists were few and far between on this world... Good thing for you that they were too, because you're one of the few remaining humans on the planet. Of course, you're not the ONLY one left... The time comes where you have to choose who to send to the League's new headquarters. It's a touching scene, as you choose (and convince) your "siblings" and "cousins" Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. You walk away, as you watch your family and friends head to the new headquarters. You look through the trees, and see a large man with a gray beard standing by himself. He walks over to you. "So. This is it, then. Our new home. I'm Chief." The Chief says. "I know. The League sent us a message." You respond. "Ah. That tends to happen. Come on, I'll show you around." The Chief grins and takes your hand, leading you through the trees. It's been years since you had to walk around, and you're quite rusty. It doesn't take you long to realize you're more than a little lost. The Chief seems to sense this. "I know the League wants us to have space, but I wanted to at least have a base of operations near here. Now you're here, I guess you can choose where we build the dojo." The Chief says, leading you around a large rock. You look around. In the distance, you can see a cliff, with cave entrance underneath it. "What's in there?" You ask. "Oh, just a small underground tunnel leading to our old home." The Chief says. "It's not like anyone's going to find it. So, what do you think? Where shall we build our dojo?" "Erm... amongst the trees?" You suggest. "The forests make for the best defense, after all." "You think so?" The Chief asks, raising an eyebrow. "You sure that's a good idea?" "What, you prefer concrete? You're half rabbit. "I don't see why. I mean, one of my men, Zidane, he's designed some cool uniforms. They make the best shade." "How? He's a mime." I mean, concrete blocks can only shoot out spears and swords." "It's a simple matter of tactics. We hide in the trees, they don't. It's all about ambushing and archery. You shrug. "The ladies love mimes." The Chief scratches his head. "Zidane's pretty hot. I think I'll go for the uniform idea." You want to be able to dodge and move freely in the trees. concrete doesn't allow for that." "Hmm. You might have a point there. I used to do some reading in between fighting, you know. One of the books I read talked about the best ways to train your soldiers. One of the tips was to have areas set aside for archery training, for snipers who want to have a long range advantage. What do you say about a compromise?" You nod eagerly. "Definitely." The Chief smiles. "Good to know I'm not wasting my time. So, you agree to the compromise? We won't build the dojo here, but we can set one up in the trees." You agree, and the Chief smiles happily. "Trees it is! I'll see what I can do. Now, come on, we should get back before Zidane's sent to hunt us down for treason. He's tricky like that. Hey! Where are the other two!? Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter. Let's go! " You follow the Chief back to the camp, where your team is sitting around. They look at you, but don't say anything. You're not sure whether to be creeped out or honored. "I'll be back later, I'm going to talk to the commander!" The Chief shouts. His team immediately gets up and leaves, and you're left standing awkwardly with him. "Well, come on." He says, walking away. You shrug and follow. You walk through the forest for a while, reaching a clearing. In the center is a dome, a bright blue color. Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus) are in the dome. Mickey Mouse has kidnapped our friend Views the Cardbox to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. "Hey! Killinger, where were you?" "I was talking to the commander." "About what? We don't have anything important." "Yeah, but he needs to know we're ready. Argh! This group is just made of idiots!" "What's going on? Who are you?" "His name's not important. He's just a traitorous little rat who thinks he can betray the Empire!" "The who? What are you on about?" "The Empire! I'm talking about the group, not the country! The group of people who have been looking after your well-being and making sure you've had everything you need! Why do you think I've been building this dojo? I'm trying to help you guys learn to fight! We're Eternals, and we've been looking after you, teaching you how to be warriors!" "Err...thanks? I guess?" "Yes, Killinger!" "I'm serious! But anyway, this is stupid. I just wanted to know what we're fighting, and now I know." "The Jicol Alliance. A group of rebels who think they're doing the right thing, but really they're just traitors. We know this because we're still part of the Empire, and loyal to the Emperor! We know this because we're in contact with the Imperial spies in the city, and they've told us ALLLL about them! They're planning to assassinate the Emperor, but what's worse is they have the gall to think they're doing the righteous thing!" "Well...I dunno what to say. I mean, I think they may have a point." "Of course they do, you're an idiot, that's why you're my second! Anyway, here's some info to take back to the team. Tell them that they need to report to the dojo tonight, where we'll figure out how to stop these terrorists." "Okay...okay."

He hands you a leaf-let, on it are several addresses and a time. You thank the Chief before leaving, and head back to the team, who are still waiting for you. "So......" "So, you're not mad about that, eh? Come on, I want to show you something." Cecilia grabs your hand, dragging you to the side of the path. "Look." She whispers, peering around the corner. There, in the grass, is an Eternals' encampment. There's a bunch of tents and such, but in the center is a large fire. You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus) ask what's going on. The the team starts discussing. "Our friendly, tree-hugging host just showed us where the Eternals are." "Did you get the addresses? "Yes, the countryball told me." "I wonder if we could infiltrate them without the others knowing." "Sure, they're just regular ol' rebels. We should be able to fool them." "Rebels? They're terrorists! If we listened to these rebels, we'd let our guard down, and that wouldn't do at all. No, we need to report this to Captain Vahlat immediately." "But, what about the others?" "What others?" "The other Team Nests. I can't just leave them there without any support." "Don't worry about them. The other Team Nests are full-grown Eternals, most of them veterans of the Imperial army or the Spires. This is just a bunch of children. Even if some of them are full-grown teenagers, they're still children, which means we can easily take them out ourselves, then and there." "You sure about that? Because if you're thinking on how to deal with them in a more......personal way, we can do that too. I've got just the person in mind." "What? You want some of them as well? Because there's a bunch! Cecilia grabs your hand again, grinning. "Great, so we can all have fun tonight!" "But what about the others?" "What others? The others are irrelevant. Look, we can easily take them out, or we can keep the innocent ones safe, but what you need to do is up to you. But I suggest you do it quickly. The other Team Nests are heading this way." You breathe a sigh of relief, leaning against a tree. "So we're alone?" "Yes. Yes! Alone!" Cecilia glares at you. "Now then, we have a few options here. We can either all go and have some fun together, or I can stay here with you and have fun by myself. Now, what'll it be?"

> Chase McFly says "We're Team Never Ending Story, not Team Nests!" " "Fine," Cecilia pouts, laying in the grass. "I'll stay here. I don't feel like fighting today." You lay down next to Cecilia, looking up at the sky. "Do you think the others will make it?" she asks. "Yes." You reply, staring at the same sky. "They may be teens, but they're smart enough to find a safe place to hide, or get out of the city." "I'm glad you're on our side." "Is there another choice?" Cecilia smiles. "Well, you could stay here too, if you wanted to." "What? No! I'm coming with you!" "Fine." Cecilia sits up, grabbing her swords. "Let's go then." You stand, holding her hand as you walk off into the city. "Where are we going?" you ask. "To hunt for the others." You nod, keeping up with her fast pace. Soon, the two of you come across an old church. "This is where it happened," Cecilia says. "This is the spot." "What did?" you ask. "I killed him. Shot him with a bolt of lightning." You raise an eyebrow. "That's not how you died. You died in combat." "The liar will burn in the fires of hell! In the depths of my sorrow, I vowed to send him to meet his doom, and that's what I did." "Cecilia..." "It's the truth!" she says, stopping. "Anyway, the rest of the team is probably in this church. Let's go." You nod, and the two of you enter the building. You walk down the aisles, Cecilia checking each one. "Ah, there they are!" she says, motioning towards two empty seats. You walk over, and plop down next to her. The three other members of Team Never are across from you.

> Chase McFly says "That's Team Never Ending Story, or NES to you!" "Doesn't ring a bell," you say. "Oh, it's a reference to a long-running internet joke," Ben says. "We sometimes refer to ourselves as the 'Never Ending Story', as there's always someone new to the team." "I see. So you're the newest additions?" "Newcomers," Ben says. "We're old news. Anyway, Chase and I were the first to join, back when the team was still called 'Nameless'. That was back in the day when we... well, you'd probably call us bad guys." "We stopped being villains a while back, but the name stuck," Chase says. "Since then, there's been a few more members. I don't really keep track anymore." "Who are the others?" you ask. "There's... 'Four' is his nickname, not mine. He's Dutch and loves beer. 'Fozzie' is an animal, a... a squirrel I believe? She's short for Francesca and was a professional acrobat before we recruited her. 'Cecilia' is my sister, she... well, I guess she just prefers to stay out her other appearances." "What are you two?" "I'm English. That's probably not a surprise to anyone. I like tea. There's 'Gerald', he's an amicable German fellow. He used to be in a gang, but his throat was slit in a stupid dispute. I don't even know how that happened. An arrow? If you ask me, it was an accident. Who knows with such things. 'Gerald' is good at a lot of things though, he's good at a lot of things." "What can he do? Oh, I'm asking too many questions! I'm sorry, I'll shut up!" "No, go ahead, this is your story. You were going to tell us about the Wizard's Academy." You nod, and begin to tell your tale. As you talk, the other members of the team seem more and more fascinated by it. Eventually, you finish telling the story. "So, what do you think?" you ask. "Well, obviously it's a bit far-fetched, but I've heard crazier stories," Ben says. "And it's a pretty cool tale. I have to say, I'm inspired." "You want us to steal the books from the library?" Cecilia asks. "Do you think we could pull it off?" "Well, that's the plan," Ben says. "I mean, it's not a sure thing, but with the right crew, I'm sure we could do it. If we tried, there's a chance it could fail and get out of hand, but it's worth a shot." "I'm in," says Chase. "I think it could be fun." "So, what do you think about this team, Tom?" Cecilia asks. "Think we could work together?" "I don't know," you reply. "I'll have to think about it." "Of course you will," Ben says. "But don't worry, we'll be in contact with each other." You take your leave of the three, and make plans to think more on what they have proposed. You make your way to the cafeteria to eat, and you see that your mom is there, talking with a few other parents. They notice you, and your mother waves you over. "So, how did it go? Did they accept you?" she asks. "I don't know," you respond. "They said I could think about it." "Oh, of course, I didn't think they'd accept you straight away," your mother says. "Well, I'm sure you'll get the place you want. Come on, I want to ask you about a new topic." You follow your mother to a table, and she sits down with you. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" "The new kids," she says. "They want to be Team Evil." "What?! They want to be a criminal ring? But why? They seem so nice!" "I don't know, but I don't like it," your mother says. "I want you to keep an eye on them. If they try to do anything, stop them. It's your duty as a parent!" "But they haven't even started yet! They don't know what they're doing! They might just be bored and playing around." "Well, I'm sure we can stop it before it starts," your mother says. You're at a lose as to what to do. On one hand, you don't want to spy on your new friends, on the other you don't want them to be criminal. What's a parent to do? "Well..." you begin. In the middle of your hesitation, one of the new kids walks up to you. "Hi, I'm Cecilia." "I know. You sent me a message on Skype. What's your interest in Team Evil?" "I like to plan evil things to do to people," she says. "I'm just trying to come up with an idea to put them, so if they do start doing it, I won't get in trouble." You laugh. "Why would you get in trouble? I thought the point of this is for you to get out from under Mommy's thumb. Don't you think it would be way more evil if you actually started doing all this stuff?" "I suppose," she shrugs. "I guess I'm just a little nervous about all this. What if I screw it up? Then everyone will be even more angry with me than they are now! They won't let me live it down!" "What's to screw up? You're just going to go up to some people and copy what Elements did, only on a smaller level I suppose. The difference is you're not going to kill anyone." "It is?" "Sure. The point of all this is to piss off the stinking politicians who ruined this city. You're just going to go up to them and tell them to stop screwing things up for the rest of us." "That sounds doable. Shall I go do it now?" You see where this is going. You need to go stop your new friends from committing a crime. So you can't let them do it. "Well...I suppose so, but I really want you to think about this okay?" "I think I've thought about it for a couple days now." "Oh. Have you started yet? Because I told Cecilia she couldn't start yet. Should I have her wait until after the vote? I don't want anything to get out of hand before then." "Nah, I'll have them start now. I'm sure they all want to get it over with." "Please tell me you're joking, Cecilia." "I'm serious." Cecilia turns to her friends. "Let's get to it then. I have some evil things to do," she says. "Cecilia, wait!" you shout. "I really think you should wait until after the vote. And please don't do anything too crazy. I just want to stop you from getting into trouble. It's not fun when you get into it." "Yeah, we'll be careful," one of the other boys says. "Like Mom said, we won't do anything too evil. I mean, we're not exactly hurting anyone. Not really." "Yeah, but it's just a matter of time," Cecilia says. "Come on, let's go start wrecking things." The kids leave, seemingly eager to start their plans. You're not sure if you should follow them, or stay here and try to prevent a rebellion. 6 months pass... You're running down the streets of Nuro, attempting to escape from your old friends. You hoped you were too far away, but it looks like they've decided to track you down. "Hurry up! We have to get out of here!" Caim says. You are a member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of you are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. They won't let me live it down! "What? What did you say?" you ask, turning to Cape. "I said, they're right behind us, aren't they? I can sense them." You turn back around, and continue running. You hear the sounds of fists hitting flesh. "Let's get him! He can't run forever!" Caim shouts. "Shut up! I'm trying to listen as well!" Cape hisses. Suddenly, a door appears out of nowhere, and you all enter it, leaving it to behind you. "Why'd we come in here?" you ask. "To hide! To hide, dammit!" Cape says. You drop to the floor, and Cape follows suit. "What are they doing?" Cape asks. "I don't know, but they can't see us!" You feel something slam into your back, and you go flying forward. You hit the ground, and the door disappears. Then, a foot is placed on your head. "What are y'all doing in my house?" a voice asks. It's a woman, dressed in a purple robe. Above the robe she's practically half-nake, as she's not wearing any underwear. Around her neck is a necklace, made of fingers. On her head is a crown, made of the skulls of her victims. You see two familiar fingers under her robe. "This is the home of Cecilia, the Ghoul King's daughter. And you are?" "Er... I'm just a simple traveler, looking for a place to sleep for the night. This old house is just the kind of place I was looking for." "Do you have any food?" she asks. "Yes, I do have some apple pies I've been saving." "Well, you're not getting them. I'll eat them myself. Now, get the hell out of my house." "Alright, alright, I'll go." "Thank you," the Ghoul says, as she heads into a room. You get up from the floor, and head out of her house. You wonder why the Ghoul King's daughter would want to eat you, when she could have had any sort of food she wanted. Perhaps, it's something personal, or perhaps she just doesn't like men. You continue walking, as you come across a giant iron wall. It must be eight feet high and four feet thick, and is decorated with spikes. You've never seen anything like it before. You push on the wall with all your might, but it doesn't give. There must be a secret locking mechanism someplace. "Hello?" a voice calls out. You turn around, and see a woman dressed in a red robe, tending a garden on the other side. "May I help you, sir?" she asks politely. "I was just exploring this wall. Do you know what this place is? I've never seen anything like it before." "Oh, you haven't? Well, no matter. This used to be the palace of the old king. It was destroyed during the rebellion of the shadows years ago. It's now been replaced by a new palace, made of a sturdier material." "I see... I'm looking for Cecilia. Do you know where I can find her?" "I'm her. Who are you, and what do you want?" "My name is Blaise, and I'm a simple traveler. I'm just looking for a place to stay the night. It's getting late." "I see. Well, come on in." You enter the garden, and the woman closes the door behind you. You're in a little house made of bricks, such as the rest of the wall. There's a living room, kitchen, and two doors leading to two different bedrooms. "Do you like apple pie?" Cecilia asks, as she heads into the kitchen. "Yes, it's one of my favorite desserts," you say, shortly followed by Cecilia grabbing you by the collar and kissing you on the lips. "I want to taste your pie." Cecilia grabs your hand, and leads you into the kitchen. She sits down, opens the lid of the pie, and takes a large bite. You smile, as she begins to devour it. It's only been five years since Tanya left, and you certainly missed the intimacy of a loving relationship. "So, Blaise... you're a traveler? What business do you have in the world of the shadows?" "I'm looking for something to kill." "Really...?" "Yes, really. I was sent on a mission to find the Ghoul King, and bring him back to headquarters. Instead, I got lost, and now I'm all alone in a sea of shifting shadows." "That's rather dangerous, you know. You should have a backup plan. If you get lost again, go to headquarters. You'll be killed there, but at least you'll be alive. I'm sure they'd love to see you." "Hmm, yes I suppose so..." "Well, what do you want to kill?" "I don't know... I have a list of targets. A 'to kill' list, as they say." "That's rather sad. Why don't you write down your targets, and I'll see if I can help? Perhaps I have something you need. I'm very skilled in the arts of necromancy." "What's that supposed to mean?" "What do you think it means? This'll be easier if we have more details, you know." "You don't need to help. You can have your pie. I can get by just fine." "Nonsense! If killing is what you desire, then we should desire it together! Besides, you said this was your mission, not mine. Why don't you continue? You were telling me about your list of targets." "Alright, alright! Shhh... listen." Cecilia stops eating, and puts her index finger to her lips. Blaise looks as Cecilia with a steely gaze, and begins to tell her the rest of his list of targets. She listens, but soon realizes that she doesn't know anything about any of them. "I don't know anything about any of these people. I'm sorry," she says, with her mouth full. "Hmm. Well, that's new." "What?" "That's new. You don't know anything about any of these people. That's okay, we can figure it out together. I don't need to know everything about every target, just enough to make sure I kill them as efficiently as possible. It's an important part of the plan. Besides, I'm sure I'll know enough about most of them to fill in the gaps." "Well, alright. Go on with your list then. What's number two?" "The Ghoul King." "Oh, yeah! He's the thing that's using the werewolves to raid the villages, right? I've heard a few of the villagers talking about it, and it sounds like he's bossing around a bunch of young bloods that are ready to disobey his every command." "Something like that. I don't know much about the Ghoul King himself, other than he used to be a powerful vampire. The villagers said something about him having 'human blood slaves', but I've never heard of such a thing. Sounds... tragic, really. He's like a vampire that fell out of the stories." "Okay, my name isn't Blaise. It's Jacob Schwartz." You say. "I'm with Team Never Ending Story, or NES for short." The Vampire briefly pauses, before smiling at you. "Ah, the infamous Team Never Ending Story. They just couldn't leave well enough alone, could they? What can I do for you, Jacob? Could be anything, I suppose." "I need your help." "Hm. You need my help. For what?" "We're trying to eliminate the targets on the list you gave us. So far, we're a little short on people." "Mm. Sounds like you need more help, not less. So, where are these friends of yours, that you're supposed to be helping?" "I'm working with Cecilia and a few others. They're not really friends, they're just comrades in arms that I'm trying to help. The problem is, we're a little short on people ourselves. I was hoping you could spare a few." "Ah, so you're looking for allies as well as comrades in arms. I see. Well, I certainly can't spare more. I've got a list of people as long as your arm, and I can't spare anyone from it." "Do you have anyone at all?" At this, the Vampire smiles. It's a cold, chilling smile, that makes you want to shiver uncontrollably. "Not anymore. But that doesn't mean I can't still help you." "How?" You ask. The Vampire gets up, and leans in through the bars. His face is only a few feet away from you now, his eyes burning into yours. "Tell me, who sent you to kill my people?" he asks. "Nobody," you say. The Vampire smiles. "My dear boy, someone always pays for the crimes my people commit. It might as well be me. Now, tell me, who sent you?" "Nobody," you say again, as the Vampire sighs in exasperation. "I really don't think you understand the nature of the offer I'm giving you, Jacob. I'm saying, for a small amount, I can get you all the help you'd need to kill my people. You just tell me who sent you, and I'll have him arrested and thrown in prison, where he'll stay for a long time. Don't believe me? Then you're worse off than you think. For all you know, they could be planning your assassination right now. The man who sent you could even be the one doing the planning. You need to just ask yourself, does it even matter who sent you? Your mission is to kill my people, regardless of who actually carried it out. So who sent you? Not yourself, that's for sure. Maybe Cecilia? I doubt it. You fought alongside her, and she'd never be able to keep something like that from you. It was probably Ben, but he's too cowardly to face you one on one, even if he is a talented marksman. Maybe even Ragnora? I don't think so. She's got too much respect for you and your abilities. The Elder? Maybe, but he's not the most likely suspect. Wait, who else is there? Oh, that's right... "Nobody." Hah, I like that answer better. So, who sent you?" "Nobody," you say again with a smile. "Maybe you're more stupid than I thought. Goodbye, my boy." The Vampire turns around, and begins to walk back towards his coffin. "Before you go, tell me, do you think I could win if I fought you?" You're a little confused by this question. "Could you kill me?" you ask. "Probably not," the Vampire says, turning back to face you. "I'd probably just end up burning to death in this cell. I have to admit, I'm slightly curious now. Do you think I could kill you? If so, why? And do you think I would, if we were to face each other?" "If we were to face each other, you'd probably kill me." You see the Vampire smile. "Probably, but only because it's your job. But why do you think I could kill you?" "I don't know," you say truthfully. "Alright then, let's put it to the test. Stay right here while I get a weapon." The Vampire disappears back into his coffin, and you're left standing in an empty hallway. Soon, a gunshot rings out, and you see the Vampire walking towards you, holding the gun in his hand. You don't know guns, but you assume that it's a gun. "So, do you think I could kill you?" the Vampire asks again. "I don't know," you reply.

