Cosmic Convergence--Chapter 5

Here is the fifth chapter of Cosmic Convergence, today we are doing something different. This chapter is focusing on Artem Payne (the character from the first chapter), and his point of view. Please enjoy! Thanks! --KatDon

Chapter 5: Blinded with Science

The time in a land called Velvet Ditch, an interesting state of land. Most people lived and worked farming the land—but, particularly towns grew larger and more important. They were places where markets were regularly held and where craftsmen lived and worked. Some of the finer buildings in the town, such as a rich merchant’s house, were built of expensive stone. The poorer houses were made from cheaper timber with walls of sticks and plaster, called wattle and daub. The grandest building in the town was the stone-built church at its center. This was built to show the world how prosperous the town and its lord were. The town’s buildings contained shops and workshops on the ground floor with living areas above. Inns were not only places where people gathered to drink. They also provided food and lodging, as well as stabling and fodder for the travelers’ horses. Most townsfolk struggled to make a living, but some merchants became very wealthy. They lived in grand houses in the center of the town and employed servants and entertainers. The merchant owned the whole house, but might rent a small room at the top of the house for a poor family to live in. Many different craftsmen lived and worked in medieval towns. They included bakers, butchers, blacksmiths, carpenters, arrow makers, bow makers, dyers, potters and many others. A craftsman’s workshop, shop, storeroom and home were all found in the same building. Craftsmen took on apprentices to help them. They lodged with the craftsman and his family. If, after several years’ training, the apprentices proved themselves, they, too, could become master craftsmen and set up their own shops. Market day was the busiest day of the week in a medieval town. Local farmers came to town to sell their meat and vegetables using horse-drawn, two-wheeled carts, while merchants came from farther afield to sell their fine cloth and other wares. Peddlers sold all kinds of goods. Tinkers would repair pots and pans. The marketplace was alive with noises and smells on the morning of market day. Pigs were a nuisance, however. Most townspeople kept them as they were cheap and a good source of food. But they were often let out into the streets to forage. The streets of a medieval town were dirty and smelly. Open drain channels ran along the sides or down the middle of the streets. People often threw dirty water out of their windows. The streets were also lively places—particularly on market days. Jugglers, jesters and even dancing bears entertained the crowds. The population of Velvet Ditch grew from 18.5 million to 40 million. Only around one-third of people lived in cities at the start of the period, but that figure grew to around four-fifths by the end. Many cities had fine town halls, public museums and art galleries. Richer people lived in villas or streets of fine terraced housing. The poor, however, often lived in overcrowded slums that lacked proper sanitation, causing outbreaks of fatal diseases such as cholera. A series of public health observations were intact after they improved living conditions. Clean drinking water was piped to each house, sewers were built, streets cleaned and street lighting installed. Many towns and cities became centers of industry. The invention of steam engines meant that goods could now be manufactured on a large scale. It also gave rise to the railways: steam trains transported people and goods from town to town. Factories and workhouses took the place of craft workshops. Gas lighting and underground sewers made the streets safer and cleaner. People flocked to the cities to work in the new industries. All kinds of people lived in the cities. Laborers and servants were the most numerous. Although some became better-off, many were still poor. They lived in cramped, decaying houses, known as slums. Shop- and office-workers formed a lower middle class, while lawyers, doctors and factory-owners made up an upper middle class. People lived in different areas of the city according to their wealth. Rich people had several servants, kept a carriage and wore fine clothes. They lived as far away as possible from factories and poor areas. Many towns grew rapidly into large, bustling cities. Because so many people moved to the cities for work, there were often too few buildings for them to live in. Many people lived in terrible poverty. Most lived close to their factories, with whole families sharing one or two rooms. There was no running water: water had to be collected from a public tap. Instead of flushing toilets, many people had to use cesspits, which were emptied infrequently. Children often shared beds. Efforts were made to improve public health by better sanitation. Factory life was extremely hard. Factories were noisy and crowded, with no toilets. The hours were long. Women and children worked in the factories and in mines because their families needed the money. Young boys sometimes worked as chimney sweeps, climbing up chimneys with brushes to clean them. Other children worked as street sellers, errand boys and shoe-cleaners. Luckier working-class children were taken on as apprentices to learn a trade or became servants. The poorest people, who could not support themselves, had to live and work in workhouses. Although they had a roof over their heads, families were forced to split up and there was never enough food to go round. Only wealthier people could afford to follow fashion. Women in fashionable society wore corsets and padding to mold their figures into the ideal shape. They wore frames called crinolines underneath their dresses to make their skirts wide and bell-like. This fashion was replaced by the bustle, which held their skirts up behind. Women opted for a slimmer skirt. Respectable women and men wore hats when outdoors. 

Men wore dark suits with waistcoats. However some clothes were often made in factories using sewing machines, rather than hand-stitched by seamstresses and tailors, and then sold in department stores. In a well-off Victorian-styled house, the upper floors were taken up by the servants’ quarters and by the children’s nurseries. The children rarely saw their parents. Instead, they were looked after most of the time by their nanny. She oversaw the children’s meals, washing, lessons and playtime. Children from well-to-do homes had plenty of toys and games. Other children played hoop rolling and other games in the street. The drawing room was where the well-to-do entertained their guests. Only the houses of wealthy people had bathrooms while in poor home qualities, servants carried a bath tub up to a bedroom and filled it with hot water from downstairs. The kitchen of a wealthy Victorian-styled home was in the basement. It often had a flagstone floor, a large wooden table and a coal-fired iron oven called a range. There was usually a shallow earthenware sink and piped water. The water was warmed using the heat from the oven. There were no refrigerators, so food was placed in zinc-lined wooden chests containing lumps of ice. The housekeeper bought meat and vegetables from tradesmen who came to call at the kitchen door. Within Velvet Ditch is where Artem Payne and Jerome Sinclair live. In this time; they say that kids are cruel but sometimes bullying can be taken too far. But it's not the kids, some parents can be so abusive it is revolting how much pain that they can make a child suffer and don't give a damn about how they feel! But there is a curse amongst the people in New Americana however it all begins in Pleasuredome. Pleasuredome is a warm place because of the unbeatable heat! But it's also full of the most superficial bastards who pretend to be your friend and stab you in the back. There was one girl who suffered so much and nobody helped her so now there is a curse place upon the people in Pleasuredome! 

The curse is a violent matter: There once was a boy who was out hunting with his father, they had their dogs with them as the father wanted to take his son out, to learn how to hunt. Just then; the dogs were going crazy as both father and son saw a figure in the distance. It was hard to see so the boy used the rifle at the figure and pulled the trigger. The bullet missed however the figure groaned in pain and scampered away! But something was on the ground; the boy picked it up and saw it was a toe. He showed it to his father, “Why son, it looks nice and plump. Let’s go home, your mother will put it in the soup and we’ll have it for dinner.” His father said. So, they did. That night; the mother carved the toe into three pieces and they each had a piece. The parents did the dishes while the boy was getting ready for bed! As everyone slept; the boy woke up to hear something out in the distance, it was a voice calling to him: “Wh—ere—is—my—to—ee?” It groaned. The boy got scared but he immediately reassured himself, “It doesn’t know where I am. It will never find me.” Just then; he heard his backdoor opened and shut. The boy hid under the covers as he tried to get back to sleep when his bedroom door opened and someone crept in. The boy was shaken with fear, someone stopped at his bed and pulled the covers off the boy! The boy looked up to see a girl in a purple dress with a white collar, white socks, and brown shoes. There was buttons in front of the dress. She looked beautiful but her eyes were full of hate. “What pretty eyes you have.” The boy spoke nervously. “Thank you, they are meant to stare.” The girl said. “What beautiful hands you have.” The boy stammered. “They are meant to touch and put my hands around you.” The girl replied. “And what are your teeth for?” The boy asked. The girl’s calm demeanor became vicious as she exclaimed, “TO GRIND YOUR BONES, YOU FOOL!!!” The boy’s scream is heard from the house! That old mansion is said to be haunted as a rich man offered a hundred dollars to whoever would do it. The boy suggested to try but only if he can have his dog with him, so it was all settled. That night, the boy and the dog were at the mansion. To make the room more cheerful, the boy made a fire in a fireplace and they both waited. Just then, a female’s voice was singing: “Mi—ti—dough—ty—wal—ker.” The boy was uneasy until he was shocked to hear his dog spoke out in response, “Lin—chee—chin—chee—col—ly—mol—ly—din—go—din—go!” The boy was surprised, dogs were not supposed to talk. Just then, the female’s voice was singing was coming closer and it was the same words, “Mi—ti—dough—ty—wal—ker.” And the dog responds back in croons: “Lin—chee—chin—chee—col—ly—mol—ly—din—go—din—go!” It went on like this for quite a while, then a figure fell down the chimney and missed the fire. The dog took one look and fell over, dead from fright. The figure turned to the boy, the figure was a woman who looked down the boy and slowly smiled into a grin. The boy’s scream was heard from the mansion, the next day they found the boy was alive but catatonic as he lied next to his dog. 

There was a 16 year old boy working on his grandfather’s farm when all of a sudden, he saw a young woman in a sheer white, long dress and barefoot. She has untidy hair with a flowery crown adorned on her head. But her eyes looked wild with revenge. The woman beckoned to the boy; however the boy hurried back to his grandfather and told him everything! “Give me your truck; I’ll go to the city! She’ll ne’er find me there.” Said the boy. So the grandfather lets him and the boy sped away. The grandfather went into town, looking for the woman and found her. He then asked, “Why did you frighten my grandson? He’s only 16; he’s too young to die.” The woman replied, “I am sorry about that sir. I didn’t mean to beckon to him. But I was surprised to see him.” Just then, the woman smiled and claims: “You see, I have an appointment with him….This afternoon, in the city. He has an unfinished business to take care.” A college girl returned to her dorm from the library, but found the lights are out and her roommate was asleep. The girl quietly undressed and changed into comfy clothes, she got into bed. Then, the girl heard humming as she told her roommate: “Please, stop humming. I want to get some sleep.” The humming stopped and the girl went to sleep. It was early in the morning at around 4 or 5 in the morning to the humming sound, the girl politely asked her roommate to stop. “Go back to sleep, it’s too early to get up.” The girl said. The humming didn’t ceased and the girl was angry, “Cut it out! That’s not funny!” She said heatedly. The humming didn’t stop as it was low and quiet so the girl jumped up and pull the covers off. Her frustration turned to pure horror when her roommate was found decapitated. The girl believes she is having a nightmare and decides to go back to sleep! When she wakes up, she thinks everything will be fine. A grave robber dug up a grave of a woman that had died and found two valuable rings, a wedding ring and a glowing red ruby. The robber tries to get the rings off but they were stuck on the unveiled body’s fingers. The thief tried to cut them off, the finger was now oozing with blood and the figure begin to stir before it sat up. The thief was startled that he scrambled out of the grave, he accidentally knocked over the lantern and the light went out! He heard the corpse climb out as the corpse walks past him, the figure then turned to the robber and asked: “Whooooooooo are yoooooouuuuuu?” The robber was so scared that he started to run until he tripped and fell into the grave but he realized that he still had the knife in his hand as he stabbed himself! He then started to bleed to death. Two sisters were misbehaving by breaking the rules and made their mother very upset. She punished them as the girls promised to be good! This was three times they did this on each day, but previously the sisters were told to do these things only because a girl told them to do it for the price of a drum. The drum played as the figurines come out and dance. That’s why the girls are doing this. Until the mysterious girl told them no, claiming they were just playing a game and she wasn’t going to give it to them. The two sisters fled in tears but they got home to see someone there and their screams echoed throughout the land. There once was a man who loved to eat and his wife would cook for him. One day, the man left a pound of liver meat that he bought from the butcher shop. So his wife cooked it for him. She cooked it for him, however she decides to taste it and found it to be just delicious. The wife indulged it so much that she found it all gone, she panicked as she knew her husband would return home and be angry with her. That’s when she remembered that there was a rich old lady that had died: Her body was lying in the coffin of the church…Later on, the man was eternally grateful for the meal his wife cooked and told her to try some, since he was in a better mood than he usually was. But his wife refuses, allowing her husband to finish it all. That night, the wife was trying to read however she felt guilty for what she had done. Just then, she heard a voice that said: “Who has my liver?” The wife was horrified to hear this; she wanted to believe that this was all a dream or if this was her imagination. But she heard that voice again but it was closer, “Who has my liver?” The wife squeezed her eyes tight, she wanted to run. “No, no, no! I don’t have it! I don’t have your liver.” She whispered. She felt the voice next to her as it asked, “Who has my liver?” The wife did not open her eyes but pointed to her husband, “He does! He has your liver!” She claimed. The lights went out as the man begins to scream and scream in utter terror. 

On an isolated, seemingly haunted townhouse was on the seaside. Inside of the place, there was an operating table of brain transplants. A big rabbit-ear antenna with an electrical arc between the posts. A magnetic coil. A roof that opens to the sky, to let the lightning in out.  A mainframe computer with big dials and switches on the front with spinning tape reels. Bits of animals and people preserved in formaldehyde. A whole bunch of glassware, especially test tubes, beakers, flasks of colored liquid, distilling columns, condensers, burners, and an object given when a subject hooks a bunch of them together. There are chains and manacles as well as a big worn chalkboard filled with equations. Dusty piles of incomprehensible failed experiments, which may or may not suddenly, become a danger to anyone wandering around unsupervised. Big levers and control panels. And lastly, an enormous knife switches for completing dangerous electric circuits. Someone push the plunger of the syringe down and inject the air from the syringe into the vial. He kept the needle in the vial; he turns the vial upside down and made sure that the medication liquid is covering the tip of the needle. He made a deep incision through the skin to facilitate the procedure. Often, multiple incisions are possible for this operation. He injects into the corpse from the back, he then tell his assistant: “Now…Pull.” And his assistant did the deed. Then, after the electricity currents revived the cloth covered being. The figure came alive, its eyes was close. This person has a boyish beauty which includes his bright, baby blue irises. His physical beauty, innocent-looking and all-too-young appearance. The guy’s youthful facial features tend to be highlighted, having eyes of optimism and stunning shade of vibrant blue. He looked to have a mental anguish and vulnerability while intense physical and emotional pain. Though he covers his anguish and pain with his vanity and strange demeanor. This man was none other than Artem, Artem Payne. Artem watched the figure under the sheets as Jerome surveyed at it too. The figure came to life; it was a tall woman with long, thick and shiny dark hair. She has naturally light, golden skin tone with thin lips, eyes with long eyelashes, and a strong look. She has a vestige of great beauty. Slowly rose up; the woman’s eyes opened as her eyes like the high-noon sky where they are dark, clear green that is luminous. As well as a muted, soft medium green that may contain a few flecks of icy blue in the iris and are closer to the color spectrum and will tend to absorb light rather than reflect it and appear luminous. Her name is Evita Hemmings, and she never felt more alive. Artem smiled, “It’s…alive!” He said softly. Jerome grinned excitedly, “Do you realize how significant this is?” He asked. “Very much.” Artem agreed. He turned to Evita, “Miss Evita? Can you hear me?” inquired Artem. The woman looked around, she saw Artem and said: “Yes…Master.” Later on; Artem was writing down something that said, “Since the commencement of current remedy, there has been a supposition concerning the class of transience. That being that death is an inescapable experience, the predictability of which we should take for established. I have demonstrated today that life is not some refinement conferred upon us by some outdated notion of an omnipotent life form.” The opening of the doors of perception is nothing without ignorant darkness & enlightens light. Day destroys night, night divides day. Without light there cannot be dark! Many people seek to escape from their suffering. Although distraction may offer a temporary reprieve, the roots of the problem will never simply go away. Most people are afraid to go to the other side, and instead, they try to run and hide from that which they do not understand. Artem is fascinated with the doors of perception to the other side, to reach alternate states of consciousness. Everybody loves his mother because she gets excited. She’s a lot of fun to be around when she’s high in spirits. Her arms and eyes having a sense of warmth and comfort, followed by those same arms and eyes trapping him. Taken at face value, when feelings of romance one has for another are often quickly switched for feelings of being stuck, particularly when the person isn’t exactly who you originally thought they were. However, the temporary comfort those drugs provide him with as well as the trap of addiction that comes with them. Artem is bored with the monotony of dealing with it daily. He is ready to break through to another scene, and to push through that gate. Artem was yearning to go to the other side as well, after the miracle. Artem is magically blessed with dark brown hair like sunshine, possesses captivating blue eyes, a tall and slender figure that is sculpted and full lips that shaped like a red rose. He beauty so flawless and enchanting he is the fairest boy. He has rosy red lips and rosy cheeks, and both her hair and skin color. Artem was also has a rather slender. His complexion is fair and flawless, and his face is less rounded and more refined heart-shaped face, giving him an appearance of maturity and youthful despite being older. The thing was that Artem isn't vain or concerned about his looks. He is greatly aware that the fellow citizens think of him as "odd" and "peculiar". Artem pays very little attention to his appearance and his intelligence were one thing that stands out. 