> Foury arrives in the game in a Toyota Corolla. "I think you could probably get close, but I'd probably win." "Hmm, I'm going to take your word for it. Thanks for the test, Jacob. It was very interesting. "Yes, you foolish mortal. You know that you cannot kill me. If I could be killed, I would've been killed by Cecilia long ago.""I don't know," you continue. "I guess if you tried, you could probably wound me, but I don't think you could kill me." "Fair enough. I'm going to sit over there," You see the Vampire point to a chair, "while I wait for my companion. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here? the Vampire points over to a couch. "I'm just going to watch the news, if that's alright with you?" "Yeah, that's fine," you reply. You sit down on the couch, and begin fiddling with your hands. After a few minutes, you hear a car pulling up out front.

> Foury asks the Vampire what their name is. "Thanks for testing me and all. It's been really interesting to see how I perform against a vampire."My name's Four," you say. "Four what?" "Just Four. Short for Fourth." You nod, then say, "So why the hell are you in town, Four?" "What do you mean?" "Well, you said you came here to meet someone. When did you arrive, and who was it that you wanted to meet? And why?" "I arrived last night. From the plane. And I wanted to meet... someone." "A vampire, huh? I hope it wasn't someone as stupid as me." "I dunno what you're talking about. I just said I came here to... wait, no. It was Jacob." "Jacob?" You are teleported to Two's hotel. you snort. "He's a vampire, Four. He's not going to be able to live a long life span. His nature's going to get the better of him, and he'll eventually kill himself." The Vampire stands above you, smiling. "Good job," he smiles. "Four, what the hell is going on? Who are you? Where do you think you are, and how did I get here?" "I'm Four. And this is my home." "No, this isn't your home! This isn't even a real home! This is a set! homes are where you go to sleep at night, not where you stay for several months!" "I'm sorry you feel that way. I tried my best to make this home as home-like as possible. I even went out and bought some furniture and decorations. I don't understand why you couldn't let me enjoy this, though. I'm sorry too. " You stand up angrily. " Jacob's last name is Schwarz. He's a vampire. He's also Cecilia's friend, and the sheriff of this town. Just last week, he discovered a vampire lair, and killed all the vampires within it. Cecilia was going with him, and helped him fight the other vampires. Jacob is alive, and he's the one I was supposed to meet. The two of us were going to go out into the world and bring justice to the bad vampires." "And that's why you're here. I understand. Vampires are evil, and you're right to hate them. But... where does that leave you? You're a hero, fighting the good fight. I see." You stand up. "I am! And last time I checked, heroes don't run off and leave people behind. I'm brave and good, just like you!" The Vampire sighs. "Do you think the town is better off with me here? I'm afraid not. I'm going to have to leave, since I understand if you don't want me around." "I don't..." You pause. "What's your name?" "Wendy." "Well, Wendy, I'm not going to turn you in. I'm not a monster. But I'm not going to help you either. So goodbye, Wendy." You take your bag and leave the hotel. You sit on a park bench. You take out your phone and call Cecilia. "Hello?" she answers. "Cecilia, it's me... Is Jacob there?" "Um, yeah. Who is this? Why would Jacob want to speak to you?" "It's complicated. Can I speak to him?" "Yeah, hold on." There's a pause, and then she asks, "Jacob, what's wrong with your voice? You sound all gravely." "I'm on the phone, I'll do my best to-" "Never mind that, just answer the question. Is he there? A tree falls on Foury. "Yes, he's here," you answer. "Thank God! What are you even doing there? I'm coming to get you. You duck. "Yeah, I'm here." "Oh, okay then. Thanks for your cooperation, and have a nice evening." You hang up the phone. If only everything could be so easy.

> Foury eats sushi. You walk around the park, throwing the various slushy snowmen at each other. You're not sure what to do next. "Hey, where are you going?" You turn around.

> Foury sings Smooth Criminal. "Smooth Criminal, baby, do you know where you're going? I'm gonna take you over... Just like a rolling stone. Baby, I'm just a rock 'n' rollin'..."You sit on a park bench. Jacob, sitting beside you, smiles. "Hey, Jacob. The other day, you said your name meant 'he will protect.' What does yours mean?"

> Foury says "Foury" "I'm sorry?" "Your name is 'Foury.' That means 'guardian.' My name means 'I will protect you.' There's something we have in common!" "Yeah... I guess so..." You stand up. "Hey, this bench is broken. I have to go." Jacob stands up. "Tell me one thing, Foury. Do you feel safe with me?

> Foury says "No" Jacob frowns. "So it's four. But you're still not telling me one thing." You lean against a tree. "I'm not sure if you're telling me something." Jacob sighs. "If true love's what you seek, follow me." He opens a menu and props it against the tree beside him.

> Foury eats Jacob. You smile as you chew on Jacob's neck. He stares at you, fear in his eyes. "Just kidding." It turns out Jacob was a countryball the whole time. You let him go. "Foury!" he says. "I'm gonna get you!" You spit out his blood-filled throat. "Go ahead." He runs away, with no avail. You're pretty sure he's not coming back. Cecilia would probably tell you to find a better vampire to feed off of, but you're more than capable of taking care of yourself. You head to your next location. You walk into the police station, which is empty. "Anyone here?" No one answers. "Hello?" you ask again. Ben appears behind you.

> Foury says "Jacob did you change your name again" "Yeah, I'm not Ben anymore. I'm Captain Bligh." You turn around. "Oh, the guy who lead the HMS Bounty?" "Yeah, and you're Cecilia, right? I'm surprised you don't know me, I've been on the island for years." "Um, actually I do know you. You're the same Ben who lead the HMS Bounty." "No I'm not, I'm the captain of a ship" "You're the captain of a ship," you repeat. "You led the HMS Bounty." "I did not!" Ben says, offended. "I'm the captain of the HMS Bounty! You know, the ship? I'm telling you, I've been on this island for years. You're really young if you think you know everything." "I'm not young! I'm an old soul! What are you, like a hundred and twenty? Wait, you're Captain Cook!" "I am not!" "You are not?" Ben stares at you for a second before bursting out laughing. "I love it. A hundred and twenty. Okay, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm not actually captain of the HMS Bounty. The real captain's dead. I took over the title because I'm so good at leading sailors and hunting for food. I'm not even a cook. A real cook was on the ship, but I took one so we had more people to hunt."

> Foury shoots Jacob. You raise your gun and shoot Jacob in the forehead. He falls backwards, nearly falling out of the tree. You climb up the tree and strangle him to death. "You didn't have to kill him." "I know," you say, climbing down the tree. You leave Cholmondely Castle and continue on your journey. You run into some pirates, who offer you a ride. Since you're traveling by yourself, you politely decline. As you walk, the sun begins to set. You wonder if Ben's still in the sky... There he is, right above you. "Ben!" you shout, waving. Ben's familiar face smiles at you, and he waves back. "Why are you so high up?" you ask. "Because I'm a bird, duh," Ben says. "Come on, follow me. I want to show you something." You begin to follow Ben as he flies away. "So why did you want to follow me?" you ask. "I wanted to make sure you knew the way home," Ben says. ???: Ben Sherman! Come here this instant! Agh! You mall rats are getting too smart for your own good. I'LL TEACH YOU MUTTONSACKS ABOUT TOIL! Ben Sherman: Run away! right now! You turn around to see a ghostly form standing behind you. You don't have time to run. It grabs your collar and yanks you towards it. You begin to scream... ??? is revealed to be Klirork. He smiles and sits down on a rock. "I've been waiting a long time for someone like you," he says. "Your... Friend can wait. He'll have to." You notice Ben get kidnapped in slow motion. "Now," Klirork says, "let's talk about your sin." "My sin?" Klirork eats Ben, because Ben is a bird. "You're a terrible person," Klirork says, before turning to leave. "Come on, let's go." "You're going to have to repent for your sin, because I don't think it can be forgiven," he says. "If you want to be allowed to live, you'll have to do something for me."

> Foury crashes into Klirork with her Toyota Corolla. You smash the accelerator to the floor and crash your Corolla into Klirork. And you keep on slamming into him, over and over again. You don't stop even when he begins to disappear from view. Klirork stops disappearing. He begins to scream. And his screams are so horrifying and loud that you can't help but cover your ears. You keep on driving, only stopping when the fuel light comes on.

> Foury 's car's engine explodes. The engine explodes, incinerating Foury. Klirork still screams by the time the car burns through to the metal, and it only gets louder as you burst into flames and plummet to the asphalt below. You look up at the sky one last time. Ben's still there, giving you a smile before flying away. A/N: There you have it, folks. The story of Foury and Klirork, as told by the only person who was there and lived to tell about it. Unfortunately, I had to end it there. :( Thanks for reading! I'm taking suggestions for what you'd like to see next! :) :)

> Foury says "The story doesn't just end here" The story doesn't just end here, because it didn't start here. There's one more mystery behind the events in Fourys' story, and that's what I'm going to tell you about in my next story. (I've got a lot of suggestions, so if you could, rate and/western MIGHTY LEAP or I'll get angry. Thanks)

> Foury stabs A/N. Thanks for reading, folks! Next time, it's the conclusion to "Foury's Adventure."

> BFrit dances a jig. :)Thanks for your support, everyone! I really appreciate it. :) Feel free to PM me with any suggestions you might have for the next story. By the way, I haven't forgotten about the contest. As soon as I get some story done, I'll enter it. Until then, have fun!

> Foury beats A/N with a golf club. Thanks MIGHTY LEAP!Thanks for the support, everyone! :) Especially you, A/N. Hope you feel better soon.

> BFrit smacks A/N ‘round the head. Thanks for your support, everyone! :) Thanks to you, the story so far: 1. Big Red was a Bloodthirsty Bear 2. Fourys First Day 3. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. Besides, we aren't doing that, you dummy. 4. Klirork-The Volcano 5. The Last One 6. The City of the Dead 7. 4. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 5.

> BFrit eats a corn dog. 6. Famous Last Words 7. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 8. 9. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. 10.

> Cape Kragils gives the AI a smack on its head. Thanks for you support, everyone! :) 11. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 12. 13. Koopsers: Shut the hell up. 14. 15. Koopsers beats up the AI. 16. Koopsers: Shut up! 17. The King of the Garbage Pail Kids 18. BFrit: Duh! 19. BFrit's eyes bug out. Koopsers kills the person who wanted break the AI. He looks around at the others. 20. BFrit: Uh... 21. Koopsers shuts up. A bunch of weird angels appear and begin singing. 22. 20. BFrit: I hate you! 21. Koopsers: Shut up! 22. Koopsers: I'm going to kill you... 23. BFrit: That's the weirdest thing I've ever seen. 23. The AI stops singing and the angels disappear. 24. The AI stops speaking. 25. Silence. 26. 27. The wind blows. 28. A person falls out of the sky and from a great height, splat. 29. The wind stops blowing. 30. BFrit looks around, searching for the source of the noise. Suddenly, from out of the sky, a person falls and splats again. 31. BFrit: I'm hit! Help! I'm dying! 32. Koopsers runs over to you and begins punching you. 33. Koopsers: Shut up! 34.

> Foury calls Baldi. 35. Baldi: I'm coming, I'm coming, just... 36. Baldi runs over to you. 37. Koopsers: No! Don't let him touch you! He'll turn you into a wad of goo! 38. Baldi: I'm going to give you five seconds before I start punching you, mister. Are you experiencing sudden, extreme pain? 39. Koopsers: No! Arrgh! 40. Baldi gives you a big, fat, upside-down fist bump. 41. Koopsers hits the dirt. 42. Baldi turns to you. 43. Koopsers tries to hit him, but he's out of stamina. 44. Baldi: Thanks, man. 45. Baldi notices the pedestal that the AI's body came out from. 46. Baldi: What pedestal? 47. 48. 49. 50. Koopsers, Jacob, Two, Four, Sven Svensson, Mario, Yoshi, Kasey O, Marty McFly, Chase McFly, Jack Archer, CheeseCrocker and Klirork come in to save the AI from breaking. 51. Baldi: Oh, there you are, guys. I just saw this cool-looking pedestal over here, perfect for the signal fire. What do you think? 52. Koopsers: I think you should leave that there. 53. Baldi: What for? We're not staying here, we're just using it for the signal fire until we find a better spot. Come on, let's leave it there. 54. The group begins to leave the area. 55. Koopsers: No, we're not. 56. Baldi: What do you mean "we're not?" You're coming with us! 57. Klirork: Yes, we are. 58. Klirork and the rest of the group turn around and walk back to their village. Baldi: What? What's going on? Kasey O: No idea! Mario: I have-a feeling that the AI is drunk-a or high! 60. Baldi and the rest of the Garbage Pail Kids have no choice but to follow them. You and Klirork catch up to them. 61. You: Listen, I know you want to get back to your village, but we can't all go back together. There are still too many bad guys between here and there. We need to split up if we want to make it back alive. 62. Klirork: I agree. 63. Baldi: Hm, maybe you do. Klint: Yeah! Klint begins making noises, similar to that of a hungry zombie. Baldi: What's he doing? Klint: I'm hungry. I... Baldi: Okay, I got it! Let's split up so we can each take a path back to the village and cover more ground. 64.Kasey O: No more drunk AI!

Kasimir P: Yeah! Two: Agree. Klint: I'm hungry! I... I... Klint begins making even more noises.

> Chase McFly stops the counting. You turn to face them. You: Fine, we'll split up. But, who is going to make sure the others don't get lost? Baldi: I volunteer! You: Ugh... I don't like this idea. Klint: I'm... hungry... You: Call me a pessimist, but I feel like we're doomed no matter what. Klint: I'm... hungry... Two: Let's split up. 65. You: *Sigh* Kids... You, Klint and Two split off from the group. Jack Archer: Has the counting AI stopped? Calli: It has not, but Best Friend Forever is having an argument with the AI. Jack: Let's leave them be. We don't need to get involved. You: I agree. Hang on, Klint. *You begin running through the woods after Two and Klint*. Klint and Two quickly run into the bushes, hiding from you.

> Foury starts cheering because the counting is over. You: So, did you decide to go with the same plan as me or Klint? Foury the Number: I joined up with Klint!

> BFrit bans counting. I saw what happened and I want my revenge. You: Okay then. You: So, what's the plan? Foury the Number: Wait for sleep. Snatch the jar. Escape.Counting from One is Banned by the group. 66. Klint: That's great, Four! We all got what we want! Four: Yeah! We're free! 67.The whole group agrees. Foury: It's no use! Maybe we should leave the woods, start again in another place. Klint: Maybe we should. Two: I agree. Calli: I agree. Bofgal: I agree. Gnarl: I agree. Kob: I agree. Klint: Yes! Klint: I agree! 68.Everyone else: Yeah! You: I agree too! Four: Finally! You: But, we're not in any place right now. We need to stick together for now. I say we find a cave. Bof: I agree! Gnarl: So do I! Four: So do I! Klint: I agree. Calli: I agree. Bold: I agree. Gob: I agree. Second Best Friend: I agree. Klint: I agree too! Klint: I have a thought! Let's get names! Second Best Friend: Good idea. What are we going to call ourselves? Two starts to buzz like a bee. Four: Hush, Klint! Klint: I found it! A great idea! We are the Friends of Tuckers! Second Best Friend: I like it! Team Nthe group. You: I have an idea. Calli: What? You: What if we are not the only friends of Tucker? There could be more around! What if we go searching? The format reverts to a story instead of an RP. Nine: Sup, broskis? You begin reading the first line In the beginning there was Jack. Then there was Annie. Then there was Beatrice. Then there was Tom. Then there was a dark forest. You: I was just approached by some friends of Tucker. They're the Friends of Tucker and they wanted to join. Calli: What did they look like? You: A girl and a boy, about my age. I think I should know them when I see them again. Beat: They were very friendly, huh? Two buzzes so much that he annoys everybody. Gnarl: Shut up, you fool! If he's got anymore ideas, we'll have him strung up as a ghost! Gnarl then roars loudly. Gnarl: I am not a ghost! I am a... beast! Kob, the beast, begins crawling towards the group of friends. Kob: Wait! I'm not scary!

"I'm member of a group called Team NES, who goes on lots of weird and crazy adventures. Almost none of us are human, as the group mainly consists of Sir Benelux the countryball, BFrit the Ant, Foury the Number, Chase McFly the Human, Views the Card Box, and Cape Kragils the Pokey-Eye (an alien from Gravildus). Mickey Mouse has kidnapped Views to his Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, and we must save our card box friend from Mickey's massive skyscraper before it's too late. Klirork is a cat. You: Okay then. So what's the plan? Foury the Number: Wait for sleep. Snatch the jar. Escape. Counting from One is Banned by the group. We all agree not to tell anyone what we're planning.Calli: Won't they notice if they don't return?Beat: Probably not. They might have been gone a day or two at most. Calli: What if we need to contact them?Beat: There's no cell service here.Calli: Except for mine...The friends go to a clearing in the woods. Beat asks Beatrice if she remembers the plan.Beat: It was your idea, Annie.Beat: ...Annie?Beatrice: I remember. I'm just really tired. You: Very well. Beat, you and Victoria go first...Beat: I will.Calli: Then it's my turn, I guess. I look at my character sheet. I have the stats of an 8 year old.

> Foury says "Ever heard of ?" "Ever heard of lupine packs, Gnarl?" "What's that, boy?" "It's a wolf pack made of multiple wolves." "I knew that, boy. Gnarl then starts craving meat so he goes to KFC and orders a bucket of chicken. He takes it into the woods and begins feeding on the meat, which makes him drunk as hell. You: Did you need a rest? Gnarl: Hell no. Gnarl then goes to you and tries to bite your neck but you run away. You: I just realized something. I have superpowers in this story. Run! You open your phone and begin dialing 911... Gnarl: Who are you calling? You: The police... Gnarl: Why are you calling the police? You: Because you tried to bite my neck! Gnarl: I didn't try to bite your neck. You: Yeah you did! This is a story set in the real world, not some stupid vampire story! Gnarl: Call me crazy but I'm not tryin' to be some stupid vampire. I'm just hungry. You: Then go eat a freaking garlic sausage! Gnarl: Pfft, that stuff don't work. I either am eating chicken or I'm drinking peoples blood. The Dancing Polish Cow starts dancing and singing in Polish. You: Do you speak English? The Dancing Polish Cow: N-n-no. You: What the hell is going on? The Dancing Polish Cow: I'm Polish. "The real world?" Cape asks. "Oh no, I hate the real world!" "It's boring. Nothing happens." "I'm Victoria, Cape's girlfriend. We're going to steal the Stone of Creation from the Nazis." The DPC then speaks Umherländisch to you. You: I don't understand you. What do you say? The DPC: I'm saying I'm sorry. You: For what? The DPC: For being Polish. You: Oh. It's okay. I'm not really mad at you for being Polish. Beat: Of course not. The DPC then speaks in human. The DPC: You look very pretty. You: Well... The DPC: I like your eyes. You: Thanks. The DPC: We should go to the same party. You: No! The DPC: Yes. You: No... Beat: Ugh. This game sucks. The DPC: I like your eyes too. You: Wow. Thanks. The DPC: I have somewhere to be. You: Okay. Beat: Whatever, I'm not playing this stupid game any longer. Beat goes to the bathroom. You're sitting on a tree stump by yourself. You have no idea what to do. "I'll go look for Cape," you decide. You exit the woods and start walking around your town. "Hazel," you say. "Species?" "Human." "Odd, I don't sense any Pokemon or anything." "Just humans then," you say. "Fine. Mickey, 8a." The man walks up to the screen, staring at it. "Alright, Hazel, you're up," the voice says. You walk up to the screen, looking at the two strangers staring back at you. "What do you want to bet?" He pauses for a moment as his eyes grow wide. "Mickey!" he asks. "You're not in?" "I be fine, 8a," he says, his voice clearly showing his annoyance. "Okay, Hazel. You're in luck, 8a has a slightly better chance. You have a ten coin bet. What are the odds?" "Five to four," you reply. "Hm, ten to one is good for me. I accept," the man says. "Thanks, 8a!" he smiles. "Are you sure? You're pretty... sure?" "Sure I'm sure, 8a. Cheers!" 8a smiles, raising his glass. You raise your own glass, finishing the drink. "Do you have any names?" he asks. "I'm Hazel," you say. "I'm 8a," he says, sticking out his hand. You shake it, smiling. "Well, Hazel, it's late. Why don't you head to your room, and I'll see you in the morning." "So, Hazel, what do you think of our little town?" he asks. "It's quite quaint," you say. "Yes, it is," he says, smiling. "Okay," you say. "Alright then, sweet dreams, Hazel." "You too, 8a," you reply, smiling at him. You walk away, heading to the room. You walk upstairs, walking into the room. You look around, finding your bed. You sit on it, staring at the ceiling, wondering where the hell you are. You stare for a while before closing your eyes, and drifting off to sleep. In the morning, you wake up in a panic. You forgot to ask him about his name! You panic for a second, before you remember that you have a meet and greet in the morning. You take a deep breath, and head downstairs, putting on a large, purple shirt and a pair of denim shorts. You walk down the stairs, being met with the sight of hundreds of Oalkwardners cheering. "HAZEL!" they yell. You smile, waves of cheers going through you. "How many did you do last night?" "800!" "That's good! That's good!" You walk forward, receiving a fist bump. "I'm so happy you're here!" one of the Oalkwardners says, leaning in.