That night, Artem was working when he heard some sort of noise break in and he cautiously went to see as it was coming from the kitchen. He took a weapon and crept into the room but Artem saw it was Evita rummaging through his refrigerator as he said, “What are you... I thought you were a burglar.” Evita felt bad and she answered timidly, “I didn't mean to scare you, darling. I was just getting a snack. Go back to bed.” However, Artem came across her and Evita was shocked while he came close to her. Evita was confused, “You're not... scared of me?” She asked. Artem just smiled and replied, “I always knew I couldn't be the only one in the world. The only one who was distinct. And here you are.” He takes her hand, “You're hungry and alone. Take whatever you want. We've got lots of food. You don't have to steal. In fact, you never have to steal again.” Evita begin to have a panic attack and Artem puts his arms around a panting Evita as he was calmed, “I'm like you, now calm yourself.” He tells her. Evita managed to catch her breath, “I thought I was alone.” She said. Artem caressed his hand to the girl’s forehead and replied, “You're not alone. Evita, you're not alone.” Moments later; Evita had taken a shower and was wrapped in a towel. “You know, sometimes I wonder what my life would've been like if you haven't found me here that night.” Evita said. Artem looked up, “Sorry what, you... Yaah! God's sake, Evita, where are your clothes?” Evita was wrapped in a towel but still she managed to go away to get dressed. Evita was too shy to talk to him. Artem looked at her in disbelief, “I don't know what's gotten into you newly. I swear, you've been in a good mood. You gotta tell me what's the matter, or I can't help you.” He answered. “You promised me you would.” Evita said, pointed out.  Later; the two of them are very comfortable lying in a bed together. They spend half of the time looking into each other's eyes. “You've never looked more beautiful, darling.” Artem remarked as Evita was in a ginger wig, dressed in a sparkly blue miniskirt, fishnet stockings and go-go boots. Evita smirked, “I am. Aren’t ya?” She said. Artem confirmed, “Yes.” He said. He managed to get up and Evita followed him while she watched him work. She broke the silence with a question that’s been bothering her. “Would you date me?” Evita asked. Artem didn’t look up as he was concentrating on writing but he said, “Of course I would. Any young man would be lucky to have you. You are stunning.” Evita asked, “Looking like this?” Artem looked up, “Like... What?” He said. He then replied, “You are my friend.” Evita grinned in content, “I am your only friend.” She said. Artem laughs, “Thank you for that.” He said. Artem was still concentrating. “Well?” Evita said. “I am incompetent of thinking of you that way. I feel accountable for you. Anything else would just feel wrong.” Artem said. “But what if you didn't know me?” Evita asked. Artem just declared, “Unfortunately, I do know you. God, I don't know what's gotten into you recently. You're awfully fretful with your looks.” Evita look away, blushing. “I want to be the fairest of them all.” She said softly. Artem looked at her funny, “Did you say something?” He asked. Evita shook her head, “No, just talking to myself. Sorry, Master.” She answered. Artem patted Evita’s frail hands. “You need not worry everything’s fine….Just fine….” He said in a distracted tone. That night at a soiree where a young lady name Silence Duguid was in a long blond wig and a bright pink sundress with heart shaped shades. She has a vision of Andrea who looked excited: “He’s going to be there sister. Ah, my insides are fluttering! Forgive me, sister but my skin is pushing from within and I’m starting to sound like a frisky, smutty woman!” She lets out a maniacal laugh! For the time being; a young lady rosy cheeks, full voluptuous lips and porcelain skin. She wore a black dress with crochet lace trim, pull up lace-up corset detail; tulle underlay and back zip-up closure. Around the skirt was faux leather garter skirt with lace panels by the name of Lily. She looked stunning! Lily was on the interior balcony railing from above, down below her was a fancy social club—Girls in pretty dresses, guys in suits, alcohol was served around. “Look at all these wealthy people. I hardly doubt that this Artem Payne guy is going to be here.” Thought Lily. 

Just then she heard a voice bellowing from the corner booth: “LIFE IS SACRED TO MANKIND!!!” Lily turned her head and saw a guy. He was wasted from drinking a lot of whiskey, next to him was his friend who was smiling nervously and they were surrounded by gorgeous, voluptuous women surrounding them. The girls were taking a notice of them as Lily was curious but her heart dropped when she remembered the description of Artem as well as Jerome. Artem was 24 years old, clean cut and tidy while his voice came out in a staccato flow as well as dry in that British accent. And Jerome has hair that reached his neck a little, a white pale complexion, and is one year younger. He was timid yet docile. Sally felt a swell tingle inside of her as she begins to feel lubricious yet prurient. Ruttish, fulsome and her heart were into overdrive of intense desirable feelings coursing through her body. She had a smile on her face however she shook her head rapidly and told herself to focus to shake it off the feelings she had. Watching intoxicated Artem; Silence felt uneasy by how much he has drinking a lot and also she felt jealous of Artem getting all the women’s attention. In Silence’s mind, Andrea was upset: “Look at those hussies, throwing themselves at HIM with their big breasts and acting like they’re so damn SEXY!!!” A sneer appeared on her face as her eyes turned a purplish red. “It’s time they’d learn a lesson. We can’t let them touch our precious, damaged soul can we?” Silence looked horrified but her eyes were closed from the sunglasses. Darko chuckled slightly, he lean over and whisper, “My, he’s making a scene under the influence.” Silence nodded, Darko seemed concern as he said: “Don’t be scared. This is Artem, it’s not like he’s like you-know-who.” Silence sighed as she walked with Darko alongside her. Artem was still rating as it went something like this: "Oh come now, Artem...why does this idea fascinate you?" Jerome was saying as he laughed a bit. "I’m just saying the act--of propagation--can take place outside of the woman’s body. The milt--the prostatic fluid, the prostatic fluid can move--The prostatic fluid can move into the embryo, in a pan, some sort of heated bowl." ranted Artem in his intoxicated state.  One of the girls had to ask, "And where does the mother figure into this, then?" Artem continues while downing another liquor, "Well, you’d--after you fertilize the embryo, you get a filter--and then you...you know- into the woman..." He was saying crazy stuff. Even though this wasn't how Silence remembered him like this but they haven't seen each other in a long time, but Silence believes Artem must be drowning his pain from the past he suffered from. Another girl let out a spasm-like gasp: "Oh, that’s just woeful." She said in a singsong tone. "IT’S THE SCIENTIFIC PROSPECT! Jerome--tell them, benefit me in this, this worthwhile undertaking." Jerome doesn’t respond; he’s staring across the room to see a young woman with blond hair and a pad of paper with a pen in her hands. Darko greeted Artem politely, introducing himself and Silence--adding that she was a mute. Artem laughed and assured him it was fine and let Silence 'speak' with her notepad. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you." The words were written in paper. Artem stopped her, "Oh now, now, don't be frightened." He said while inebriated. The girls were glaring at the shy blond. Silence written down her answer, "I just noticed you look different somehow. Ever since there was those times apart from...." Artem thought it was weird as he laughs at this, but was utterly confused. However, Silence's cheeks turned red and then she smirked slyly as she wrote down something that made the women gasps: "You like pussies?" Artem nearly spat out his drink, "What?" He said while chuckling. Silence stifled a laugh and wrote down next on the page and displayed it, "You know, pussies. Pussy cats." She put a hand to her mouth as Artem leered at her while still drunk: "My, you're a nasty little thing aren't you." He said. Silence was blushing like crazy, she wrote down her next response: "Do I freak you out?"Artem stumbled forward, he embraced Silence awkwardly as he tells her, "Nothing freaks me out." He lean over and smells something. "I know that scent, is that spearmint?" He asked. Silence gently push him away, she look at him and Artem felt his mind was swimming as he muttered to himself: “Could’ve sworn I smelled of that bloody scent somewhere….” 

Then, things got worst: there’s a ruckus going on as two girls have gone missing! Panic was arising but not too chaotic was going to happen. “Excuse me, is there a girl by the name of Sara?” A girl asked. One of the men looked at the girl with relief, “Yes, are they all right?” He asked. The girl responded back innocently but it looked like she was trying to keep a straight face. “Oh, I don’t know sir. It seems this one…”  She held a form of a figure without a head to it as she smiled wickedly, “…Lost her head!” Everyone screamed as the girl laughed in hysterics. “Ring around the hussy, a pocket full of boobies. Oh no, oh no, her head came down!” She stomps on the corpse viciously, she shouts down at the corpse: “YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK ABOUT YOU?! YOU DON’T GO AND TRY TO ACT LIKE YOU’RE TRYING TO BE HOT, YOU GIRLS MAKE ME SICK!!! IF YOU EVER GO NEAR HIM AGAIN, I’LL KILL YOU BITCHES WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS!!!!” She brought out another woman, it was one of the girls but she was tied up and crying, she begged towards the girl to spare her but the girl screams, “NOW EVERYONE WILL HAVE A CHOICE!!! WILL SHE LIVE AS A LABELED FLIRT OR DIE AS A SHAM?!” Everyone was getting scared; men were helpless as the women were crying while the girl exclaims maniacally, “TICK TOCK! TICK TOCK!” However she then said: “Your time is up, sweetheart.” Just then, in a flash Silence removed her wig, took down Andrea and rescued the girl from danger. Silence saw Andrea had a small capsule in her hand as she threw it down. Puffs of smoke appeared as Andrea escaped. Silence tries to enter it but saw she was gone! She gritted her teeth however she turned around and saw Artem staring at her. Silence remembered she took off her wig and stood up to face him. “Cindy, is that you?” Artem gasped. Silence ran as Artem cried out, “WAIT!!!” At the same time, Lily ran out of the building and got back in the back of the car and told the driver to drive, she was so scared in the backseat that the constable sped off away, fearing she would have a panic attack! Artem felt sick, he rushed outside and puked his guts in an alley as he was shaken for what he saw. Jerome came beside him and patted his back, “You OK?” He asked with concern. Artem caught his breath while wiping his mouth, “What does it look like? No, I’m not…Sorry but the whole thing is enough to make a man go mad after seeing that gruesome sight.” He replied. Jerome helped him up, “Come. I’ll help you get back.” He said. And the two of them head back. The next day; Artem woke up on the sofa as he looked hung over from last night until all the memories started flooding back to him of what exactly happened: “Excuse me; is there a girl by the name of Sara?” A girl asked. One of the men looked at the girl with relief, “Yes, are they all right?” He asked. The girl responded back innocently but it looked like she was trying to keep a straight face. “Oh, I don’t know sir. It seems this one…”  She held a form of a figure without a head to it as she smiled wickedly, “…Lost her head!” Everyone screamed as the girl laughed in hysterics. “Ring around the hussy, a pocket full of boobies. Oh no, oh no, her head came down!” She stomps on the corpse viciously, she shouts down at the corpse: “YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK ABOUT YOU?! YOU DON’T GO AND TRY TO ACT LIKE YOU’RE TRYING TO BE HOT, YOU GIRLS MAKE ME SICK!!! IF YOU EVER GO NEAR HIM AGAIN, I’LL KILL YOU BITCHES WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS!!!!” She brought out another woman, it was one of the girls but she was tied up and crying, she begged towards the girl to spare her but the girl screams, “NOW EVERYONE WILL HAVE A CHOICE!!! WILL SHE LIVE AS A LABELED FLIRT OR DIE AS A SHAM?!” Everyone was getting scared; men were helpless as the women were crying while the girl exclaims maniacally, “TICK TOCK! TICK TOCK!” However she then said: “Your time is up, sweetheart.” In reality, Artem realized what happened and let out a harsh cry that startled Jerome, who came rushing in to see Artem was scrubbing the sink from his vomit he threw up in the sink. “Are you all right?” He asked. Artem seemed mortified as he looked away. “Ah, yes. I’m just cleaning the sink. Seems I mistaken the sink for the loo, didn’t I?” Artem said, smiling half heartedly. But he was deep in thought as said, “People are such swine, I don’t understand them, I admit this, to some degree. I don’t know the things to say to make them like me, or not like me, I don’t care if they like me.” Jerome spoke up, “It’s all right.” Artem glanced at him: “What?” He asked. Jerome smiled, “It’s all right to be concerned if people like you. I like you.” He said. Artem felt content: “I...like you, as well.” He replied as he smiled back. Jerome grinned as Artem flushed at what he said and continued to clean the sink from the chunks. “Yes, must clean up my spews.” He mumbled. Jerome watched him with a concern expression on his face. Times of yore; two little girls were splashing in the water happily while a woman in a boat watching them. One of the little girls, Cherie Amory, however Cherie saw a cave and swam near it while her fiend followed in pursuit, calling after her. Cherie looked in the cave of a subterranean grove but while in there, Cherie accidentally cut her hand while she kept her bleeding hand away from the water! “Hey, you all right?” A young boy’s voice asked. Cherie turned and saw a little boy who is a year older than her with black hair. He was a good looking fellow that wore a tank shirt, Capri pants, and no shoes. Cherie pushed the wet strands of her orangey-red hair away from her face, “Who are you?” She asked. “I’m Jerome.” The boy said. He noticed the wound of Cherie’s hand and swiftly swam over to treat her cut; it was very sweet of him to do so for her. 

Cherie took Jerome back to Velvet Ditch where Cherie resides. But as they return; Years later; Cherie is escaping from the circus for a little while. She lied in the field of daisies, where she plucked the petals off the flower and daydreams to herself. Cherie has grown into a gorgeous young lady: She was average height with fuller long, waist length red-auburn hair that was in a ponytail. Her eyes were a light brown; she has a slender yet curvaceous figure and statuesque-like legs. She wore a V neck light blue dress that reached her knees, ankle shoes and socks. As she lied in the pastures; Cherie knew people live by a one quote and place idols high on a pedestal as these idols were people who would die a horrible death. But Cherie wants to live her life; she wants to enjoy it rather than being cooped up by the circus. She is done with his creepy antics, she finds out that he has peeping on her and learns about the cameras. She wants to have fun! She may as well as find adventure out there. She knows life is valuable so Cherie desires to see other places outside her comfort zone! Cherie is ready to face whatever happens in her life, she loves somebody she deeply cares for which is Jerome. Jerome was her childhood sweetheart, she thinks so but she wasn’t sure if Jerome felt the same way about her. Cherie doesn’t care about of anyone’s criticism about her; she will escape her isolation through a fantasy she created inside her mind where nobody knows about. It’s a wonderful life in the fantasy, the one she created inside her mind to escape the cruel world. She knows a place inside her head that nobody else knows about! There are bright and joyful things that surround Cherie! In this small area of a town, she is inspired to see the world. Like the stories she heard as a child. She knows she can do things with a brave confidence upon her and she has gifts as well as talents that inspire people. It’s silly to think fantasy protect others however she’s the happiest one in her dream world where she has the existence she always wanted. That night as they were still walking; Jerome and Cherie came across a cult in a standing stones circle as they went closer but gave themselves away and the cult apprehended them both. Cherie and Jerome begged while they both struggle. “It’s not them! They have nothing to do with it! I’m the one you want, it’s me!” A voice called out. “What?” gasped Jerome. “Who is that?” whispered Cherie. The figure had her hands up as she exclaimed, "It’s me!!! Up here!!! IT’S ME!!!!" She jumped from the stones, took down the cult members and freed Cherie and Jerome. Cherie and Jerome headed inside a nearby building and close the door but were surprise to see Constable Lazarro, Marshall Mistral, and Gideon inside as they were attended the meeting. However; Gideon tries to get Cherie’s attention with a seductive wink and a little wave but Cherie pays no attention. Gideon voiced her own proposal to work with Cherie but the constable replies back that Cherie cannot for her duties at the circus however Gideon accuses Jerome for being a prude. But the chandelier that was hanging from above was about to crash onto Gideon! Everyone screams, Gideon dodged it as he was freaking out by having a fit! “It’s her, the daughters of Abigail!” One of the people at the meeting whispered. The constable tries to reassure Gideon but he is angry that nobody is doing anything to prevent them from happening and leaves in a huff! Just then, Marshall Mistral approached with a message from the mysterious daughters of Abigail. “Oh for God’s sake! You are all obsessed!” said the constable. “She says she welcomes you to her town that solely belonged to their mother.” Said the marshall, “And her salary is due.” Constable Lazarro glances at her in disbelief, “She has a salary?” He asked. “Why yes sir, the town pays her about seven hundred and ninety nine trillions of dollars.” Replied the madame. The constable was outrage as he seized the letter as he exclaimed: “Seven hundred and ninety nine trillions of cash?!” 

Since Gideon had left; the members offers Cherie a chance to look out for the mysterious daughters of Abigail, Chris was uncertain however Jerome has faith in her so she takes the proposal.  After she lingered for an hour or two; she was about to leave, when she heard an enticing voice: “Foolish man, how dare he slacken in your splendor?! Unawareness in his core, that valiant yet infantile gentleman. Giving out in my triumph, distressing your essence!” Cherie rise up, “Are you the daughters of Abigail I heard about? Answer me! I know about you and I want to know if you’re real. Please…” She said. The enticing voice was so sultry, “Cherie Amory, you sound so flattering. All right then…” She then chants something that lured her: “Will you come with me to my wonderland? Down the rabbit hole….” Cherie felt mesmerized as she followed the four figures. Cherie went down a staircase and he is a dark room with one opening in the ceiling to allow natural light to illuminate the well, the rest of the cistern is lit artificially, so that visitors can see its ornate arches. The pillars are reflected in an ever-present shallow layer of water on the cistern’s floor. There, he faced a young lady who wore a ceramic mask with eyes in the masquerade and painted red lips. She was in a black cloak. She wants Cherie to know what she would like to see good things and warns her about the cruel, unfeeling light of the world out there. At a party, Sarah was with giggling girls. The girls were talking bad things about Jerome and laughing until Andrea’s voice echoed in the room that startled the girls and the un-named man: “Did I not teach you a lesson? This youthful man has set your heart aflame! You would die of distress and you're making David laughing-stock! You are bound for HADES! Shame! Shame! Shame!” The girls gasped. The next day, the townspeople found Sarah and David cuffed to different beds with a rag in their mouth and a bullet in their skulls of their brains. The word 'VENGEANCE' was written in blood. Last week; a little boy didn't come home and one day, he was found in a creek.  His head bashed in and his pockets full of rocks. The words ‘CURSE’ is written in blood on the arm of the corpse. Then, a man found nailed to his door while his dog was brought to school dead and everyone watch as they were both buried. A carving on the man that reads, ‘MADNESS’. The poor puppy has message written in blood that reads ‘SAVAGES’. Next, the head of a handyman was found in the fountain of the residence as a woman was stabbed.  The handyman had a carving of the words, ‘FEAR’ and the woman had one too that reads ‘SALVATION’. 