> Foury hears police sirens. "I'm Mitzi, what's your name?" "Hazel," you reply. "I've heard a lot about you! It's definitely an honor to meet you!" "You too."You spot a group of humans, led by a police car and a fire engine. "Hey!" you shout, waving. "Over here!" The Oalkwardners look at you, confused. "What's going on?" "Everything can wait, Mitzi! There's a fire! Over there!" Fries cuffs Foury. "I'm going to miss that dog," he says, pulling up in front of the fire engine. Firemen begin to swarm out of the truck. "Alright, listen up, you meat bags! There's a fire at the stadium!" The crowd instantly goes into an uproar. "We need water, we need water, we need water! Get some water on that fire!" The firemen look at you, and you look at the crowd. "I don't know how that works," you say. "By convention, the Mayor handles emergencies! I'm the Mayor!" Fries says. "I can ask for help from other towns, and they can ask for help from others... It's just a chain, y'know? But I gotta ask you folks to help as well! We can't let this stop the game! Alright, get out there and get drenched, harnesses don't protect your pretty little heads when the water's flying! We need this game to go ahead! Now, into that fire! Chimney's full of 'em! Let's make some history!" You all sprint into the flames, as the firemen begin to hurl buckets of water onto the fire. "Ah, that'll fix 'em," Fries grins. "Now, let's get you kids home before it gets dark..." You're led onto a bus, and driven away from the stadium. Police sirens blare. "Alright, alright, let's calm down," Fries says. "It's all good, man. Just get home safe, all right?" You exit the bus, and are met with your friends. "You're late!" Becca says, grabbing your arm and pulling you away from the crowd. "I met the Mayor," you say. "Yeah, but he didn't get our autographs!" Lucy says. You shrug, and head into the stadium. The view from the stadium balcony is incredible, as the sun sets in the distance. "Do you think they saw it?" Kyle asks. "I don't know," you say. "Everything happens for a reason." The game goes ahead, and it's an exciting match. The Oalkwardners win, and as the crowd leaves, you see the Mayor. "Hey, Hazel!" he says. "It was an OK first impression, I guess. Let's try this again..." You walk down the stairs with the Mayor, and are greeted by a small group of protestors. "Scumbags!" one says, throwing a packet of raw meat at them. "You're letting them use the stadium, as well as giving them free food and drinks! That's exploitation! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, letting those uncivilized beasts in to use as pets! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, all of you!" The Mayor raises an eyebrow. "Is there some sort of problem, sir?" he asks. "Yes! There's a problem! Not enough of us to stop the exploitation!" the man says. "We need jobs, we need pay rises, we need-" "Hello?" the man's friend says. "You never told us you owned a zoo." The protestors let out scattered laughs. "He's joking!" one says. "Ha ha!" the man says. "Stop being such child-" "No, I'm not," the Mayor says. "I certainly didn't." "Oh, my God, you did!" the man says. "You pranked us! You created a zoo to introduce exotic animals to kill people!" "No, I didn't," the Mayor says. "Now, would you mind letting me through? I've got an important speech to give." The man nods, and the group shuffles aside. "Well, I'll be damned," the first man says. "I guess you have a sense of humor after all." "Good night," the Mayor says, pushing past them. He makes his way down the stadium steps and onto the road, before taking a cell phone from his pocket. "Hello, Kate," he says. "I met the kids, yeah, we had a good time, sure. Yes, I think that went very well. No, everything's fine. I'm going now, have a good night." He turns and waves to the stadium crowd, grinning. "Good night, everyone!" he says. "Thanks for coming out!" He ends the call, and tosses the phone into his pocket. "I hate to cut this short, but this is very important. Yes, I'll see you tomorrow." He walks away from the stadium, and out of sight. "Well," he says, turning and heading off the road. "I guess I head off now. I've got a long journey ahead of me." He disappears into the trees, leaving you all in the middle of the road. "What the hell was that?" Lucy says, fiddling with her bracelet. "I have no idea." "Are you alright?" Kyle says, standing up. "I'm sorry if we offended you." "You didn't offend me," you say. "Not my problem." "Let's get out of here, then," Lucy says. "I don't want to be caught in the middle of whatever that was." You all head off the road, back into the trees. "So…" Lucy says, a few minutes later. You get a call from Charles Calvin, a helicopter pilot who is on a mission with you. He's never been the bravest of men, but he's always been fairly level-headed and responsible. You call him, and he answers on the first ring. "Hello? Mr Matasumara?" "Yes." "I saw the speech. It was very inspiring." "Thanks," you say. "So, are you coming?" "Me?" he asks. " "This is Hazel Matasumara, formerly known as Jacob Killinger. For some reason I'm transgender or something, my name keeps changing." "Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry, Mr Matasumara. I would've remembered your name." "Please, it's okay. Anyway, I was sent here to invite you to join us. We're heading to the nearby island of Kor and we need men like you to defend it from destruction. Are you interested?" "Oh, yes I am!" Charles replies. "I'll get my things packed right now!" "Good," you say. "I'll see you soon." "Okay, I'll be there tomorrow." "Great. See you then." You end the call, and look at your companions. "Well, that was easy," you say. "We're going to Kor." "I'm not sure what to make of all this," Kyle says. "I mean, I've read about the Killingers, and they seemed like a pretty bad family. But Charles? He seemed like a nice guy." "He seemed pretty nice," Lucy says. "Any idea what he did?" "Well... Charles killed his wife and kids." "WHAT?!" you all say in unison. "Yep," Charles says, popping the "p". "I'd forgotten how to spell it until you all reminded me." "That's insane," Lucy says. "How do you know? Are you sure?" "I'm pretty sure. We had a job together, well, before I joined the ECS. I was with the police at the time, and taking a break at my parents place. My partner at the time had taken off, so I was home alone for the weekend. I got a call from the local police station saying there had been a triple homicide. I got dressed, grabbed my gun and badge, and went over. The poor guy that was at the station when it happened said he didn't know what to do, so he called me. When I arrived, I found the husband and his two kids... killed. The local detective had long since left, so I took over the case. After taking the husband's statement, I looked through the house. The first room I went to was the bedroom. On the left wall, I found a picture of the husband and his family. On the right wall, I found a picture of me and my family. The first thing I did was look through the rest of the house, but I didn't find anything else. I mean, I found some other incriminating stuff, like his gun and some pills he hadn't really needed, but those were there because the former owner SIDED WITH ME! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! I later found out his wife had sold their house and the bank account had been closed. The husband didn't know anything about it, and neither did the local detective. I mean, I knew. I'm a cop. I know these things. But they didn't." "You don't know how the husband was taken," Hazel says. "It could've been a trap. Maybe he came by himself. Maybe the wife came by herself. Maybe they had help. Maybe the people who took him were the same ones who killed his family." "Could be," Charles says. "So what happened to the family?" Lucy asks. "Did you ever find them? Did you ever find out who did it?" "Yeah, I found both. It turned out the husband had an ongoing gambling debt to some guys. One of the guys he owed money to was the guy who killed his family for revenge. He framed me by killing the husband and making it look like I did it. I was fired from the force, arrested, everything. The real killer got away with it, too. I had to go into hiding. I got arrested and spent time in prison." "Fancy way of saying you got beaten up and nearly killed," Charles says. "The ECS set you free, for a favor. You're a marked man now. You can't go back to your old life, so you joined the ECS. We'll protect you... for a price. I assume you refused to work with the Syndicate again, and this is where our paths split." "I thought you were a hero," the boy says. "I thought you went back to your old life so that you could go back to put the bad guys behind bars, not so that you could become one yourself. I guess I'm not that far off. Either way, I won't say anything. I know my place. I'm not a cop anymore, I'm not a criminal, I'm not a hero. I'm a sheep. A lamb to the slaughter. So be it. I'm ready to die." "You won't be dying tonight," Charles says. "Sheep have the highest mortality rate of any caste. Most are slaughtered during their training. The eternals are practically devoured by rats and other sheep shortly after being born. It's part of the process." "I'm sure the sheep you were training tonight will be alright," the woman says. "I'm sure they're being well taken care of and taught to fear the Lord. Perhaps some will even be chosen as part of the sacrifice. And so they should. They're already an example to all of the dedication and loyalty that Able had." "Indeed," Charles says, looking at you. "Now, let's go see your new home for the night. Then, you can meet the rest of the class. Then, you can be sacrificed to the holy man, or you can escape tonight. Your choice." You nod and get up, following Charles out of the room and into another, outside of it. A large, grey, foreboding looking wall of stone appears out of the ground, with a large iron gate in it. "Welcome to Castle Oren," Charles says. "Better known as simply 'the cave'." "It's huge," you say. "Are there... are there more of these underneath the city?" "Many many more," Charles says. "All shapes and sizes. Most of them are abandoned or never used, to allow the other shadows to have a slight edge in recruiting. Ah, here's the man responsible for all this." A tall, skinny man with long hair, a goatee and wearing a long, black, hooded cloak walks up. His face is stern, but his eyes are twinkle as he looks at you. "Ah, Jacob. Here's your sacrifice. I told you the new one would be late, but you didn't need to go rushing here. You could have waited half an hour. Charles Calvin, Your service to the ECS is important, but not more important than the holy mission of spreading the gospel of Dendrin's shadow. It's very important that we look maintain a certain appearance of righteousness." this is Jacob. Don't trust him, but don't insult him either. He's really quite angry at poor communication." "Anything else I need to know about?" Jacob asks. "Not really. I think that about covers it. You're in charge of the new recruits, by the way. We're all just here to assist you." "Good," Jacob says. "I can use all the help I can get. Well, let's get started then. I'm sure you both have a lot to do." Arabic music starts playing. "Yes, sir," Charles says, as you follow him through the iron gate. "Alright, let's dance," Jacob says. "It'll be good for the soul." Jacob draws his sword and runs towards you. You hastily draw your own blade, and block his path of approach. "What the hell, Jacob?" you complain. "Just protecting the honor of our Lady," Jacob says, blocking your attack. "She's in there," he says, pushing you out of the way and pointing to the cave. "Inside. I'll be guarding her." With that, you walk past him and enter the cave. Inside, it's dark, as to be expected, but there are a few torches on the wall. You walk past the dancing shadows and up to the one you know contains Olive. She sits in a corner, rocking back and forth and staring into space. "Olive? It's me," you say. Olive slowly looks up at you, and slowly stands. She doesn't look any worse for wear, other than the obvious. "I can't. I just... I can't anymore." "Now Olive, you've got it all wrong. Of course you can. I saw..." "I know what you saw, Charles. What we both saw. I betrayed you. I can't..." "Olive, no. That's not true at all! We've gone over this a hundred times! I was weak. The shadows won't survive without me. Please, my love, you mustn't have faith in Dendrin. We will win this war. We just need time." "Charles, I'm sorry. But it's the truth. Dendrin's just using us. He's probably laughing at us right now. I don't even think he cares anymore." "Then it's true? Is that why you've been acting so strange? What the hell happened? Out with it. I want to know." "I saw him. Dendrin, watching us. I've seen him do it before in my dreams. He just watches and laughs at our pathetic existence. I'm sorry, Charles. I think I've been bewitched." "By Dendrin? But how..." "I don't know. I've been having these horrible visions. He just looks so happy and beautiful in them. I try to resist, but I just... I love him, Charles. I just do." "Oh, Olive, you don't know the first thing about love. You're still a girl. You just think you know something about it because of..." "Please, don't Charles. Just leave me be. I can't talk about this anymore. It makes me sad." "Olive, I'm not going anywhere. You're my friend, and you'll always be my friend. I'm not going to let you throw your life away over something that's got to be a mistake. I know what love is. I know what it feels like." With that, you grab Olive's hand. She tries to pull away, but you tighten your grip. With her other hand, she attempts to pry your fingers open, but you only squeeze her tighter. "Let go of me, you monster!" she screams. The two of you continue to struggle for a while until Olive eventually knees you in the stomach and head, causing you to release her. Both land on the ground and you grab Olive and squeeze her tightly, almost to the point of strangling her. "I'm sorry, Olive. I just... I don't know what's happening. I..." "I know. Me either. We'll figure this out, okay? We'll find a way to fix this." You hold Olive for a few seconds more, and then slowly let her go. "Jacob, you are not Charles Calvin!" Your sister Grace says from your phone. "And Views and I are still in the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse!" "There's a war going on outside, Olive! I can't just sit here and do nothing! I have to fight!" "Jacob, you can't go out there! Look, we've got a plan. We'll lure the shadows outside, and we'll flip their own plan against them. Then we'll drive the shadows back to the exit, where you can chop their heads off with an axe!" "Yeah, I love the way I love me some flip and drive 'em back to the gate! Alright, I'll be there as soon as possible. You can do this with your brother, Olive!" "I will! Thank you, Jacob!" You turn to your sister. "Grace, you need to flip and drive them back to the gate. Okay, you've got the hang of it, now do it! I know you can do it!" "I'm scared!" "So be a big girl and crush 'em, okay? You've got the strength for it!" "Okay!" "I love you, Grace. Be brave." "Bye, Jacob!" "Bye, Grace! Bye, Olive!" "Bye, Jacob! See you later!" With that, the two flip out of the house and perform their assigned task. Now's your chance to get the hell out of here, before any of them realize you're still here. Option 1: Run. The house, however, goes silent. There is no more yelling, no more crying. Everything has gone silent, which causes you to tense up. "By Dendrin, I hope they can do this." You say, readying your sword. You march on the house with caution, before finally... "Jacob? Is that you?" a voice says. You turn around, and see... "Ben? What the heck are you doing here?" You say. "I'm here to help, like you wanted." "What... the hell happened to you? Charles Calvin flies away in his helicopter. Are you okay?" "I'm fine. (Sigh) I'm a little tired, but I'll heal." "What about the others? We need to go save them." "I think... "I'll explain everything once we get out of this alive, let's move!" Ben says. You proceed to follow Ben as you try to keep up with him... You awaken alongside Ben and Charles as it is now nighttime. You're standing next to a tree with the Shadow Battered Baron in it. "Call me Benelux," Ben says. "I'm sorry you got caught up in this. I'll explain everything once we get home." "Where is home?" You ask. "Green Eye Farm." "Okay. Home it is then." While it seems that things are looking up for you, you have some concerns. "What the heck happened to you, Ben? You're covered in blood and your body ripped apart!" "You'll find out later." You proceed home, as you ponder what the hell is going on. When you arrive home, you sit down in the farmhouse and Ben joins you. "So, tell me about your friends." You tell him everything you know, or think you should know. It isn't much, but it's enough to get the story underway. "So... that's it." "Yeah. I guess so." "And you believe that this Olive girl is some sort of hero that can take on the entire Shadow Guard? That just seems kind of hard to believe." "Well, I don't know much about it, except that she's apparently the chosen one of Dendrin." "Hm. I suppose that does sound a bit impossible, but..." Ben pauses, before getting up. He begins to pace, as he seems to think hard about something. "Just crash here." "What?" "Just crash here. I gotta go do some work by myself. I can't have you doing that thing you do, it messes up my concentration." "What, living in a house full of women?" "Yeah, those too." You really have no reason to decline this since you're tired, and it'd be nice to sleep in a soft bed. However, something doesn't sit right with you. "Ben, is everything okay?" "Sure! Why wouldn't it be?" "I dunno, you're acting really strange. Anything you want to tell me?" "Like what? You think I'm having an affair with my mom or something?" "Well, it was sort of just a wild guess." Ben bursts out in laughter. "You think my mom's having an affair? I'd say the chances of that are about the same as..." He pauses, before raising an eyebrow. "As finding pure essence of bonelesbians in the average human's body." "Pure essence? That's a rather odd way of describing them... I mean, what about the halfelesbians?" Ben burst out in laughter again. "Halfelesbians? Please. If you're referring to the species of feline being described as such, then no, they're not actually a separate species at all. They're just a very skoshy variety of our own common cat. A pretty, skoshy cat." "Aren't they?" Ben nods. "Yes, yes they are. In any case, I'm not having an affair. Mom's fine by me." "Oh. Well, that's good to hear." "Good night, Jacob." "Good night, Ben." You go upstairs, and collapse onto your bed. Normally, after a long day, you'd stay up to do some of your hobbies, like reading or writing or such. However, with all that's happened, you feel like you just want to sleep off the week. You drift off into a deep sleep, with the nightmares once again plaguing you. You awaken to the smell of fresh baked bread. You sit up, and look out your window. It's still night, but a faint moon gives off just enough light to see the figures outside in the yard. They're all women. Some are carving up what appears to be a pig in the middle of the group. Others are busily putting heavy wooden trays with slices of bread, and placing them next to the carving knives. You go to the window, and lean over the sill. "Good morning, sleepyhead!" One of the voices says. You turn, and see the face of a young girl. She's a short little thing, with a few figures hidden under a thick dark red robe. "Huh? morning?" "Is it morning already?" "Yes." "Oh my goodness, I slept through the morning already!" The girl has a Scottish accent, and her name tag reads "Sally". You grab your things, and head outside. "Oh, look who's up early! Jacob, didn't you sleep well?" "Hiya, Jacob. You slept so well, we had to wake you!" You find yourself surrounded by women, all of whom are smiling and waving. "I slept so well I slept through the morning!" "Morning? It's night!" "Hey!" "Who's this one?" "He's the lord of the manors, and he uh, owns this entire estate!" "Why do we need a lord? We're not a bunch of hobs!" "So? He's our lord and master!" You begin to panic. "Wait! I'm not your lord and master! I just own this entire... Oh dear. I need to get back inside before my mom sees me out here." "But we need your lord and master to assign us all duties!" "I'll be back at dawn! Hopefully by then you'll have already found another lord and master to serve! Cecilia arrives and kisses you. "Good morning, darling. How did you sleep?" "I slept well, thanks. What's going on?" Cecilia smiles. "What exactly do you mean? Are you our lord and master now?" Cecilia smiles. You panic. "No! No! I'm not their lord! I just own this place! I'm not even