One day, a little boy came up to Cherie and handed him the letter. “Miss, I have something for you.” The little boy said; he gives it to Cherie. Cherie was surprised, “For me?” He asked. The little girl smiled at him, “This nice young lady wanted me to give this to you.” She said. Cherie smiled at the boy and took it but when she read it, the letter that surprised her. “Who is it from?” asked Jerome. “Who wrote it?” Cherie shrugged with a daze expression, “I have no idea, it’s anonymous.” She answered. The letter says, “Come down the rabbit hole of my palace, join in all the madness of a tea party and white roses are painted red.” The next minute, Cherie woke up in an opera house and was shocked as he stood up in horror. “Where the hell am I?” Cherie asked, looking around. She seemed terrified by this. “I gotta get out of here!” But then, he heard a voice that said, “You’re not going anywhere, my fallen angel…” Cherie looked around frantically, “Who are you?” He called out. The voice called out in sultry-like voice: “I believe you know me so well.” Jesse made her way while she solved puzzles and finding clues but she was startled around to hear creaks and doors opening & closing, she thought someone was here. “Why did you leave me?” The voice echoed. Cherie became disturbed by this girl. “Who was that girl?” She wondered. As she appeared in the room, she saw a mirror but jumped back when he saw someone in the room. The figure was in a dark cloak and its face was concealed. “Ah, you’ve arrived! Bring me one of my missing items, a green bottle. With absinthe potion.” Greeted the figure. Cherie searched around and found a green bottle in the dining room. The figure seized the bottle of green absinthe, startling Cherie in the process. “My past life was a tragedy, darling…See for yourself.” She said as she showed Cherie a vision in her mind of the past. Cherie shivered at the sight as she saw the figure was gone but she heard her voice again. “The world showed no compassion to me! And you won’t make that mistake to me!” The figure proclaims, “I am your Angel, come to me my angel.” Cherie wandered through this labyrinth of the opera house as she wondered about this mysterious figure while she try to search over the room to find a way out of here and looked at the map of the building as she managed to find the way out through the garden. The dark cloaked figure surprised Cherie once again, “I see you made it, bring me a red rose with a black ribbon. It’s another one of my items.” Said the figure. 

After much searching; Cherie found the rose with a black ribbon tied onto its stem in the room that represented the powder room and Cherie brought the rose to the figure. The figure took the rose, once again alarming poor Cherie. At that time; Artem and Jerome discovered a woman who had mysteriously disappeared from the small coastal town has returned several months later, naked, delirious, and pregnant with no memory of anything that happened during the time she was missing. She went through a horrible pregnancy where she gave birth to her child: A stillborn baby passed peacefully at home in the arms of his mother, who died after child birth. He had weight in this world of 4 lbs 12 oz to be exact. However, Artem had an idea that changed it all as he suggests reviving the stillborn and making it into his own image. So, Artem and Jerome revived the stillborn. The once still born, who was growing a bit, looked like a deformed creature with no hands but as it slowly matured she started to look more human. As it developed more, it looked like a deformed human with no hair. It has a tail with a tip like a scorpion, webbed feet, mostly black eyes and only five fingers. It has lungs and looked a little more disfigured. The creature couldn't speak but instead made noises of screeching and murmuring. Anytime the monster would do something good, Artem praised his creation. But when the monster wasn't responsive or disobeyed, Artem abused the creature--much to Jerome's horror. Artem would laugh at the monster's suffering; he is corrupted by his desire to become the first scientist who can turn death into a temporary condition. One day, the creature grunted and snarled when Jerome tries to feed the monster food. Jerome and Artem were surprised by how lethal has become. Jerome suggested they should kill it while they still have the chance but Artem refused so they decide to not do anything they might regret. 

At night, Jerome realized the monster has grown up and seems taller. Artem is terrified by this, he believes he has gone too far with his experiments and tries to assure himself & Jerome that there was nothing to be afraid of. The next morning; Artem and Jerome were eating when they saw the monster as it walked out of the townhouse and climbed to the roof of the townhouse. And the monster was shrieking and hollering while trotting like a manic all day and all night. Then, the monster climbed down and stood in a far corner. And one day, Artem and Jerome saw the creature was nowhere in sight but saw it on the roof of another townhouse. They watched in horror as the monster stretched out a bloody skin to dry in the sun. At that time; Artem presents his experiments of other monsters to at his college. Few people attend the lecture, and the audience includes Cherie and Gideon. Initially, something goes wrong with the monsters as Artem cannot resuscitate his monsters, much to Gideon's sneering delight. Cherie looks disgusted by the proceedings. Artem was in a panic however he saw Andrea next to him, she touched the monsters which they miraculously came to life, much surprise to the spectators. However, the monsters attacked the others. They would’ve killed Cherie and Jerome but they managed to get away. Jerome chased the creatures as he nearly died when Artem rescues him. The monsters fell to their deaths by Jerome pushing them away and the two men watched in terror as they were dead from their skulls cracked open. Looking over at the corpses; Artem felt Abigail leaned over, “Can you make another?” She whispered. Artem looked up as he gasped out, “I could and a whole lot more.” He said. He continued while saying a little, “I dream of an un-killable army, one million strong. Perhaps a thousand. Life is temporary, why should death be any different?” That night; the children were tucked into bed, as usual. They waited to hear the same soothing, honeyed voice that would lull them to sleep every night. But, this time, the voice decided to sing a different song to them. This caused the children to be hypnotized, “Draw near, dear children. Into my painted portal of my shadow garden, hear my sweet lament and I'll ask no more. Give up your will to be with me.” The song sounded ethereal yet beautiful that attracted the children. The captors could hear it and they believe an intruder is around so they try to catch the children however there seems to be evil monsters to stop these captors. One of the captives told the others, “Go and report to Lord Michael. Hurry, time’s a wasting!” And they did so. They try to get the children but shapeless shadows stop the guards from reaching the children. Artem woke up, he realizes that Abigail took the children from Hadestown and he told Jerome about it. He never knew things would be taken too far! “They're just kids...” protested Jerome. “No, they were kids! We had her children once, we need the other captured kids she took from there.” Clarified Artem. Jerome was beginning to grow with frustration, “Artem, you said yourself we're the better men. This is the time to prove it. There are thousands of kids in there. Good, honest, innocent children! They're just following orders of what Abigail says.” insisted Jerome. Artem glared at him, “I've been at the mercy of my father and just following orders. Never again.” He said. 

While lying in her room with the heater; Lily had thoughts about Artem: Lily thought Artem was a genius yet an amazing person to listen to him teaches. However; wealthy religious conservatives thinks the experiments of Artem’s work are immoral and go against society. Lily adores Artem, as many do. She has journal entries of him in her room. Lily has fantasies about being with Artem as she cuts herself, but the constable find out and use her injury as proof of Artem’s influence on her. Considering how stern the constable seemed it’s a bit surprising that he decides not to punish her because her feelings for Artem. One night, Lily had an erotic fantasy that involved with Artem that was so unspeakable that it drove her fanatically passionate. She woke up with a start as she felt wet in a weirdly arousing way and she begins to write this down in her journal entries: “In my dreams, he goes down and he eats my snatch and meat curtains, and I am turned on by how he kisses my wet heart shaped box and my spunk. I moan I tell you, head inclined up and my mouth was shaped into an O. His lips were making soft smack sounds as his intakes air while his tongue took action. It was the weirdest dream but I must tell you the truth. Sounds a bit scandalous, isn’t it?” And hides her journal away to keep it safe. Meanwhile; Artem was looking at the articles and keeping track of what’s happening to him. There is something more to Artem Payne then meets the eye: It was long ago; he can remember what the world was like when he was a child. It was peaceful and different in his perspective. Artem lived in a country as he lived with his family of two brothers, a sister and an adoptive sister. Artem's parents were Neville and Veronica--Veronica was a sweetheart, Artem adored his mother so much as he and his siblings loved her. Then, it all came crashing down when Artem learns Veronica had given birth to a dying still born baby as she was dying herself! Veronica told her children to care of each other however it didn't last long for misfortunes to Artem: First his little brother was murdered on accident, the second is his other brother was found dead with his neck snapped while blood oozed around his corpse. Then, the foster sister is accused of the murder and is sentenced to death. The ordeal had devastated Artem but he found great happiness when his older sister gets married to the love of her life! It got bad when his dear older sister was killed on her own wedding night by her new husband who got off scot free but it wasn't him as he was somewhere else than with her. Artem was angry by this, he becomes a crying fit and in a depression where he was having trouble dealing with the fact that humanity doesn't live forever and they die in the end. Artem had panic attacks and sobbing frenzies as he wants to be remembered as a being that was powerful and untouchable being ruled over the havens of Earth. It was human nature to leave a mark in history and in the hearts of other people! Artem is desired to have unlimited time but death that will prevent him from doing that no matter how hard he tries. 

It wasn't until Artem learns his father Neville is mutilating bodies to show his artwork and he wants to show the world his great masterpieces and has pushed people when he could see their flaws and believe he could fix them. He kills them by wither having their mouths taped shut, stabbed repeatedly, or shoot them. Artem was forced to watch, if he tries to intervene then he would deal with his father of his physical abuse or emotional torture. Neville did horrendous experiments to people, making them his lab rats and causing them to have their bodies change in somewhat disturbing imagery. And made children into superhuman weapons, putting people through difficult tasks as Neville would cry out: "YES! YES! WRITHE AND BE REBORN INTO BEAUTY!!!!" Artem became nauseating and vomited somewhere, away from the show of horrors that was his father's so called magnum opus. Artem could see stitches on the victims, rashes and bloodied while also pus inducing scars and other things that were gross. In result, the victims succumb and die. The soldiers tore the young women away from their loved ones and their families, gave them some surrogate mothers and kept other traumatized women in isolation rooms, sometimes for up to a year. A doctor began expanding his project. He and his assistant created a dark metal box designed to isolate the women from everything in the outside world. Within days, the women kept inside the pit were driven insane, incessantly rocking and clutching at themselves, tearing and biting their own skin and ripping out their hair. When finally removed from isolation, they were too traumatized to interact with others, and some were so shocked and depressed that they starved themselves. Then, the women restrain and inseminate by crazed and perverted men, then they would later watch and photograph the mentally ill mothers physically abusing and killing their own babies or causing miscarriages as well as kamikazes. As the children grew up; a doctor then begins experimenting on the children. The children willingly allowed the cruel doctors to use their bodies in experiments involving toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, skin creams, detergents, liquid diets, eye drops, foot powders, and hair dyes. Though the tests required constant biopsies and painful procedures, none of the children experienced long-term harm. The next day; the children were placed in experimental groups, the assistants gave positive speech therapy to half of the children, praising the fluency of their speech, and negative speech therapy to the other half, belittling the children for every speech imperfection and telling them they were stutterers. Many of the normal speaking children who received negative therapy in the experiment suffered negative psychological effects and some retained speech problems during the progression of their life. As the children grew up; a doctor then begins experimenting on the children. The children willingly allowed the cruel doctors to use their bodies in experiments involving toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, skin creams, detergents, liquid diets, eye drops, foot powders, and hair dyes. Though the tests required constant biopsies and painful procedures, none of the children experienced long-term harm. 

The next day; the children were placed in experimental groups, the assistants gave positive speech therapy to half of the children, praising the fluency of their speech, and negative speech therapy to the other half, belittling the children for every speech imperfection and telling them they were stutterers. Many of the normal speaking children who received negative therapy in the experiment suffered negative psychological effects and some retained speech problems during the progression of their life. Due to unsanitary conditions in the next week, it was virtually inevitable that these children would contract disease. One doctor sent to investigate the outbreak, proposed an experiment that would assist in developing a vaccine. However, the experiment required deliberately infecting children with the disease. Though the doctor’s study was controversial from the start, critics were eventually silenced by the permission letters obtained from each child’s parents. In reality, offering one’s child to the experiment was oftentimes the only way to guarantee admittance into the overcrowded institution. These un-consenting subjects were lured to safe-houses by prostitutes on the payroll, unknowingly given hallucination drugs and other mind-altering substances, and monitored from behind one-way glass. With an experiment involved with blood pressure and blood flow; the researchers used 113 children ranging in age from one hour to three days old as test subjects. In one experiment, a catheter was inserted through the umbilical arteries and into the aorta. The child's feet were then immersed in ice water for the purpose of testing aortic pressure. In another experiment, up to 50 children were individually strapped onto a circumcision board, and then tilted so that their blood rushed to their head and their blood pressure could be monitored. Individual children did not give informed consent and were not informed of their diagnosis; instead they were told they had 'bad blood' and could receive free medical treatment, rides to the clinic, meals and burial insurance in case of death in return for participating. Standard treatments for syphilis were toxic, dangerous, and of questionable effectiveness. Part of the original goal of the study was to determine if patients were better off not being treated with these toxic remedies. For many participants, treatment was intentionally denied. Many patients were lied to and given placebo treatments—in order to observe the fatal progression of the disease. It wasn't until Artem found out about the girl being violated and abused very badly; he could see her crying and her messy hair as she never spoke again! He cradles her while also consumed by her beauty. He holds her tightly, comforting her of her nightmares. But his despair made him deluded into believing all of this madness was upon himself, he caused it nevertheless it was his father that actually did this. Artem adored Cynthia so much that he could control his love for her at first glance. That's when he could see the sadistic look in his father's eyes from the reflection in the mirror and his remorseless glance that he now knows what his father Neville did to her. 

Artem helped Cynthia and her sisters, even the tortured survivors escaped. Artem begin to have nightmares that involved his fears of death: He would wake up in a coffin as he heard a preacher reciting a prayer while mourners weeping over his casket. Artem begin to bang on the lid of the coffin as he called, "Hey! Can anybody hear me?" Nobody could, the funeral continued from outside. "Somebody, help me! I'm alive, help!" He cried out louder. He banged it as loud as he could and screamed until his lungs were about to burst: "PLEASE! I'M NOT DEAD!!!" Another nightmare was of his sister that looked zombified as she was crying, "Goodbye dear brother, rest well." She whispered, tossing a red rose down. The rose feel down into the crypt pit as Artem calls out, "Sister! Please, I'm not dead!" But heard his name being called. It was his mother, who had her hand out as she said: "Come to me, my son. Come over to your mother." Artem felt tears in his eyes as he walked over but stopped and gasped when he saw his mother's face was decaying, her lips were gone and there was gunk around her teeth. A few parts of her skin was decomposed and only some bones were exposed. Artem ran for his life but he tripped as he found himself in a pile of dismembered body parts. Artem looks up as he cried out, "What's going on? Let me out!" Just then, the body parts come to life and seized Artem, pulling him under. Artem struggled, he tried to break free but those arms pulled harder. He glanced up as the silhouettes of his mother, brothers and sisters. "Bye Artem." They hollered. "Nooo, don't! Don't leave me here! Brothers! Sisters! MOTHER!!!!" The pit hole closed up and Artem woke up screaming however he decided to study about resurrection the dead. He writes notes on what his taught and found serums. He needed someone he could trust, someone who knows what to do in the works of science! Someone to be a friend and partner. It was then there was a traveling circus in town and a man calling out, "See the wonder! Come, come, come inside and see the one and only Freak Boy!" The crowd could see a young man all chained up in a caged arena while his master beats him! The crowd laughs except for a girl and Artem, who glared at the cruel master. The master collects money from the laughing crowd that left, however the boy was shocked to see the girl was injured as he treats her but the master hurts the boy. However, Artem chokes the master to death and frees the boy but the girl didn't see this as she was unconscious of her injury. "You look quite different from early, my good man." remarked Artem. The young man glared at him, "Spare me the platitude, what do you want?" snapped the young man. "Is this how you than me? Well I'm insulted!" said Artem who pretended to be insulted however he grew serious. "Show some respect, I saved your life, the least you could is to be grateful, what is your name?" He demanded. The young man sighed, "My name is Jerome Sinclair." He said. "Filthy sot made a lot of hell for you and he collects money as a result in the process.” “You wouldn't understand how much pain I was in." Jerome replied. Artem nodded, thinking about his father. He kind of does understand! "Jerome...do you know about raising the dead?" Artem asked. "Yes, a lot in fact I know a lot more." Jerome said. A smile crept upon Artem's face, "Excellent." He answered softly. All of his life, Poor Jerome never had friends in his life but once he's bathed and dressed much better in clothes, Jerome becomes Artem's assistant. Artem is a man of unbridled passion while Jerome is a man of moderation and reason, but there are differences--Jerome is bare-boned when Artem attempts to heal his wounds. Most of why Jerome is so willing to follow Artem around and do as he's told even when he's unhappy about it stems from the fact that Artem essentially gave Jerome an entirely new and non-miserable existence by hauling him out of the circus. Jerome & Artem are close, but their friendship is an unhealthy one, and it's especially harmful for Jerome. These two guys have such a good time together, and as an audience, it could be that some would think that they want them to be together. It's exciting; they have all these adventures that are half the time. The other half the time, Jerome utterly abused, and beaten up, and hurt, and embarrassed, and just manipulated by him, so half the time is where these guys are great together and the other half the time is begging Jerome to run away now! Jerome becomes this to Artem, whose erratic demeanor and contentious opinions irritates and offends everyone else. In the present where Artem and Jerome was called in by Gideon who summoned them here for some reason and they came; Gideon is confronting them both! Jerome asked nervously what he is going to do. 