Jacob's..." "That's good. It'll make things easier for you." You begin to wonder if fleeing to the city is such a good idea. On the other hand, you don't even have any immediate duties here. You could probably just let the place go to hell. You need to get all your decisions made soon. You need to get all your decisions made soon... Hello? I'm sorry, Jacob. I'm afraid the ladies here will never accept you as their master. What?! That's absurd! I'm telling the truth! I'm not their master! No, I'm sorry Jacob, but that's how they see you. They live under your command, and you are their lord and master. This is ridiculous! I'm telling you, I'm not... No, Jacob. If you want to save this relationship, that's up to you. Shrugh. Their words, not yours. Well don't waste anymore of my time, Cecilia. Good day. And with that, you end the call. Cecilia and her little clique slowly begin to dissipate, fleeing the manors. You see them to the front door, watching them leave. You half expect some of them to turn around and come back inside, but none do. Eventually, you're alone. Might as well get started, despite the tragic ending. You head into the manors kitchen, and prepare some food. You finally head to the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse, desperate to save Views and your sister. --- "I thought you said your sister would be back by now." "She will be soon, sir!" "Alright, let's stay focused. Any sightings of our targets yet? "No, sir. We're still waiting on news on their whereabouts." You take a bite of your hamburger, chewing slowly. You're not sure if you should be eating while you wait, but you're too hungry to care. "Hey, sir?" "Yes, Warts? Why are you staring at your feet like that?" "Well... I was wondering if I could go to the bathroom." "What?!" "I really have to go, sir. It's been hours and my stomach is killing me." "You're only wearing shorts, socks and a tank-top, Warts." "I know, sir. I know." You stare at the young lion. "What's the matter, Warts? You approach the Mickey Mouse slaughterhouse again, and decide to stay and look for Grace and Views. Maybe you could use the excuse that you're looking for your sister to get close to the slaughterhouse and look for them from there. "Sir?" "What is it, Warts? "Can I go to the bathroom, sir?" "No, you're going to stay here and keep watch. When we get the all-clear from the police, we'll all go to the bathroom together." Warts nods, staying put. You go back to the house and sit back down. It's been three hours since you arrived at this house. You haven't eaten anything but those godawful McDonald's sandwiches, and even then you needed the toilet halfway through eating one. You thought about calling for pizza, but you didn't want to leave Warts alone. But then you go the Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse for real. You start with the first floor, where you see the chocolate cup. You quickly open the box, and put the contents in your bag. You hear the sirens of police cars outside. You grab your gun, and go to the kitchen, panting. "Wazzat?" Warts says, staring at the screen. You stare at the large map of the city. The three locations that the police had tracked the robbers to are now empty. "They're all empty," you say. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!" You quickly grab the TV dinner from the table, and you all run out of the kitchen. "We need to round everyone up. Everyone. Now. We need to go to the warehouse district." You grab your walkie-talkie, and switch it on. "This is the experiencing mammal crew. Get to the warehouse district. Let's go, now!" You all quickly get into your cars and drive to the warehouse district. Finally, you see Grace and Views tied up in the warehouse district, and go to untie them. "Whoa there, we need to stick together on this, guys. Let's keep our cool and go in." You all enter the warehouse. You see the robbers holding guns to Views and Grace. Four of them are there, including Sticky. "I want that hamster," Sticky says. "No! I want that gerbil!" one of the robbers says angrily. "I want that one!" "Shut up, both of you. I'm deciding which one to take," You fight the robbers and free Views and Grace. They run away to safely. Mickey Mouse is outraged. "This isn't over, you furry little rats!" After driving for a bit, you arrive at the warehouse district. You enter a large building, big enough to hold a few thousand rodents. Nobody is here yet. "Let's divide ourselves up between sleeping quarters and safety," you say. You assign each member their duties. You're in charge of the heldover members, namely Warts and Chase. You also decide who's going to raid the cafeteria for food, and who's going to guard the door. "You're in charge of the raiders. I'll take the safety duties," you say to Warts. "See ya later, partner." "See ya, ya little rodent," Warts says, rolling his eyes, and leaving to join the raiders. Chase is left guarding the door with a few others. "Alright, what do I do?" he asks nervously. "I've never guarded before. I'm not very good at it. I'm not very good at a whole lot of things." "You need to stand at the door and stop anyone from entering, or leaving, or doing both," you reply. "Got it. Anything else?" "Yeah, try not to get killed. If someone comes busting down the door, try to stall them, like you'd stall someone from shooting you. If that doesn't work, try to shoot them." "Got it. Thanks." Chase stands at the door with two others, all heavily armed. The rest of you hide in various places around the warehouse. A few minutes into the wait, you hear some shouting. "Riders comin', riders comin' fast! Head 'em off at the Dumpster! We'll clean up the strays!" Several of the robbers start running for the Dumpster, where you know there's a large group of dogs. "Come on, I'll lead the way!" you say, grabbing your gun and running for the door. You run outside, seeing several bandanna-wearing riders galloping towards you. The bandits waste no time in opening fire, and you quickly take cover behind a nearby Dumpster. "You little son of a b-" "Shoot 'em, boys! Shoot 'em!" Sticky yells. The bandits open fire, killing several of the galloping ponies and hit others. You soon have the issue under control, but not without losing some of your friends. Several of the bandits barely escape, as their horses were killed or fall into the river. You don't know if they'll make it before the lights go out. You've lost count of the number of robberies this week. You're just trying to survive, and that's become a lot harder now. The deliverymen don't stand a chance after the first hold up. Soon, there is no food in the building at all. You begin to wonder why you're even still staying here. The answer comes in the form of several men running inside, yelling about how they just shot most of your friends on the other side of the Dumpsters. You don't even need to hear the rest of their story to know that the rest of Team Baby-Doll just raced inside like cowards. Right after they shot your friends, they ransacked the place, taking everything of value. You've been left with nothing, and you have nowhere else to go. You return to Cecilia's house. You don't have enough money for a hotel, and you'd rather not sleep in the streets. You wait for morning, when you can try to reason with your sister about this. --- You find Cecilia standing by the front door, dressed for school. "Why aren't you in school, Cecilia?" "I don't want to go." "You don't want to go? Why not?" "Because, I'm sick of these people!" she yells, hitting the wooden banister rail with her fist. "Cecilia, come on, snap out of it! I can't take you. I gave you a home, and look what you're doing with it! Why can't you just act like a normal kid for once?" "I hate these people, toots. I want out." "Cecilia, I understand you're angry-" "I'm angrier at you, you big dopey doofus! If you had only just listened to me, none of this would have happened!" "Cecilia, I-" "I'm leaving!" she yells, running off again. You groans in exasperation and heads to work. It's a quiet morning at the diner. In fact, it's so quiet, you're the only person working. You figure you might as well get started cooking; there's not much else you can do here. Just as you finish cooking, the cafe's bell above the door rings. It's a man with a large backpack and an equally large and muscular German shepherd on a leash. "Hello," the man says. The dog begins to growl and sniff the air. "You must be new here. If you're looking for a job, you've come to the wrong place. We're a private establishment," you say, wondering why you're still talking. "I'm actually looking for someone in particular. I'm trying to reach the person who runs this cafe. I have important business with them." "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." "It's the man named Jacob. I'm looking for Jacob Killinger." "So you are. Well, he doesn't live here anymore. He moved out of this city about a month ago." "Oh. I see. Well, can you tell me where he went?" "No. I don't know. Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do." The German Shepherd suddenly begins to bark aggressively, and the man raises his hands in defense. "I don't know where Killinger is! I was just told he lived here!" he exclaims. "If you really want to find Killinger, you'll have to ask the cafe owner." The man raises his hands again, and clicks his tongue. The dog ceases barking, and the man approaches you. "Tell you what," he says in a friendly tone. "I'll give you a hundred bucks if you tell me where Killinger lives. That sound okay?" "I can't. I don't know," you say. "I'm sorry." The man sighs, then pulls a small pistol from his pocket. "Well, it looks like I'll have to do this the hard way," he says. "Sheesh. How the hell is it that nobody around here knows what's good for 'em?" The man aims his gun, and shoots you in the back of the head. You fall to the ground. The man pulls out his cell phone, and makes a call. "I told you the guy doesn't know. He doesn't have Killinger's phone number." A second later, the man turns to you. "Sorry about this," he says. Then, he pulls the trigger. Cecilia arrives to apologize to you, but sees the dog barking over his dead owner's body and you unconscious on the ground. She gets you to a hospital. When you wake up, you learn that you got shot while working as a short order cook. You decide to move on, and never return to the city. Some time later, you're living in California, working as a waiter. You're not doing too bad. Cecilia calls to say she had your child. You never see it, but you hear the boy is a good fighter. You're glad. One day, when he grows up, you hope he doesn't follow in your footsteps. You hope he finds a new home. Somewhere, someone needs to love him. Maybe he'll find that place in life. You could have helped him. You could have made that place in his life. But, you decided not to. You think... you don't know what you think. It doesn't matter. You'll never know. That is, until one day when your son tracks you down. He looks just like you, but taller and lankier. There's a man in a black robe behind him. "Dad?" your son asks. "Are you in..." But, the words die in his throat. He knows who you are. He knows what you did. And, he knows that you're not a good person. You nod silently. There's no need to speak. Your son turns away. "Goodbye, Dad. I hope you find whatever the hell whatever it is you're looking for." Then, he leaves. The man in black robes steps forward. "I'm sorry," he says. "I had my people track him down, but he's already left the state." "So he has," you say. You and the man in black robes have a stare-down. "The boy knows the truth," the man says. "Tell me, why did you kill my assistant? You had every opportunity to turn down our offered pay." "You wouldn't have hired me," you reply. "You wanted to hire a contract killer. I was simply the first person you met." The man chuckles. "I wanted to hire a sandwich maker," he says. "Goofy, silly you. My offer is still valid. Go home, Dad. Live out the rest of your days in peace. Forget you ever met an son." You take out your wallet, and show the man a picture of your wife and two children. "You wouldn't hire a contract killer," you say, "but you will hire me. Look at the picture." The man does, and nods. "I'll hire you," he says. "You better make it quick. We need to catch first flight out tomorrow." You nod, and the next day you buy a one-way ticket to New York. On the plane, you think about how you're finally going home. The rest of your life will be spent in New York. When you arrive, you head straight to the airport hotel and check in. You aren't sure what to do with the rest of your life. You googled "things to do in New York" before you came, but you feel like you're lacking in purpose now that you're here. However, you do know one thing. You're going to find your son. You have to find him. You have to apologize for what happened. You have to... The door opens, and a girl walks in. She's tiny, very pretty and wearing a Juicy Couture tracksuit. She's about your age, but looks about a decade younger thanks to heavy make-up and stylish clothes. She has a small overnight bag, and... is that a tuxedo inside it? "Hi," she smiles. "I'm Hazel. What's...?" She sees the look on your face, and stops speaking. Instead, she lets out a high pitched scream. "Wait a minute," You say. "You're my alternate female self from another timeline, aren't you?" The girl shakes her head, tears streaming from her eyes. "Oh, that's just tragic." You shake your head. "But I suppose it explains a lot." "What's... happening to me?" The girl sobs. "He's screaming. It hurts." You walk over, and stare into the eyes of your younger self. "Listen to me," you say. "I understand what you're going through, alright? I've been there." You explain to her what's happened, and she breaks down in tears again. "Can you... can you help me?" she asks. "Can you take me home?" "I don't know how," you admit. "I have an autograph from Lil' Mama," she says, trying to compose herself. "She's cool. Maybe she can help me." "I don't know where she is either," you admit. "Or what happened to her." "What about my fans?" she asks. "Can they help me? I could sell my autograph. My fans are..." She breaks down again. You don't know what to do. You never had to help someone like her. Eventually, she stops crying, and you give her some advice. "Go to the hospital. They should have instructions on what to do if this happens to you." "Okay," she says, sniffling. "I'm sorry this happened to you." "Thanks," she says, smiling through her tears. "You're so nice. You're not like my father." "I'm not?" "No. He's mean. He doesn't care. But you sound like you do." "I don't know what that's like," you admit. "Is... is that your wife?" She points to the picture of the woman with you on your phone. "If it is, she's very pretty." "She was." "What happened? I mean, I'm sorry if I'm being too inquisitive." "She died." "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I..." "My mother just died," you say. "I have to go." "Okay," she says, letting out a long sigh. "Thank you for your time. I appreciate it." "My name is Jacob." You turn to face your other self. She stares at you, her eyes narrowing. "Thanks for your help," she says. "Bye." "See ya." You quickly walk out of the house, and head off to the hospital. Once there, you go to the information desk and ask how you can get hold of the police. The woman behind the desk suggests that you call 0800 555 6111, a number with which you're very familiar. You thank her, and answer that question. You dial the number, and wait to be answered. "Hello, 911," says a woman's voice. "I need police," you say. "My name is Jacob, from house number forty-seven." "What's your address, Sir?" "Fourty-seven Fourty-Seven North," you say. "Now, please." "I'm sorry, Sir. Can you tell me what's going on? "My younger self saved my life. A girl from his school has been kidnapped by a man named Charles, and I have to go back in time to prevent it... but I don't know how. Can you help me?" "I need your name, Sir." "I'm Jacob," you say, giving your name. "It's a long story." "I need your full name, Sir.\" "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your birthdate, Sir." "November second, two thousand thirteen." "What's your height, Sir?" "One hundred and sixtytwo centimeters. What's yours?" "One sixty-nine, one sixty-E," she says. "What sort of car do you drive, Sir?" "A 2007 black Ford Fusion." "I need your Social Security number, Sir." "Surely you've got all that information," you say. "Those files get leaked all the time." "I need your Social Security number," she insists. "It's required for many government functions." "How long is this going to take?" you ask. "I'm in a lot of danger." "I can't do it over the phone," she says. "I need you to come into the police station." "I can't," you say. "I've already gone back in time. I'm already here." "I need your name, Sir. Please give it to me." "Jacob Thomas Killinger." "I need your date of birth, Sir." "22/11/2000." "What's your address, Sir?" "47 Fourty-Seven North Fourth Street." "What's your apartment number, Sir?" "20." "I need your apartment number, Sir," she says again, calmly but firmly. "1C," you say. "It's an apartment." "I need your street address, Sir." "447 N. Fourth Street," you say. "North Fourth Street." "What's your city, Sir?" "Joliet." "What's your state, Sir?." "Illinois." "What's your zip code, Sir?" "61746." "Are you currently in debt, Sir?" "I owe a few bucks on some fines." "I need your birth date, Sir." "25/11/1990." "What's your birth time, Sir?" "Six thirty-eight am. What's yours?" "02:38." "What's your favorite color, Sir?" "Green." "My favorite color is blue," she says. "What do you like to eat, Sir? You get out of there and head to the police station, angrily killing the police woman. When you arrive, the officer behind the desk looks up at you. "You can go right back to where you came from, Mr. Killinger," he says. "It's not exactly a high priority case." "I have to find my younger self," you say. "A girl has been kidnapped." "What girl?" he asks, confused. "A girl named Madeline," you say. "I have to go back in time to save her." "I'm sorry, but I don't..." he says, before stopping. "Wait a minute. You're the guy that went back in time to save that little girl, aren't you? Well, welcome back, sir." You stare at him in confusion. "Thanks," you say, Headdesking out of the police station. "Shi..." You find yourself outside the apartment you left off at, and notice that it's night time. You walk inside your apartment in wonder, as the girl from earlier is still there, sitting on the floor. "You're back," she says. "I was wondering if you would." "So this," you say, pointing to yourself, "is me." "Yep," she says. "It is." "So what's going on?" you ask. "I don't know," she says. "I remember my name. I remember other stuff, too, but not this. I woke up here, with no memories, a few days ago." "You were missing for years," you say. "How can you only remember this recently?" "What year is it?" she asks. "I don't know. I found a watch in this house, and it's been broken for a while. I think something happened years ago, but I don't know what." You think for a moment. "The year is 2016," you say. "And there's been a kidnapping." "A kidnapping?" she asks. "Yeah," you nod. "A girl name Madeline has been kidnapped by an evil man named John." "Who is John?" she asks. "Are you friends with him?" "No!" you say. "I don't know who John is. I'm just trying to save her." "Saving people is hard," she says. "I tried to save my friends." "I'm trying to get all of them back," you say. "I don't know if it's going to work, but..." "What are you going to do if you find her?" she asks. You pause for a moment, thinking about the best way to tell her. "I'm going to kill John," you finally say. "That's violent," she says. "I can't remember what happened to me. I don't know if this is all a dream. I need to find out." "What if you die in the process?" she asks. "Then I'll just have to spend an eternity as the last person in the world," you shrug. "I'll take my chances with that." "Oh..." You stare at the ground, thinking. You need to choose which group to join, and there's only one choice. "I have to save everyone," you say. "You're new here, right? Where's it safe to go?" "The church is a good place to hide," she says. "Where is it?" You draw a circle on the floor with your finger. "Right here," you say. "You can hide in there." "Okay," she nods. "I'm glad I ran into you. Bye." "Bye," you say, and go back to looking for a way inside the house. After searching the house from top to bottom, you give up. You need to come up with a new plan. Your only lead was that the girl was hiding in a certain spot in the house, and you know for a fact that she's probably not there now. So you need to come up with another way. It's then that you remember the basement. You could try breaking in the window...