But Gideon held the weapon in hand as he smiled darkly at him. “I pull the bayonet here. The magnum goes off. The part of your medulla oblongata spray all over the ground. Everything gets grisly and raw...Then, you die.” Sullivan said, leering over a horrified Jerome. However, Artem hit him from behind and then he and Jerome ran away in fear. However, Constable Lazarro confronted them at gunpoint! “Gentlemen, sorry about this but I believe I have heard of an assault.” He said. Artem and Jerome looked at each other in confusion. “Not sure what you mean.” Jerome said with confusion. Constable Lazarro holds up a picture of a young girl, “I believe you know who I mean.” Artem looked at the picture in shock, “That’s…” He rasped. Sullivan snickered in delight, “You know her; she had been kidnap by you. She told me everything.” He said arrogantly, “As soon as I kill your arse, she’ll be so thrilled of all my hard work.” Artem used a crowbar nearby and hit Sullivan. Constable tries to fire his gun but he is knocked to the wall by the lurching Sullivan! “Come on, no time to lose.” Artem told Jerome, Jerome was about to follow but stopped and called out, “Wait!” Artem was annoyed for he asked, “What is it now?” Jerome looked over as he said, “What is that sound?” Artem wondered what he was talking about but he saw so many men burnt alive and flailing their arms like crazy. Constable realized this was his squad because he could hear them crying out his name. Artem couldn’t believe it, “My god…!” He gasped. Then he heard a voice pretending to let out pleasuring griping as if carnal over the violence: “Look at me, I'm burning.” Moaned Andrea. Sullivan, Constable, Artem, and Jerome were horrified to see Constable’s squad member being burned alive. Andrea emerged from the shadows as she said the constable and Sullivan, “Hello Lazarro….Sullivan, I want to play a game.” She then smiled and giggled maniacally. Artem looked in horror while Jerome was confused by this sight. “What kind of game?” asked Constable Lazarro. “Simple, I set out havoc towards you and you two run like hell.” She presses a button on a pen-like object and there was monsters coming in different directions. “It's time to start our game.” Andrea said. “What game are you speaking about, you wench?” demanded Sullivan. “Death, my darling fiend.” Mora said with a matter of fact tone, “Death is a surprise party. Time is an illusion that cannot be given. You think it's the living who have ultimate judgment over you, because the dead will have no claim over your soul. But you may be mistaken.” She giggled. “What the hell do we do now?” asked Constable Lazarro. Andrea glared at him as she said in an inhuman voice: “The games have just begun. Live or die, make your choice.” The constable and Gideon turned as they saw homunculi coming at them as they begin to chase them. Jerome was shocked by this sight and looked at Artem. She was singing as she whirled around, “Here we go, the world is spinning. When it stops, it's just beginning. Sun comes up, we all laugh. Sun goes down, we all die...” She laughed at Constable Lazarro and Sullivan’s suffering. “’The hell are you?” Sullivan screamed. “Keep yourself down, Gideon.” Lazarro instructed. They hid behind something as they panted out of breath. Artem chuckled, “Cowards. They are so scared.” He remarked. Jerome looked at Artem with confusion. “Do you know these girls?” He asked. 

Artem glanced at him and said, “In a way.” While they were hiding, the monsters were looking for the constable and Sullivan. “The bitch, how dare she try to kill us with these monsters!” muttered Sullivan in a raspy tone. Constable snickered to himself a little, “Hmm, this is getting interesting…” He rejoined softly. “What are you muttering about Constable?” demanded Gideon, he was about to peek over but Constable put an arm on his shoulder, “Wait, they must be approaching, this is our chance.” He instructed. “What?” Gideon asked. There was a pause before there was a step, then another and then another until they were close where the constable and Gideon were hiding. The constable leaped out from his hiding spot with a weapon. “FOUND YOU, WITCH!!!” Constable shouted but his heart dropped and Sullivan was horrified. Jerome trembled while Artem held his breath while staying calm. They saw that Andrea had a gun levitating beside her as she smirked while saying, “Game over.” Gideon let out a nervous laugh, “You have to be kidding me.” He said weakly. The gun went off and hit Gideon, causing him to fall. Constable Lazarro hid but peeked out a little to watch this. Andrea smiled down at Sullivan glared at her. Andrea had her hands into a shape of a V as she exclaimed, “Now is the End of Days, and I am the Reaper!” Gideon smirked darkly, “When you’re frustrated you burn people, but you really are a bit of a bastard, aren’t you?” He remarked. “Excuse me?” Andrea asked glaring at him. It was then Gideon laughs a little, “Ignorant selfish cruel bastard, yes, I rather think you don’t know what kind of lunatic you have on hand and though you’ve been content to abuse others freely for a good long time you’ll have to accept the fact that you are a monster!!!!” Gideon charges; Andrea stops him telekinetically just in time, and Gideon slips crashing into Kitty, who snarls and slashes him across the face, knocking him down. "AUGH! Bloody hell, stop--!!!!!" Kitty and Polly faintly laughs, Gideon cursed and screamed: "Wretched hussies, you dare attack me? Even this stupid....?!" He was about to say but Mora used her telekinetic abilities. Gideon screamed harder as he glared at the four girls, "I don't know how you know Artem but you are going to suffer. However, Andrea pressed her foot against his arm and said, “The reason I did this today was to make clear these reasons. I will show no mercy to anyone who is in our way. My sisters and I annihilate them. So my good man....Pray. That's all you can do while you're still alive.” Gideon gasped, he whimpered so Andrea placed her feet off him. She smirked at Constable Lazarro, “I promise that my work will continue.” She said and laughed as well as her other three sisters. Jerome would have fainted but managed to composed himself! It wasn’t until Artem and Jerome managed to get away nevertheless Artem stopped and he gasps. "Cynthia?" He whispered. Artem saw a fragile but a girl from afar hidden in a corner but when she was spotted, she ran off! "WAIT!!!" Artem cried. Later on; Artem then told Jerome about what’s really going on: There is a curse amongst the people in New Americana. 

It started in a paradise called Pleasuredome, Pleasuredome is a hot, hot, hot place because of the unbeatable heat! But it's also full of the most superficial bastards who pretend to be anybody’ friend and stab them in the back. There was one girl who suffered so much and nobody helped her so now there is a curse place upon the people in Pleasuredome! How did all begin? Where it all did started? There once was a bullied girl by the name of Abigail Carroll. Abigail was bullied and abused from school and at home. It was then Abigail suffered so much that it haunted her as she was determined to have her revenge! It all started with her mother Francesca began taking her anger out on Abigail, beating them with paddles. Francesca soon focused her abuse exclusively on Abigail, accusing her of stealing candy that she had bought from a grocery store, and humiliating her when she admitted that she once had a boyfriend. Francesca encouraged a girl name Zara and other neighborhood children to torment Abigail, including, among other things, extinguishing cigarettes on her skin, beating her, tying her up, burning her with scalding water, rubbing salt in her wounds, and leave her.  She was locked in the cellar and forbidden leave the house. Abigail attempted to escape the night after overhearing Francesca's plan to blindfold and dump her in a wooded area nearby, but as she reached the front door, Francesca caught her and punished her by tying her up in the basement and giving her only crackers to eat. There was so many multiple beatings, burnings, and scalding baths. For years, Francesca abused and tortured Abigail in various ways including burning them with cigarettes, throwing knives at her, forced feedings and beatings. She made her daughter hold her down while she beat and tortured her. In one instance, she held a pistol to Abigail's head and threatened to kill her. Francesca primarily focused her anger and abuse on Abigail. Her mother resented Abigail, which she was maturing and blossoming into an attractive young woman while she faced the prospect of growing old and losing her looks. Francesca also believed that her husband--who had abandoned her--had turned Abigail into a witch. Because of this belief, Abigail received the worst of Francesca's abuse. Francesca became convinced that Abigail was casting spells on her and shot Abigail in the chest with a pistol. The bullet became lodged in her back, but Francesca refused to allow Abigail to seek medical attention and left her to die in the family bathtub. Abigail survived so Francesca began to nurse her back to health. Abigail eventually recovered without receiving professional medical treatment. Francesca beat her, tied her and locked her in a hot closet with no ventilation. Francesca forbade her to have food or water or to open the door to the closet. But in her teens, it gets even worse: One night as she was trying to get home; Abigail decided to take a 10 minute shortcut to her when they encountered gang members drinking beer after holding a gang initiation. The gang members captured and beat her repeatedly. Then, the members attempt to strangled her to death. The leader of that gang was Zara, and her friends were Samantha 'Sam' and Josie. Since the last night beating; Francesca blamed Abigail for everything and she sold her to an experimental lab who were cruel and merciless bastards. All of a sudden; Abigail was fertilized as she gave birth to five daughters. But her daughters were taken from her and she was devastated. But then, she was given terrifying powers that left her thin as she begins to feel much darker. After she got out; Abigail was a suicidal, depressed, misunderstood, tragic, abused and tortured girl who only wanted empathy and love. She use to feel lost, and does not know which path to go, there’s nothing that anyone could do for her. It seems that every day there’s a new reason to cry about, and eventually the problems stack so high that Abigail can’t take it anymore. Abigail had befriends Zara and her friends however they betray her. One day during a drill; her so-called friends moved over to where Abigail was standing, near a drain, and begin to crowd the poor girl, getting in her face and nudging her towards the open manhole. They pushed her and she tripped over and fell head-first down the manhole. When they saw her falling, the girls started giggling and when Abigail's name was called out, they shouted "She’s down in the sewer!" All of the other students began laughing. 