"This is stupid." You say. "I'm not going to fall for the same trick twice." You head down to the basement, where you find a ladder leading to a window. You climb up it, and sit on the roof to see if you can spot Madeline. You do this for half an hour, but see no sign of her. You sigh, and hop off the roof. It's time to come up with a new plan. For a while, you just sit in the basement, wondering what you should do. You open up the vault, finding a bunch of money. You grab a handful, thinking. Maybe you could go to the police? Tell them what's going on, and get them to help you get revenge? You doubt it very much though. Even if they believed you, the kidnapper is most likely going to just kill you and throw your body in an alley or something. No, you won't get revenge this way. There has to be another way... you just have to think about it. "Hey, Ben?" "Yeah?" "Do you have any good ideas on how to get revenge on this guy? I don't think breaking and entering is going to work, and I don't have any other ideas." "Hmm..." Ben says, thinking. "What about this place? I can get us some fake IDs, and we could rob this place blind. We just need to find out when they're not watching the place, and it's open." "Go on." "So, we go in, and... well, ignore me for a second. I need to get the money. You just need to distract this guy." "What? Why? That's suicide!" "It's not if you don't make a loud noise, and point your weapon at him." "What if he hits me with his gun?" "Well, if he's going to do that, I'll just shoot out his kneecaps and listen to him scream for awhile." "I don't know if I'm up to fighting him. I'm not even sure if a gunshot to the knee would disable him." "What if I'm up to fighting him? I can easily take out his two goons; you just need to distract him. Then, when I've got his attention, you need grab the money and run." "I don't know. I just don't think I'm capable of taking him out." "You won't have to. I'll handle it. Just... you just need to do something." "I'll think about it." You say, not wanting to make a decision immediately more than anything else. That night, you lie in bed, staring at your ceiling. Finally, you decide to get up and do something. After getting dressed in a blue shirt and brown pants, perhaps a little too formal for what you're planning to do, you grab the flintlock pistol you have for your nightstand. The safety is on, but you make sure it is before taping the gun to your leg and exiting your room. You walk down the stairs, where you find Ben waiting for you. "Hey, kid." He says, as you walk out of the kitchen. "What're you still doing here? I figured you'd be long gone by now." You say. "I was, but I wanted to speak with you about something first." "Oh?" "Yeah. This is probably going to be a pretty hard conversation for you." "Just say it. If it's too hard, I'll go back to my room." "It really isn't going to be that bad. It's just, well, you're going to have to kill me." "What? Come on, you can't be serious!" "I'm serious. I mean, I'll help you anyway I can, but you're going to have to kill me." "Why? What's all this got to do with you being kidnapped or anything?" "Kid, I know you're pissed about getting shot, but it's really not as bad as you think. I mean it was bad, and I'll have it kept in mind if I ever have to go through it again, but it could have been a lot worse. I was just lucky that the doctor they took me to had some experience patching up gunshot wounds. I could have died. I could still die, if I didn't get treatment quick enough. I honestly believed I was going to die. So if you're wondering if I have some lingering ill-will towards you, the answer is no. If anything, I'm glad you were there to help me." "Well that's a relief at least." "Anyway, I'm just saying, you don't need to go through with this. I mean, we did have fun together during our little trip, and it was an interesting experience. It's just that... look, I'm already dead. What harm is there in continuing that? I mean you're already a Bounty Hunter, going on these dangerous missions is just extending what you're already doing. And I for one would prefer to continue enjoying your company as opposed to rotting away in a grave." "That's a nice thought, but I doubt if anyone will accept such a rationale. You're a wanted man, and everyone's always looking to expand their own power. They'll probably just turn me over to the Guild, and I'll get killed by a mob." "They won't. I'll make sure of it. I know you have my pistol, but I'm going to give you something else as well." Ben pulls out a large revolver, and passes it to you. "What's this for?" You ask. "That's the weapon you'll use to kill me with, obviously." "Obviously. But why are you giving this to me?" "Because you're a good person at heart, and I don't want you to get hurt. Plus, I know you'll probably have better aim with it anyway." You laugh. "Thanks for your concern, but I doubt if that audience is going to react too well to someone shooting me in the head! No, this is going to be a clean shot to the chest and quick. I'll make sure you get remembered." You holster the pistol under your coat. "By the way, my name's not actually Jacob. It's Ben." "Oh. Right. I get it now." "Also, I think you should know, we're not on the only important mission. We're actually part of three groups, all converging on this place at the same time. I wouldn't be too sure about our safety." You think for a second. "So what do you mean?" You ask. "He means he doesn't want anything to do with you anymore," Madeleine says, killing Ben. "What happened?" "I told you he was pissed. If I were you I'd get the hell out of here, before he comes back with some others to kill us." "You're being a coward once again. We can handle it, we aren't unarmed. You have to get out of here, I'm serious." "Fine! But I'm warning you now, if your attitude doesn't improve I'm going to make it a lot worse for you! I'll go get the car, and then back to the hotel we'll go!" You snap, turning away. "You're being very rude Ben, you know that right? "I'm not Ben, I'm Madeleine!" Madeleine says, and you realize that Ben is dead. Madeleine followed you guys back to 2016, and doesn't want you to save her. "You're Ben's killer!" You say, walking towards her. "Not directly, though I did fulfill his last request." She suddenly grabs your arm, and you feel an unnatural chill run through you. She has dead eyes, and an unnatural grin on her face. It's only now that you notice she's missing a few teeth. "You can't take him away from me." She says, spitting blood out onto your shirt. "What do you mean? Who are you?" "I am the ghost of Christmas past." She says, "You think that'll be enough to scare you? My real name is Yvette. To you, I'm Madeleine. He loved me, he did. Followed me everywhere, he did. But one day I caught him... in the act. Well, that night I decided to get my revenge. I killed him. Slaughtered him and every other man in his village. I was only thirteen and he was supposed to be my protection. I... don't think I've ever laughed as hard as when I heard his screams." "You're... you're dead! I killed you!" "You didn't kill me, Ben did. But before I leave, know this. Ben did love me, in his own way. He would have done anything for me. I know that, because he told me everyday. If you're looking for the meaning of life, boy, you don't find it in some hollow tree or some book. You find it with the one you love. If you're lucky enough to find them. Because in the end, that's all there ever will be. Loss. The only thing you can count on. I lost Ben, but I know he had his part to play in my life. It's over now, and I'm finally at peace. He would want that. He would." She releases you, and turns away to leave. "That's why I saved you, Ben. I know that you would have done the same for me. And if you're looking for absolution for your crimes, boy, I don't have that to offer. What you need to do now is make things right. Chase after the one you love, and don't let them get away. Because the way I see it, you've got two options. You either stay here with me, or you go after your girl. Either way, best of luck, and I'm sorry I couldn't save him for you." With those last words, she leaves you. "What do you think? You decide to go to Cecilia's house, and write her a letter to warn her of her death in 20 years. She's the closest thing to a friend you've got. "It's not much, but it's something." "It's a good start, brother." You see your sister, Grace, standing over you. "What are you doing here?" You ask. "I came to see you, but I didn't think you'd be awake yet." "What do you want? I don't have anything to give you." "You've got something that I need, and that's your friendship. I need someone to talk to, and I know you're the only person I can really trust. You reveal you came from 30 years in the future, and you warned Cecilia of her death before you go home. "Well, I guess you saved her then. Sorry for my outburst, I really shouldn't have questioned your word." "As you should. Not everyone can go back in time." "I don't understand. You said you could send me back." "And that's true, but doing so would paradox. I don't want to be sent back. I want to stay here, with you. I want to enjoy life while I can." "I don't understand. If you went back in time, wouldn't that allow you five more years to live?" "Perhaps, but I'd rather live while I can, in the present. I don't want to be sent back to when I was young, struggling to make it in the world, only to have to start all over again. I had time to find love, to have a family... I'm not ready to lose that. I've found it here with you and the rest of the group." You think about what she says for a while. "So... You're saying that I shouldn't go back in time to save Cecilia?" You say. "I'm saying you shouldn't sacrifice yourself for another person. You should stay here, in Arrana, with us. Save yourself, and let someone else save Cecilia." "But why do that for me? You and the others don't even like me." "That doesn't matter. What matters is that I want you to be happy. I was lonely for a long time, but not any longer. I want that for you. Please, won't you stay? I promise I won't get you killed. I'll keep you safe, like I keep everyone else here. I'll even teach you how to play a new game, any game you want. Just don't go back in time, okay? Please, just live. Live... Like me. It is a twisted form of happiness, but you can't deny that she's probably right. Back in the present, you go track down your son instead, to get closure on Cecilia. You travel back in time again, but instead of the cave, you walk outside of it. Before you stands a man in a black cloak and hood, holding a black sword. "Hello there. Did you come to make a deal with me?" The man says. "Yes, I did. I'm here to make a deal with you." You reply. You continue. "I want you to bring my girlfriend back from the dead." "So, you're not going to kill your girlfriend's killer?" "Well... I'm not sure if that's what I'd call me right now. I want you to bring her back so she can be with me." "If you don't kill the killer, you'll get your girlfriend back?" "Something like that. Look, I don't want to have to go through the trouble of doing this. All I want is her back in my life." The man sighs. "I can do that." "You can? How?" "She's standing right here. "Cecilia!" You exclaim, delighted. Cecilia nods. "Hello, Jacob. I'm sorry to just show up like this. I know it's unexpected." "No, not at all! I'm glad you're here!" You answer. "I'm glad to be here as well... In your life..." She says, with a wistful tone. Cecilia makes eye contact with you briefly before looking away. She looks a bit tired, as if she hasn't been sleeping well lately. It's surprising that she made the trip here herself. Cecilia then turns to the man in black. "Who is this... Man?" "This is the man I was telling you about. I'll be watching him for the next few days. In the meantime, I'll get you back home. How's that sound?" "That... Sounds good. But who are you, really? What do you want?" "My name is Melcar. I want nothing from you. This man... Has something that was in your possession. I need that to get back home." "And if I say no?" "... Then I suppose I shall have to kill him and take it myself. That sound better?" "No, it doesn't." "Well then it looks like I'm going to have to kill you too. That sound better?" "It does, actually. Please don't kill him. I need him." "Why? Does he hold some meaning or emotional attachment for you? If that's the case, you're an idiot for letting him go back to his own time. He won't last there, you know." Cecilia looks at you, then back to Melcar. "Can you... Keep him safe for me? I need to go back to him. I need to make sure he makes it. Please. I'm begging you." Melcar's eyes narrow. "Is this the killer of your girlfriend?" Cecilia looks away nervously. "He... Doesn't know anything. He didn't do it. I'm sorry. He didn't do it." She pleads. "You're a morbid child. I thought you grew up in a cave or something. If you went through all the trouble of making friends, talking to people, and going out into the real world only to end up in some dumb cave with your dumb friends, then I can't imagine what the hell you'd do if you actually met a real killer. I'd guess run away, but you seem to be pretty good at that." Melcar says. "So can you keep him safe? Please?" He looks as you. "I think I can, but I can't do it for you. You need to go back yourself. I need that boy, don't you understand? I need that boy." "Please, it's very important." "Yeah, well that's pretty up front. I have to admit, I'm a little shocked you're not more cagey or manipulative. Perhaps you're not as dumb as I thought." "Please, just help me get back home." Melcar sighs. "Fine. Get in the car." Cecilia hops into the passenger seat of Melcar's car. You approach the vehicle, before you notice two more figures sitting in the backseat. "What the hell? Who the hell are those?" You demand. "Oh, you wanna know who I am? I'm your new best friend!" He says cheerfully, pointing to the man in black. "And this cozy gentleman over here is Mr. Jack the Ripper." "What? I don't understand." "I'm the guy who's going to be killing all those girls you like. My boy, here, will be cutting them up nice and not so nice. We're going to have so much fun." "Wait, you're on their side?" "Of course I'm on their side! I'm the guy who's going to give you a chance at getting all those bitches you like. I'm also going to make your life a living hell the next time you see me. So best friends do stuff like this, no?" Melcar turns back to you. "So, do we have a deal or not? Because I have to go pick up my first victim." "One more question. How do I know you'll actually kill those girls if I don't help you?" Mr. Jack grins. "Ah, you're starting to think like a slasher. You don't know? Of course you don't know. You'll just have to trust me. You always do. Now, are you going to be a bro, or what?" "You don't have the f...! I'm not going to..." "Choke him out. He's stubborn. You always were. Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by...the P.A. Chords? The Living Tombstone?" "I'm not going to help you!" you shout, as Melcar's eyes narrow. "Bah! You're such a square. This isn't physical. You can't get emotional leverage." He strokes his chin. "How about...I've a girlfriend back in high school. Or was it prep school? I can get her to help, or perhaps I'll get the ghost of that cute little cheerleader you used to ride your bike up and down the street for. You know, the one with all the...nice..." He checks himself. "Anyway, I can get her to torment and kill your beloved Cecilia." " YOU CAN'T !!" you roar, going into a rage. "Could, maybe. Would, definitely. You're not going to stop me." Melcar smiles. "Now, are you going to be a bro and help us, or do you want to be haunted by a cheerleader?" You're reduced to a quivering wreck. You know it's true. He has a girlfriend, and he's probably lying about her having no knowledge of this. You can't risk staying here, so you follow Melcar and his group out of the house. You're their now. No matter what they do with you, no matter how they use you, you're theirs. You and Cecilia make out passionately. You wait peacefully for her to finish, during which time you hear the screams of your friend and neighbor. The noise doesn't wake you, and you spend the next few hours with Cecilia before she's finished. She leaves the basement without a word, and you wonder if things are going decently enough with her. You can't think of too many times you've seen her since last time. "Hey, Jake," Melcar says. "Ready to go?" You look at Melcar, still wondering how the hell you could've been so blindly stupid as to let this happen. "Yeah..." "C'mon, then." You put on your shoes and follow Melcar upstairs. You walk side by side with him, watching as the sun rises. "Thanks for doing this, man," Melcar says. "Yeah, no problem." "So...is there a school around here?" "What?" "A school. For our friends. So they can learn what actual kids go through." You chuckle. "I dunno...schools are overrated. I mean, I learned how to read and write at one, and the teachers there were horrible." "Well...I'm not sure what kids do at your age." "We have fun," you say. "I mean, I didn't really have responsibilities, so I did what I wanted." "What did you do? Get into fights?" "Sometimes. With my fists, with words, with weapons... it depended." Melcar smiles. "Pretty tough for your first time being in a town with other kids." "Actually, my second time was even worse." Melcar groans. "Let's not go there." You arrive at the outskirts of New Bally. Melcar's friend Tom lives close by, so it isn't a long walk. You're still in awe of how you've managed to get yourself into this situation. "So...anyone want to see my new trick?" Melcar asks, suddenly. "What's that?" you ask. "I can..." Melcar pauses, appearing to think really hard about how to put this. "Turn into a bat." "A...bat?" you ask, uncertain how to react. "Yeah! You know, like in the movies?" You take a step back, and look away. "That's...pretty creepy." "Come on! It's easy! I can turn into a big, fat, ugly bat. Or, if I want to look like one of those fancy Japanese ones, I can do that too. I can stay a bat for a really long time." "How long do you need to spend as a bat to get that power?" "I dunno," Melcar says. "A few years, I guess. I knew some kids in first grade who turned into bats around me, so they must've spent their whole lives as bats before they could become something else. That's how it works, right? You have to be a bat for a long time to become something else?" "I don't know," you say. "I think so." "Cool!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a neighborhood to lawlessly rampage through!" You shake your head. You know there's got to be another way. A better way. A way you can do this and still stay in control of your own mind. You just need to think about it... "Hey, wait!" Melcar says. "Let's go find a house! I bet I can take 'em all by myself, with my new powers!" You shake your head again. You can already tell this plan is doomed to failure. "No." "Come on! I'll give you all the best stuff! All the best stuff is mine!" "No. Now, listen. We're going to find a store, and you're just going to wait there while I deal with the people. I'm sure I can convince them not to press charges." "Press charges?" Melcar repeats. "What are you going to do, kill 'em all?" "Well, I'm going to try. And if I can't? I'm going to at least get them off the charges. Look, just wait there. I'll be back shortly. I'm sure I'll find something within my powers to be able to do. I always do." "Jeez, fine," Melcar says. "I guess I better hang out here and wait, then. I don't fancy hanging out in this environment any longer than I have to. Better that I just go for a walk, right? I'm just going to go for a quick, quick stroll...HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING MY FEET?" You jump up, grabbing Melcar's wrists and twisting them behind his back. You then force him to his knees with his hands still behind his back. "Stay still." "What are you doing?!" he asks, frightened. Now that you're in a position to be able to do it, you don't want to. But you're in a position to be able to interrogate a criminal with magical abilities. You can't very well do that if you aren't using them. You focus your senses. You try to hear what is going on in the surrounding houses, you try to sense what is inside Melcar's body, you do everything you can to find out how fast he is, whether his reflexes are as quick as a cat's, what sort of weapons he has on him, whether he's alone or not... And then, you focus on the one thing you actually WANT to sense. His soul. And there it is. A glowing blue orb, floating in front of his chest. So simple, so small, yet so powerful. Pure. Silent. Calm. Unstoppable. Your heart beats faster, as you feel the blood rushing through your ears. This is it. This is how it feels to be a superhuman. This is how it feels to be a god. You grab the orb, twisting it with ease. Melcar shrieks in pain, as you feel his grip on your wrists loosen automatically. You smash your fist into his face with every ounce of your energy, feeling his nose breaking and brains spilling out the other side. He collapses onto the ground, twitching slightly. This feels amazing. But, you still need to interrogate him. You let go of his orb, only to feel it vanish into his body. "What did you do?" "Take... Take it from me... You're nothing... Nobody can be free... Take it back..." Melcar sputters, blood dripping down his face. He's going into shock, so you finish the job quickly by snapping his neck. That done, you let out a sigh of relief. That was... Hard to do. But, at least now you can use your magical powers in peace. You look around, noticing Melcar's partner standing nearby. You suppose you know who he is now. "You are?" "Yes. I am Mr. Mol," the man says, extending a hand to you. "Congratulations. You just won't have to deal with criminals in Dert anymore." You grab at his hand, shaking it. "Don't think that's much of a consolation, Mr. Mol." He squints at you. "Is... Is something wrong?" "Oh, nothing," you say with a wave of your hand. "Just making conversation." "... Okay." Mr. Mol crosses his arms, staring at you. You suddenly realize that he's examining you for a tell. One of the many things you need to learn. "We should really relocate," you suggest. "For the sake of the community." "I suppose we do need to do something," Mr. Mol nods. Mr. Mol takes you to a nearby abandoned house. "This place will have to do," he says. "We're going to live in an abandoned house!" you exclaim. "It's the best place I could find." Mr. Mol fixes the door so it doesn't slam, then stares at you. "So, you're new here. What's your name?" "Jacob." "I'm Mark, what's yours? Are you homeless?" "No, I just don't have a lot of money for a place yet," you say. "I'll be able to get by." "Where are you from originally?" "Oh, um... The Nothington suburbs." "Nothington! Are you a student?" You nod. "I went to school with the dean," Mr. Mol says. "He was also the head of security at the university. He had some interesting theories on crime and punishment, but I doubt if any of them stuck. The suburbs are like a prison all on their own." "Why did you come to Dert?" you ask, wondering what his angle is. "I wanted to be with my wife," he says. "We moved here for her to become a nurse, but she... Didn't like it here. So, I'm here alone." "How long are you staying?" "As long as it takes." Mr. Mol smiles at you, then winces. "You should see a doctor, son." "I'll be fine," he says, rubbing his back. "I'll just be glad when this hell is over." You fall asleep that night wondering if you should stay or go. The morning arrives, and you wake up. You find a note on the pillow next to you. Dear Jacob, If you're going to stay in Dert, I suggest you buy yourself a house. Don't live in an abandoned one. Make sure it has running water and electricity. Also, don't go to the tavern. Mr. Mol Sighing, you go to the store to buy yourself a house. After some searching, you find one that looks nice, but needs a lot of work done to it. You spend the next few days fixing it up. When you're done, it's a good home. You go there to live after thanking the owner's wife for her kind offer of cookies and milk. You never enter the tavern, and you see no harm in that. Mr. Mol eventually leaves, and things return to "normal" in Dert. You don't see him again. The dean is found guilty of abusing his power and sentenced to a short prison sentence. The Nothington suburbs reform themselves to what they were. You never heard anything about it again. Nobody cared. You don't see much of Dert anymore, as you're more of a homebody now. You have a large house to yourself, with plenty of garden to keep you busy. You still see your wife sometimes when she comes to visit, still with the idea to try to convince her to move there. She always refuses, however. "I can't live in a small town," she says. "I want excitement." You offer again to take her to the city, but she declines. "I like it here. I'm staying." The end. You slam your fist into the wall in anger, and fall to the floor in a sitting position. You wince as the pain shoots up your arm and through your chest. The rest of your body soon joins in. "It's a good ending." You mutter to yourself. "Why the hell do I keep trying to make this story bad?" You stand up and look out the window. A small smile creeping on your face as you see Ben envying your view from his house as you do. "I guess because you're a miserable cur." You walk out of the room, ready to put an end to your writing for the day. ~THE END~ You reached the "Good" ending. "Good job, genius." You wink at the screen. "Now, let's see if I can't try something a little more... interesting." You decide to pay Cecilia another visit, making sure to propose marriage to her. You figure that's probably the best way to ensure you get a good ending. You walk out to the middle of Dert, and stop. You look around, before spotting Cecilia. She notices you, and a huge grin appears on her face. "Jacob!" she runs over to give you a hug. "You're OK! I was so worried about you!" "Of course I am," you hug her back, "I'm here with a question to ask you." " Question? " "Yeah, question. You ready?" Cecilia nods with a smile. "I knew you'd come back for me, Jacob," she blushes. "I'm ready." "Cecilia, will you marry me? " Another huge smile appears on her face. She places her hand over her heart, and leans in to hug you. "Of course I will! " You move in to deepen the hug, when sudden voices from behind you stop you. "Are you serious? The voices are those of Team Never Ending Story, who reveal the MMS was rebuilt. They ask you a few questions about what happened during your imprisonment, to which you give a very generic story of how you were saved by an old woman. They seem to accept this, although you notice Cape Kragen checking to see if you're lying. "Well, that was certainly an interesting way of getting back here." He glares at you. "I'm sure the team will forgive you for this, but from now on you'll be on duty instead of Cecilia. I can't have people faking their own deaths." "But she said--! " "I said fake!" he screams in your face. The team begins to leave, and you follow suit. As you're walking away, Ben turns to you. "Thanks for coming back to us, Jacob. " "Thanks for asking me to write the ending, Ben. " You hear a snort of laughter as you go to find Cecilia. She's looking out for the team, and you're not going to let them get away with insulting you. "Ben will forgive you. " You're not quite sure how to take that, but you decide to address it later. Right now, you need to talk to Cecilia. "You're getting married?" Ben asks. "Yeah," you nod, "I'm marrying Cecilia." "That was fast. When did this happen?" "Just now." "Oh..." Ben's voice lowers, "That's good. I'm happy for you, and I'm sure the team is too. " After the team has left, Ben turns to you. "So, you're my new mentor now, eh?" "If I'm not, I am soon," you reply. "I need to talk to you about that." "What is it? " "It's about the future. I need you to kill Ben, so that I may take his place." "What?! " "You heard me." "So, why would I do such a thing?" "You need to get with the times, man. You're from the past, you should be using social media. I saw you on Youtube, and I was amazed that a person from the 1800's had discovered the internet." "I don't even." "Then how did you discover that the MMS was destroyed?" "I was fishing through the rubble and found a card dropped by one of the members. It had instructions on rebuilding it, and we were able to do it. We've been working on our plan to rescue you, but it seemed appropriate to rebuild the group after all you've done to try to free us." "Wow. That's some dedication." "It is. I'm still amazed that you were able to make friends with some of them. I had to kill one of them, and I'm a little squeamish about the idea. " "Yeah, it took a while for me to warm up to some of them as well. I'm just glad we all came to an understanding." "Understood. I'll get you." "You will? " "Sure. We have a deal, and I'll honor it." "Fair enough. After my talk with Ben, I'll go with you." You nod, and decide to go find Cecilia. You have a few words for her as well. You're surprised that she didn't insist on coming to talk to Ben herself, but that's Cecilia for you. She always did like the safety of the sidelines. Meanwhile, Ben is walking over to you. Ben is a large man, and you're not quite sure why he was chosen to be the leader of this group. Maybe it's because he looks the strongest, and he's been here the longest? He's not stupid, but there's a limit to how intelligent he seems. "What were you and Cecilia arguing about?" "She told me to kill you." Whether it's a question of whether you're surprised or not, you aren't going to answer it. "Figures she'd be anti-socialist." "I'd say that's a very '17th century' way of looking at things." "I'm not a Socialist, free market. There's a difference." "I guess, but it seems pretty similar to me." "So, you and her have come to an understanding?" "We have. She'll be joining us." "What?! " "Cecilia is coming with us." "You heard me, and this is final too. You're coming with us." "But... Cecilia and I... we're in love." "What difference does it make? You're going to be working together anyway." "Yes, but... I don't want to just be working together. I want us to work together. I'm not going." "Don't be so dramatic." Ben says, rolling his eyes. "You're coming with us, or I'm going to have to kill you." "So be it. Kill me then." You say, putting your hands up. Ben raises his gun Slowly, as you stare at him. He lowers his gun. "Sorry Cecilia. He's dead." He says, not sounding sorry at all. Cecilia walks out from behind the building. When she sees Ben pointing the gun at you, she slowly walks over to him, her hands raised. "I thought we were allies." "Aren't we? Seems like he's betraying us." "No, it seems like he's protecting our nation from falling into the hands of fascists. I'm on his side." "Yeah, that's what I thought." "Ben, I love you, but you need to put the gun down." "I don't feel like it. Besides, maybe I'll just kill the two of them, and then you'll be under my thumb." "I think not. You might kill him, but I know how skilled you are with a gun. I'm sure I could at least take you out. Then what would you do Ben? Would you slink away in the night and plot revenge? No, I don't think so. You'd just have to live with the fact that you let your emotions cloud your mind and lost what is rightfully yours." "She has a point Ben." You say. "Fine, we're doing this the hard way. You two ready?" "Ready." You both say. "Then let's do it." Ben turns, and you hear three shots going off. Two by Ben, and one by Cecilia. You fall to the floor, blood slowly leaking out of your chest. "Ben, I told you I'd kill you." "I know, but now you'll never know how this came about." With that, he walks over to you and takes the gun from your bloody hands. "Cecilia, I'm sorry." Ben says, then fires the gun three more times, blowing the back of your head off. Ben puts the gun down, and walks away. He doesn't seem to care, or even notice that he's crying. You stare at him in disbelief, before he disappears. This is the true face of the revolution, crime pays, and everyone ends up dead. Choosing to begin anew, you propose to Cecilia, and she accepts again. Now, you have your son to raise. You'll have to be a better person than your father or grandfather. Cecilia will certainly try, but she can only teach him so much. It's up to you now. You're going to make the best out of this situation. This is your life now. "Good morning, Dad," Your son says to you 20 years later. "Morning, Daniel. What would you like to do today?" "I dunno, you're the fun dad." "Alright then, how about we go on a hunt? I put some food aside for us." "Really? You didn't have to, you know." "No, I wanted to. I've been feeling a little hungry lately anyway." "Do you think...I could go on the hunt with you?" "Well, if you want. I mean, you don't need my permission. You're old enough to take care of yourself." "I know I am, but it'll be more fun with an instructor. You're so good at everything." "Yeah, that's because I've been doing these things for decades. Still, you're the master hunter, so you know all the tricks of the trade, right?" "Tradition says the best hunter becomes the instructor. So does that make you the-" "I am the Grand Protector of tradition, yes." Daniel grins from ear to ear. You can't help but laugh along with him. You haven't had this much fun in decades. This is how it should be, not this mass rebellion and sense of justice that the media has made it out to be. You look at your son, and know itai well that you raised him right. You were meant to be a grandpa. You haven't lived happily since Brenda died. Your son will help bring a new meaning to the word. You and Daniel spend the rest of the day going on small hunts to re-filling your larders, and generally spending quality time as father and son. It's like you're supposed to. Before you know it, night is falling again, and you take your son back home. There's a part of you that's glad it's dark. A blush of pink is barely peeking above the trees you walk past, and you know it's Cecilia. She's been looking out for you today. You return home, tired and ready for sleep. You have a lot of having to do tomorrow. You thank Daniel for a nice day with his father, then head upstairs. You take off your boots, then get into bed. You feel yourself drifting off to sleep as you think about how good it is to have a normal, happy family. You never thought you'd ever be in this position. Why not enjoy it while you can? You drift off to sleep smiling. Good night, son. Good night, Dad. Then, you sleep for the next 8 hours or so. In the morning, you wake up. Good morning, Daniel. You peek out the window, but it's still dark. You yawn, then get up and go downstairs. You put on a pot of coffee, then grab the remote from the coffee table and switch on the TV. The first thing you see is some breaking news. And it's not good. The terrorists have taken over the city. They've been conducting attacks in various parts of the city, and already a mass exodus has started. The terrorists are led by Mickey Mouse Jr. You see a photo of him next to a headline. YOUNG MICKEY MOUSE LEADER OF TERRORIST GROUPS " "Of course he is. But Team Never Ending Story disbanded decades ago. They need successors. You're the closest thing they got. "I'm getting out of here." You grab some clothes, then get into your car. You decide Daniel will take your place. But you need successors for Cape, Chase, and Benelux. Your group is the only option. Ben, Cecilia, and you will hold the city together. You call to ask if they're in the city. "We're at Ben's house," says Ben. "What's going on?" "The city is lost. You need to leave." "We can't, we've become comfortable here," says Ben. "We're not going anywhere. Good news, we've got a lead on a new city." "New city, what kind of lead? "We found out about a city called Arrray where there-" The line goes dead. You curse into the phone. "Sorry about that," says Ben's mom. "He went out to get some food, he'll be back." Great. You have to talk to Ben's mom instead. "Hello?" asks Ben's mom. "Hi, I'm-" "I know who you are. You're the leader of the terrorist group that's attacking my son. You need to leave this city before you get hurt." "I've gotta talk to Ben," you say. "It's really important." "Ben isn't available right now. You need to leave the city, or you'll be punished. If you don't leave by the end of the week, you won't leave at all. You and your terrorists will be killed. So who is it going to be, Mr. terrorist, or do I need to find someone else to kill? You stay silent. "Well? I hope it won't be a problem, but we'll kill all of you," says Ben's mom. "I have no problem killing terrorists. If you had been honest with me from the beginning, this wouldn't be an issue. But now, we're going to kill you all. Have a nice life in that terrorist group of yours. It'll be short, I assure you. Bye. Click You hang up the phone. Daniel buzzes you in. "Good luck," he says. You get in the elevator, then speed down to the lobby. You make a beeline to the front door. A few cops try to stop you, but they're no match for your combat prowess. You send them to hell with your supernatural fists, then walk out into the street. A news helicopter is flying over the city, and the reporter on board is commenting on the situation. You decide to change your name to Hazel, using make-up and a wig. You buy a newspaper on the way home, then use the paper to fake your death. TV stations pick up the story, and with it your new name, Hazel. You're living the good life now. You have servants to do your chores, a nice house, cool friends, and a hot girlfriend. You don't need boys to feel happy. Cecilia finds you, and says you remind her of her missing husband. She says she wants to make you happy, so you and her have wild, hardcore, no-strings fun. To be fair, you do enjoy it. You decide to become a school teacher. You figure you can use your studly appearance to attract more students, and because of your past, you get a lot of students who are interested in your tale of valorous derring-do. Between your combat skills, stories of your past, and over all "positivity", you're a natural at your job. You also dabble in motivational speaking on college campuses, which pays well. By day, you live in a blissful reality. By night, you haunt the streets as Hazel, in a never-ending quest for justice. Then you save a man's life, and he develops feelings for you. You have decided to live a normal life. You may settle down with this man, and live happily ever after. You're not there yet. This could all still end horribly. You still have a lot of bad things in store for you. In the meantime, you'll enjoy a relaxing day in, before getting back to business. You decide to learn more about the man. You find out his name is Vamp, as he goes by this name when speaking to others. His real name is unknown, as he has gone by several different ones over the years. You introduce Vamp to Cecilia and Daniel. He falls in love with Cecilia immediately, but given that he's a vampire and planning to eat her, that's hardly surprising. Daniel isn't bothered, while you find out that you have strong feelings for Vamp. Vamp plans to woo you over the next few nights, and take you out on the "draw". You'll have to make the final decision. Whilst you wait, you decide to go out and "practice" on some civilians. You don't know when you'll get the chance again, so you want to make the most of it. You enter a coffee shop, and sit at a table by the door. A man and a woman walk in, holding hands. The sight of a married couple makes you grin, and you stand up to follow them. They walk to a table in the back corner, and you approach them. "Excuse me," you say, "could you two hold the table for me?" The man looks at you suspiciously, but the woman smiles and nods. "Of course," she says. "Thank you." You pull out a chair for the woman, then sit down. You pull out your phone and order a coffee, before glancing around. Vamp and Daniel are at a table in the far back, talking to some teenagers. Four eyes are watching you, two male and two female. "My full name is Hazel Jacqueline Killenger," You tell Vamp. "I'm sixteen, and I go to Harold-9123's school." "I'm Vamp," the man says, extending a hand. You shake it, noticing how warm his hand is. "Dad, what are you doing?" Daniel asks you. "Daniel, you were given an order from God! We'll talk about this later," the man says. "Dad, I told you, Hazel is-" "Nevermind, Daniel." You turn back to Vamp. "How about you?" "I'm Vamp. Quick question, do you like cool, or hot blood?" "What's the difference?" you ask. "Well, cool blood is like that of slushies and such. Hot blood is like that of taxis and shoving it up your bum." You laugh. "I like shoving it up my bum." "You have a dirty mind, Hazel Jacqueline Killenger." "Do you have any cool blood? I'm dying of heat right now," you say. Vamp looks around. "Maybe. Let's go to my lab, I can look. You follow Vamp outside, and walk through a park. Daniel informs Cecilia that you're cheating on her with Vamp. She's shocked and upset by the news, and tells you to go back to your house. You follow Vamp into a building, which turns out to be a lab. most of it being in the dark. A few beakers, bottles, and test tubes are on a table, next to a few Bunsen burners. "Ah, Hazel, you're here. Would you like some hot blood?" Vamp asks, "I can easily fix that." "Yes," you reply. Vamp fills a beaker with some sort of clear, red liquid. He grabs two test tubes, and puts one on the burner, and then places the other on top of the first. He turns on the heat, and smiles. "This should work," he says. Vamp switches the burner on, and grabs a pipette from a table. He squirts some of the liquid in the first tube into your mouth. It's hot, and you gasp as it burns your throat, but you manage to swallow it. The liquid in the top tube evaporates quickly, and soon there's just a small amount left in the bottom tube. Vamp grabs a sheet of newspaper and places it over the top tube, before grabbing the second tube and placing that on top of the paper. "There we go," he says. "Hot, fresh blood. Tasted good, did it?" "Yeah," you reply. "Thank you." "You're welcome. I'm in the mood for more fresh blood, however. How would you like to help me out? I can use someone strong, like you." "What's involved?" you ask. "Nothing much. Just cut someone's throat and let the blood pour into a beaker. Simple, really." "Sure," you say. Vamp takes a knife out of his belt loop, and holds it to the throat of a lifeless rat, which he grabs by the neck with his other hand. "Hold on, Daniel!" he says. "I can't promise this won't hurt." You grab the knife with both hands and hold the rat's neck tightly, cutting through bone and spinal cord with ease. Blood spills out over the bottom beaker quickly, and the beaker begins to fill up. Vamp puts the rat in a large beaker of boiling water, and places it on a hot plate to sterilize it. "There," he says. "We're good to go." You and Vamp walk slowly out of the lab, heading towards the cafeteria. You both sit down to a large dinner, and chat about random things. Eventually, you head to bed. While in bed, Vamp discovers your true identity: Jacob Thomas Killenger. His eyes widen, and he grabs his gun from under his pillow. He points it at you, and you sit up. "What's the point of me saving your life if you're going to shoot me? I'm the real deal," he says. "That remains to be seen." You stare at each other, with Vamp holding his gun at point-blank range. He's aged a lot since the seventies; he could probably break you in half. "Dead," he says. You kiss Vamp. Vamp kisses back, pushing you onto your back. You begin to help take off his clothes, and he pushes you down, tearing at yours. After a few minutes, you both collapse next to each other, almost exhausted. "Do you believe in fate?" Vamp asks. "But I lied to you," You say, confused. "I'm not Hazel, I'm Jacob." "Oh? Then why did you pretend to be her? Why tell me you were her?" "I don't know. I thought it'd make things more interesting." Vamp smiles. "How so?" "You liked Hazel, right? Well, I figured you'd want to be with her. I mean, she obviously still has an impact on your... well, whatever you are." "It's called a crush, sunshine," Vamp says, shyly. "I've had them before." You nod. "Well, then you'd understand why I did it. I figured you'd... try to win her back." "You're strange, you know that?" Vamp says, smiling. "Go to sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow." You nod, and the pair of you embrace each other, falling asleep in the bed together. --- You wake up late, with Vamp already up and getting organized. You walk into the bathroom as Vamp washes his face. "We need to be at the Madness recruitment center by ten," he says. "We have an appointment with Mr. Sunshine." "Who's Mr. Sunshine?" You ask. "The leader of the League. You'll meet him today, and he'll tell you whether or not you get to be a Vamp." "So if I get accepted, do I get to join?" "Sure. If I get accepted, you get to join. If I get accepted, you get to join... there's a lot of ifs in there, isn't there? But it's alright, we're practically family at this point." "Are you leery of being in the service of a vampire?" "I'm leery of being in the service of a vampire who just stabbed me in the back as I'm falling asleep. But that's neither here nor there. We should get going now, if we want to be on the safe side of the city. I'm a little hungry, in case you haven't noticed. I'd forgotten about that. I'll have to make a point of it every night from now on." "I have some sunflower seeds and bacon in my bag. Let me know when you're done. I'll find you when I'm done eating." Vamp meets you as you walk out of the bathroom. He takes the bag, and looks inside. "Excellent. You seem to have thoughtfully stocked up on food for me." "You said you were hungry," you say, confused. "I'm hungry now! How long have you known me? How long have you known I get hungry out of season? Has it really been that long? Oh, it's comes up. Spring is coming. The hunger is coming. I have to pick up supplies. What else are friends for? Ha, I'll see you soon, I'm sure. You're off to a good start with these." Vamp eats the entire bag of sunflower seeds in record time, and you've barely touched your half of the supplies. Vamp finishes and washes his face, picking up his bag. "Well, you're certainly stocked up. I suppose I'll see you when I get back." "When are you going to be back?," you ask. "I dunno. A few days? I'll text when I'm on my way back. You can stock up more then. I'll see you then, Jacob. I'm sure we'll become great friends. You seem like a pretty cool guy. Just remember, I'm your best friend. No one else can do what I can. Also, no one else can do what I can do. Remember that. And if you ever need help with anything, don't hesitate to ask." You stand there and watch as Vamp disappears into the trees. "I'm your best friend. No one else can do what you can do. Also, no one else can do what I can do. You head over to explain things to Cecilia and Daniel. "I have to go on a quest." "A quest," says Daniel. "What's that? "It's none of your business," You say. You then lock Cecilia in the basement. Of course, she can still hear everything happening outside. "So... what are we doing on this quest?" "Daniel, I have to go on a quest. You and Cecilia are the only ones strong enough to help. I need back-up." "Who else is going?" "Cecilia, Owen, Hazel, and Frank are all coming with me. Probably the most skilled, but they don't have as much experience as we do. You'll have to take care of most of the fighting, and make sure they stay safe. When the zombies attack, get the hell out of the way, then whack the nearest one's head open and shove his brains in." "I thought you were going to teach us something new. You tell Daniel to go to the forest and wait there. But you don't follow him. You stare at him, and slowly begin to fade into the trees. You hope he notices you leaving, but he's too busy staring at his feet to notice. "Zombies are stupid," You raid Cecilia's closet and steal her outfits. A dress and a leather jacket. Nothing else will do, so you rummage through Daniel's room and take his clothes as well, leaving him in boxers and a t-shirt. You then return to Vamp's house. He should be back any minute, assuming he's not taking as long as he usually does. "Vamp should be back in about an hour. You'll be fine if you stay here," "My, my, you look quite beautiful, Jacob." Vamp says. You're not sure if he means it, or if he's mocking you. You don't care either way. You then convince Vamp to move into your old house. Cecilia is still locked in the basement. "I don't trust him. And I don't want you coming and going as you please. We'll be safer in the house, together," "You sure you don't want to stay at your father's house?" "I'm sure. You go to Cecilia's place of work to steal her job. Stealing the radio station is the first thing. You hook it up to the PA system. You then work on stealing the rest of Cecilia's identity. You take her social security card and driver's license, and use them to get a new birth certificate in Cecilia's name. You also get a new purse and car, both of which you stow in the house. When you're finished, you wait around for Vamp. Every night, you and Vamp listen to hear if Cecilia is still breathing. Every morning, you wake up and hope that you don't. She is killed by a teenage boy who drives his car into a lake where she and Daniel are fishing. "That was fast," Vamp says. You hide her body in the basement, finally having replaced her fully. You spend the next few days sleeping. You wander aimlessly, trying to find a reason to go on. You visit Vamp, who sits in her chair doing nothing. She gives you a small smile when she sees you, but that's it. You remember that Vamp is a man, and you stole your wife's life. You're a monster. You don't stay with her any longer. You go to the river and find a rock, and sit down. You look at Daniel's picture, holding it in your hands. Vamp asks you to marry him. You say yes. That night, you drink her dry. You're a monster. She's dead. You feel nothing. You and Vamp grow old together. You grow old. You waste away to nothing, and die in each other's arms. Until finally your vampire transformation is complete. Both vampires, you and Vamp try to reintegrate into society. You feel like a pariah. You want to be normal, but you know you can never be like other simple humans. Eventually, you and Vamp learn to cope with your condition. You kill women and steal their identities. You're not sure why. Perhaps it's some twisted form of vengeance on those who took your true love from you. You wonder if you could one day conquer the world, and live again as a human, but you realize that with each victim your heart grows fonder of Cecilia's replacement, and you can't bring yourself to kill her. Your mind is forever changed, and your search for the truth has been abandoned in favor of simple survival. You're happy. Sometimes you even laugh. You have survived, and thrived, with the help of a vampire. Vamp has proven to be a dependable companion, a thrall even, to you. The two of you share a contentment with each other, and a love. Vompa is your eternal princess. You'll rule as king and she'll be queen. Vamp will be your doting princess. But one day, Vamp says he's leaving. She takes you by the hand, and kisses you. "I'm taking Daniel's boat into town. It's night, so nobody will see me leave." She leaves. You haven't been Jacob Thomas Killenger in years. You're currently Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. You're the leader of Team Never Ending Story. You sit, waiting. Vamp stays out for a long time. Hours pass, and you begin to get worried. "Vamp?" He arrives back home. His face is bloody, and he hides behind a large man. The man has long red hair, and a rather large blade on him. "Don't worry," he says in an old voice. "There was never a Hazel Killenger," The man says. "There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But I killed him. I killed her. I killed everyone. I killed you. Good night, Vamp. Sleep tight, darling." Finally, you go into the basement. You look at the chained up body of Cecilia. You take out your blade and bring it down to slam it into her neck, allowing you to drink... But it's no use. She's already dead. She's been dead for hours. You bang your head into the table in frustration. No blood pours out of your head. You take out your blade again, and this time plunge it into her chest. You drink, and laugh at the death that fills your body. You don't feel a thing. You don't care. You go to town the next night. You take from the poor, letting the government tax the rich. You do it every day. You're still Hazel Jacqueline Killenger. There's never been a team called Never Ending Story. But you keep on fighting. You're sure as hell not going to go down without a fight. You finally visit your sister Grace, and explain what happened to you. Her eyes widen when you show her the scar on your wrist from cutting yourself. "This is why I wanted to be a doctor," you think to yourself. "Why I played with Lego's instead of shootin' guns." She hugs you tightly, and you just hug back. You need your sister right now. A few years pass, and you're still fighting. Vamp leaves you for dead, abandoning you in the woods when he realizes he can't control you. As you lie there, you whip out scissors and cut your hair off. It's long, now. It almost reaches your waist. You take off your jacket, and wrap it around your waist. You cover yourself with dirt, leaves and twigs. You wait. As you wait, you remove your makeup too. Eventually, when you're a man again (and you sort of look like a hunchback), you stand up. You wander the forests and woods, taking what you need from those too weak to stop you. The years pass, but the scars on your face tell the story of a man who's been through hell. You're known as The Ghoul. Your son Daniel tries to fight you. "You killed my father!" He yells. You ignore him. Four years later, he has your daughter, Grace. You kill her soon after she's born. Every now and then you see Hazel on the news. She's still fighting against the government. You become Hazel again. You laugh. She still wants to be the first on her team, even if she's last to leave it. You become a hero. As a hero, you go to revive Cecilia. It's simple, really. Just a bite on her neck. You want one of her young, so you can raise it as your own. You tell her you prefer being a vampiress to a man. You don't bother curing yourself of your blood lust, and have her revive you. You become a vampire. Cecilia is relieved she's alive again, and kisses you. You're ready to take over the world with her by your side. You become a group called the "Lesbian Lusters". You laugh. You wouldn't know a Lesbian from a guy, but you go along with it for now. You become a media darling. You let Hazel lead. She had the charisma. You had the strength. You become a vampire lord. You have no army, no territory, no major accomplishments. You reveal to Cecilia your disassociative identity disorder, and Hazel is your other personality. You rage and scream and hit her. You blame her for making you psychotic. You hit her again, then again, then again. She attempts to stop you, but you bite her neck. Then, she stakes you. The psychiatrist says you died instantly. He says Hazel was in control the whole time. You weren't really a happy person, so it makes sense. Even now, you want to laugh at such a notion. Your funeral begins the next day. Hazel showed up, and you demanded she be chained. She was. The remaining VLs show up, as do a few humans to pay their respects. Cecilia visits. Grace arrives to say a few words. Daniel arrives. And that's it. That's your legacy: A failed attempt at taking over the world, and a dead man who's daughter is an abusive alcoholic. What a tragic hero you were. Good night, Mr. Killinger. Sleep tight, 'cause tomorrow we'll kill the world again. At your funeral, Grace (your sister) says, "Whichever was in control, Jacob or Hazel, my sibling lived a fantastic life. They once rescued me and a card box from a slaughterhouse. Today, we don't celebrate Hazel or Jacob, but both the individuals in this magnificent body. The world may be less bright without them, but they would always want us to keep fighting. Rest In Peace, Jacob Thomas Killinger and Hazel Jacqueline Killinger, two great minds." Then, everyone applauds. You're buried in your home of Alton, in your backyard, near your parents and sister. Just another hero with a tragic story. Daniel uses a ritual to summon your ghost. "Hey, Jacob. We need to talk." Daniel sits next to you, and places his arm on the grave. "I know who killed you. It was Hazel. "I killed a person who shares my body?" You ask. "But why?" "She was a lesbian. Possibly trans. That's why she betrayed you. And that's why she killed herself." "I see. Thank you for bringing this to me, Daniel." "Thank you for being you. I'll never forget you, brother." Grace looks at him with a frown. "Who are you talking to?" "No one." Daniel gets up, and walks away. Well. That was an interesting experience. You decide to haunt Daniel. Whenever he has a nightmare, you appear and scare the bejeezus out of him. This continues for about a week, until finally, Grace gets tired of staying up all night to look after him. "Jacob, you need to stop doing this," she says. "Daniel's become a wreck due to lack of sleep. It's not healthy." "Fine. I'll stop." "Thanks." Grace walks away. The next night, you stop haunting. Daniel never mentions it ever again, and life goes back to normal. You'll just have to haunt other souls. You figure you'll go after Cecilia's soul, since she murdered you. When the time is right... Hey there, Cecilia. You almost laugh at the thought of you being a lesbian. She's such a manly woman. Also, how stupid would it be for her to fall for you? You're a ghost. She'd literally be cheating death itself. Nevertheless, you begin to haunt her. Whenever she falls asleep, you appear and scare the hell out of her. She complains to James, who says that he'll talk to you about it later. A few months pass, and life goes back to normal. You continue to haunt Cecilia, to which she continues to come to you complaining. The pair of you continue this cycle. One day, you go to class... Hey there, Cecilia. What a surprise to see you here. You know, I'm probably the only person that actually knows who you are around this school. Everyone else barely acknowledges your very existence. How's high school going for you? You seem bored. Boring, even. I suppose it is. There's not much to do around here. We have a few parties here and there, but nothing to really catch the eyes of the... well, the "masses." You're missing out, Cecilia. I guess James is here with you. Is he prettier than me? (Sigh) He's different. I still haven't gotten used to that. The whole town is full of pretty people, it seems. I think I like your look more. It's not as fake. Huh. I guess you do know me. I guess not, then. I'll just leave you to your babbling... Bye, Cecilia. See you later. You vanish, leaving a confused Cecilia behind you. Later, in detention... Hey there, Cecilia. Why are you sitting by yourself today? It's not like you to be the new person sitting alone. Also, it's probably for the best that you sit by yourself. Weirdos like Jacob don't tend to be popular. Not that you care... So, what have you been in for again, Detention period is over. Oh, you know the deal. You're in for a beating. I'm not even going to bother with a plea bargain this time. You're going to get the full force of my fist, not to mention what other tortures I have in store for you. Terrific. Anything else I should know? Not right now, but if you have something to tell me, I'll be sure to hear it. Well, I'm going to go over the rules... Stay after detention. Don't use the library as an escape route. Don't try to see Cecilia. Don't attempt to leave the school, at all. Got it. Well, you've certainly gotten my attention. A girl from another school trying to romance me? Why don't you just jot down a suicide note and give us a final solution to the problem instead? You don't respond. It's not like you really have much of a choice at this point. detention Wow, didn't expect that from you. I guess maybe I can take a hint. So... What were you saying? You have something to tell me? Yes, what is it? Well... You're going to have to be more specific than that. There's this girl... Well, okay, not just a girl, but she's a really pretty one. Yeah, pretty standard. Well, she's in my class, but I think she's trying to pick me out because she's jealous of me. I also think she wants to be my girlfriend. Hmm, not jealous, eh? That's odd. Well, it's not like I like her or anything, I don't think, but I don't want to make her angry either.... Um... So... What's the problem? I don't want to make her sad or mad.... Oh dear. You've really done it now. This girl sounds like she has some serious issues. If you were a lesser man, you'd probably feel sorry for her. As it stands, though, you still have to take her home, and you have no idea how to do that. You could just say, "Fine, you don't have to come with me. I'll leave." That would make her happy, and you're fairly certain that wouldn't make you happy. You could tell her the truth. Again, you aren't sure if you'd make things better or worse, but you suppose it couldn't hurt to try. You could lie. You'd have to come up with a lie that you're sure she'd buy, because the whole point is to make things easier for you and you're fairly certain it won't be easy. Well, options are options, but in any case, you're fairly certain only one of them is going to be completely beneficial. You just need to figure out which one. Oh, and you also need to tell her the truth, so you can get out of this crap. Well, I'm sure you already know what you're going to do. Yeah. That... Seems like the best way to handle this. It's always so hard to be honest with her. If Cecilia were here, she'd probably say to just tell the girl the truth. That's going to make things a whole lot harder though. Still, this Cecilia isn't going to help you with this problem either. All she's going to think is that you're trying to push someone away because you have a thing for her. Oh well, time to do what needs to be done. So, I guess you're going to have to tell this girl the truth. Well, that's what you're going with anyway. Your other big decision is whether or not to say you have a crush on her. This isn't some pathetic it's-not-me-itis attempt. You genuinely do. You just don't know how she's going to react to hearing that. Is she going to be insulted? Annoyed? Delighted? You have no idea. You're fairly certain the last thing she'd be is flattered though. Girls aren't really into guys who are into them. That's an insult to their ego and it can cause bouts of low self esteem. Even if they don't think it, it still hurts their feelings and that will just make their behavior worse. Still, you have to try. You don't know how you're going to fix things if you don't. You have some ideas, but you're still working on that. In any case, this is the situation: You're going to have to tell her you like her. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but you're going to do it. The question is, how do you do it? Should you just tell her you have a crush on her right after she thanks you? What if she gets angry and accuses you of saying it to provoke a reaction? Do you tell her after she's given you the rundown of all the things that have happened over the course of this adventure? You think you know what you should do, so the question is, do you have the courage to do it? You're drawing a blank on how to act. If you're going to do this, you need to get up the courage. ... Well, this is awkward. You've never had to do this before... You head downstairs to the living room and find Cecilia there, waiting for you. "Hey, Jacob." She says calmly. "Um, hey Cecilia. I was wondering if you-" You stop yourself right there and take a deep breath. This is it. "Cecilia, um..." "Yes?" She asks, turning to you. Why do girls have to be so pretty? This is why you don't ever have crushes. It messes with your mind. Why do you have to be so handsome? Men like you Sp Notification: You have a crush on Cecilia. Current score is 7/25. Spin the wheel! Choose your course of action: You're socially awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. Awkward. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' ask for help ' button. ask for help ' button. You need help, and who better than a girl? Move to the ' confess ' button. confess ' button. "Cecilia, I'm a girl," You say. She looks at you confused. "What? No, you're a boy." "I'm a girl. I have a crush on you." She raises an eyebrow. "You do?" "Yes." She raises her eyebrow even higher. "I don't think I've ever seen you around before, do I know you?" You gulp nervously. "No, I just u-um... I just sort of had a feeling," You say. "A feeling?" She asks skeptically. You take a deep breath. "My name is Hazel. I live inside your husband's head." You explain. "What? No, my husband doesn't have a stalker." She says. "Really? Because I'm sure he'd be the perfect one to have one." "He doesn't. I promise." "I am his other self," You explain. "But I like you either way." She raises an eyebrow. "You're his other self?" "Yes," you smile. "Do you have a pen and paper? I could tell you more about myself." "Um, OK," She says, fumbling with something. "Do you mind if I ask what you're doing?" You ask. "I'm preparing an explanation for my friends," She says. "If you don't mind." "Go ahead." "So, what's your name?" She asks. "Hazel," You smile. "What are you planning on telling your friends?" "The truth." "Sure," You smile. "I'll be waiting outside." You walk outside and wait for your ride. Soon, it arrives. "Hey Hazel," Charlie asks. "Charlie," You smile. "You're pretty quiet this evening." He says. "Sorry," You say. "I'm a little overwhelmed by all this." "Hazel, welcome to the family," Dad says. "I know you've had a horrible couple of days, and you've come through it. You will always have a home here with us, OK?" You smile and nod. "Thanks, dad," You say. "You want to tell me what's going on?" Dad asks. You calm him down and tell him everything. It goes much smoother than with Cecilia. "That's great, Hazel," Dad says. "We love you no matter what." "I love you too," You hug him. You meet the rest of the family. They seem just uninterested in you, which is just as well. Even if they weren't, what would it change? You had a good time with them. You feel loved for the first time in your life. Soon, it's time to say goodbye. "Bye Hazel," Dad says. "We're so proud of you." "Bye Hazel," Momma and Cecilia say in unison. "Bye Hazel," The rest of the family says. You walk to the bus stop. Charlie is already there. "Hey Hazel," He smiles. "That was quick. You ready to go?" "Yeah," You smile. "Thanks for being my ride. That was really nice of you." "No problem," He says. "Hey, do you want to go to that new hang out place of mine?" "What is it?" You ask. "The top of the Ferris wheel at night," He says. "It's supposed to be really cool to see the city." "Yeah, OK," You smile. "I'd love to see the city." You get on the bus and ride back home, where you quickly fall asleep. When you wake up, it's time for school. You get ready and head off to Mr. K's class. You manage to keep your head down and not pay much attention. Later, when school ends, you say goodbye to your friends and walk home. You walk past the drug store and continue on home, thinking about Charlie's eyes. "I like hazel eyes," He says. "Every girl should have them." You shake your head. What is Charlie on? You enter your home and find your mom and dad waiting for you. "Hello Hazel," Dad says. "We need to talk to you." "Oh," You say. "Alright." "Come into the kitchen," Mom says. "Both of you." You follow your parents into the kitchen. "Hazel," Dad says. "We're going to have to talk about something that's been bothering us. It's about your powers." "Mom, dad!" You say in unison. "Now," Dad says sternly. "Hazel, you have grown considerably more powerful over the years. Powerful enough that you could be a danger to yourself and others, and for that reason we're going to have to tie your powers down. You'll be going to a special school away from normal people." "But I don't want to go to a special school!" You exclaim. "Can't I stay here with you guys? I don't want to go!" "We're sorry Hazel," Your mom says. "It's for your own safety. The school will help us train you how to control your powers more, as well as how to hide them better. It's the best solution." "But I don't want to go!" You wail. "Listen to your dad," Dad says. "This is how it's going to be, so just deal with it." You stand up and you're about to walk off, when Dad stops you. "Just calm down, we're not done yet," Dad says. "There's more. Because of your ability, we're going to have to get you a bodyguard. This will be very hard for you, but we know it's necessary. After discussing it with your mother, we've decided to get Jon." "Jon who?" You ask. "Jon Karson, sweetie," Your mom says. "He's very popular, so you shouldn't have any problems in that aspect. He'll be moving in with us slightly, so we can ensure your safety in a better way." Dad turns to you. "We want you to be nice to him, alright?" Dad says. "No killing, no abusing him, and if he starts showing any signs of having powers then you can kill him." "If," You switch back to Jacob. You don't want to argue with your dad, but you're not going to roll over and take it like a doll. "If what?" You ask. "If he starts showing signs of having powers," Dad says. "It's to make sure you don't kill him, because we still have to go through with the wedding." "Dad, I'm not killing Jon. If he starts acting weird, I'm going to tell him to go to the police, not kill him. And seriously, he can't have powers. You told me so." "Well, I'm not sure," Dad says. "I mean, I guess we can test him to see if he's... well anything for now." You sigh. Jon might actually be a fake. You didn't think it was possible, but you actually hate this guy a little more right now. "Fine," You say. "Good, good!" Dad says. "Great work as always, Hazel." You just want to go to bed, but you have to go with your dad. Instead, you decide to just wait in the car. A few minutes pass, and you start fearing the worst. "Jon!" Dad says, walking out the house. "We need to go." Your stomach drops. Jon stands outside the house, dressed in a nice suit. He smiles at you, looking genuine and friendly. "You're Jon Karson," You say, still in shock. "Oh, I'm so sorry sir!" He says. "I didn't recognize you in your younger form." "No, it's alright," Dad says. "Where's Hazel?" "I'm here," You reply. "You can let me out of the car." Jon walks around to the passenger door, and opens it for you. "Hi, I'm Jacob," You say to Jon. "It's a... small world, isn't it? I know all about you." "Oh?" Jon says, raising an eyebrow. "What do you know about me, Jacob?" "You don't have powers," You say. "At least, I hope you don't. I hope you're all clear." "You can check," Dad says, pulling out his phone. "I want to prove that it's safe, Hazel. Come on, Jon." "Okay," Jon says, stepping onto the street. "Thanks for being so honest, Jacob. I appreciate it." "No problem," You reply. "I'm sure I'll see you around, Jon." "Okay, darling," Dad says, as you roll the window back up. You watch as the two men walk towards a police car, and you start the car and pull away from the house. You stop for a moment, then grab your dad's phone. You look up the number to call the police, then realize you're sitting in a ' police car '. You put the phone down, and try to forget about it. "What was that about?" Dad asks. "Jon Karson," You reply. "Your date for the wedding." "He's not my date," Dad says. "He's your date." "Either way, I'm late for school." You pull into the school parking lot. A police car pulls in right behind you. "Hi, I'm Jacob Thomas Killinger. How may I help you?" You ask. "I'm Officer Karthun," The police officer says. "You're the boy who found the dead body, aren't you?" "I am," You reply. "We need to talk to you about that." You pause for a moment, before opening the door and getting out of the car. You shake Officer Karthun's hand, then follow him toward the school. "So, did you have to go see the principal?" Officer Karthun asks. "Yeah, after you called. I get in trouble. I'm sorry for the confusion." "It's alright. Confusion is good. It means you're human, Killinger. The world would be a very boring place if everything were perfect, no?" You don't really understand the joke, but you don't have time to worry about it now. You wait in the empty hallway for a moment. "So. About that dead body we found a little while ago..." Officer Karthun begins. "Yeah?" You reply nervously. "Well, do you know who it is?" "Not really," "It's actually my wife, Cecilia, from my previous incarnation," You say, overpowering Hazel. "Oh. Um, I'm so sorry for your loss," Officer Karthun says. "Thank you," You say. "So, did you know each-?" "I have to go." "Alright, Killinger. Talk to you later." "Bye," you say, trying not to sound too eager. You walk quickly to the administration office. You open the door and walk inside. "Hello?" You call. No response. You walk inside and see no one. You look around the room, but see no one. Then, you hear a scream. "SHIT!" You yell, as you look around for the source of the scream. You walk over to a door on the far side of the office, leading into a bathroom. You open the door to find a girl, around your age, with blood all over her. She screams again as you open the door, and a large man comes charging out of a nearby stall. "STOP!" He yells. You don't really have a choice, as he grabs you by the scruffy beard you were forced to grow for your dad's employer, Mr Scamander. "You're coming with me," he says. Along the way, you explain everything that's happened. "But in short, just call me Hazel," You finish. "I'm Karth," You say, as you extend your hand. "I'm Cecilia," She replies, taking your hand. The three of you walk into the principal's office. You sit in the waiting area, as Karth and Cecilia explain to the school what's happened. Soon, Mr Dendar appears. "Hello, Cecilia," He says.