But when the teachers looked down the manhole and saw Abigail's body lying at the bottom in the muck, the laughter abruptly stopped. Her head was twisted around at an odd angle and her face was covered in blood. Worse still, she wasn’t moving. There was nothing any of the teachers could do for her. Abigail was dead. When the police arrived and went down into the sewer, they determined that she had broken her neck. Her face had been torn off when she hit the ladder on the way down and her neck snapped when she landed on her head on the concrete at the bottom. Then, a few minutes, her head turned back into place. As she lied in her own blood, she turned to the horrified crowd and smiled: "Don't cry, I'm okay." Abigail then got up and walked off, not bothered by her blood-stained clothes. One day, she came across a party where her attackers were and then she shouted at them: "I WILL NOT REST UNTIL ALL OF YOU ARE DEAD!!! MY CHILDREN WILL MURDER YOU!!" Her powers scared everyone and she vanished but she was never seen again! And now these four sisters came along. Could these four girls be the daughters of Abigail? Has Abigail placed a curse upon the city of the paradise land called Pleasuredome? And if so, could Abigail Carroll still be alive?

Cosmic Convergence--Chapter 4

This is the fourth chapter of Cosmic Convergence, there's some strange things going on around for Emily's missions as she tries to patch together the close friendship with her, Ryker and Arlow. She had to find out, how did it all went south? Please enjoy this story, peace! --KatDon 

Chapter 4: Stuff of Nightmares

It was all a blur; Aricia opened her eyes to a red-haired man gripping her arm. He's tall, suited, black horns sticking out crookedly from his head. People were cheering from all around as she took in everything. He turns to face the onlookers, pulling her closer and moves his hand to her wrist, pulling it up. "Welcome," he bellowed, "To the fight club!" Aricia let her arm go limp as she stared at the crowd's faces were blurry but the noise deafens as she looks over at them. It's been a few hours and Aricia has been tossed in a cramped room. There are a few things around: dresser, table, and window. She had a chance a look at each when a loud knocking comes at the down. The bottom drawer is pulled out from the dresser as the knocking increases. "I'm coming in" She could hear some person holler rudely from just beyond the door. She managed to grab an item in the dim-lit room when someone barges in; Aricia looks back and is lead out calmly by the man. Inside the arena, she could see four boys. One is a lunk-headed of guy, the other two by him smaller. Then there's one sitting in the corner. His face is left uncovered, different from the others who are wearing masks. The brute drops her off by them and they all turn their attention towards her. She looks over at them as she asked: "What?" One of them frowned while the other shoves the first while laughing. The leader was determined. Aricia glanced them down with a determined look, this was not the time to back down now. The man with horns walks to Aricia and grabs her shoulder, whipping her around. "Get a weapon." He tells them, Aricia looks over as she thought to herself: "Could one of them be an ally?" She walks into the cages off area for the fights. Blood puddles were everywhere. The guy pushed in a girl who had no intention of fighting Aricia, her stubborn warnings not catching his good side. Aricia glanced at her down and saw the cat o'nine tails at her hips. Aricia faces the girl and fought her as she took her down. The girl with the cat o’nine tails was defeated but she congratulated Aricia for her victory. That night; Aricia didn't know how long it's been. Her head aches and she see that silver dyed-haired boy at her left side, his hands covered in a weird blue mist. His blindfolds and bandages are hanging around his neck. Aricia look up at his face. He looks slightly Asian, soft features. His eyes are split colors, four between the two eyes. It reminds her a little of the yin yang symbol. "Don't even," He says. Aricia had no intention. He looks over you again before pulling a blanket up. "Hey...that was something..." He said, and then he sighed before continuing, "What I'm trying to say..." You looked at him from tired eyes. Grumbling, he stood and began retying his face. "Call yourself Ari from now on, kay?" He replaced the mouth mask over his fanged teeth and made his way out, dragging his tail behind him. “What about you?” Aricia asked. “I’m Fumito but call me Hades, short for Hades Deadman.” The guy said. Aricia nods, “OK. Cool.” And went back to sleep. Aricia wake up in the next hour, staring back at the huge guy from earlier standing over her. "Hot head much?" He snickers. "You took quite a hit back there, it was so bad--" Aricia rolled over, leaving him to talk to himself. She had no desire to listen to anyone, particularly a person that she wouldn't be able to beat. "Name's Clay by the way. Death's Clay cause no matter how much I get hit, I'm still as powerful," He smirked. Aricia rolled her eyes and continued giving him the silent treatment. He crossed his arms across his chest. "You know," he said, clearly annoyed, "If you become my sidekick, I'll keep the monsters away." He took a pillow to the face before finally getting the message. "I don't need anyone's help. I fight for myself," Aricia said scornfully. Seeing him give a little huff, he kicked the pillow and walked to the door. “Yeah, whatever Princess.” Death’s Clay muttered. “Tanjiro, leave her be.” Hades said. “That’s Death Clay to you!” Death’s Clay exclaimed. After the next battle; Aricia had passed out in exhaustion. “Ar....wak......ey, co....on..Be oka...Wake..up..!” Aricia slowly opened your eyes to meet a boy not much taller than her. He had such a worried expression that she became worried too. "W-what..." Aricia stuttered. Almost instantly, he hugged her tightly, jumping back. "I was so worried! I thought you were dead, I mean--You were just out!" He rambled on, asking if she needed anything: water, ice, or blankets. Aricia told him she were fine...she just wanted to go home. He stopped flailing about the room and looked at her. A smile formed from his frown. "If you ever need my help, just ask okay? I...don't want anyone stuck here." Aricia nodded and slowly fell back asleep. She thought she heard him faintly say but couldn't tell either way. “Wait a moment.” She said. The guy stopped, he turned around. “What?” He asked. “I never got your name.” Aricia pointed out. “Oh, whoops! I’m Murako. But I’m referred to as Scorpion.” He said. “I’m Aricia but you can call me ‘Ari’.” Aricia said. Scorpion nodded, “All right then.” He replied and smiled. Aricia smiled, she could tell she and Scorpion were going to be good friends. Later on; Aricia woke to a dirty room though the bed looked clear enough. No one was around. Then she saw him: the unmasked boy. Once he saw her notice him, he fumbled out from under his jacket and stood. He stepped closer to her two stared at each other. Minutes passed by like this. Her eyes dropped down to the end of the bed. "Who are you?" She asked. The boy looked at her. He opened his mouth but said nothing. It took him a minute but he finally did speak a deep voice. "I'm Nobody." He looked down. "I'm Ari..." She replied. He smiled a little and even as it was faint, it seemed to lighten the room. Aricia managed to recruit them after she revealed to be an agent of Dream State. Soon, she was on her next mission. The rain pounded on the wet soggy ground, causing dark brown mud to splash on Aricia's face. She wiped it off with her dirty sleeve and turned back to what she had been doing; sitting on the stone hard steps of the orphanage that she was staying in, watching the cars zoom by, their horns honking, their bright headlights blinding Aricia. She sighed as she watched the dark gray sky of the storm, wondering when the rain would stop. She then stood up, careful not to get her clothes too drenched, grabbed a worn out umbrella, and walked out into the rain. The hard rain dropped noisily on her once new silver umbrella, and the cold wind pierced her face, causing her to shiver. She walked around the corner, wondering if she could find anything to do that would make the day pass quickly. Finding nothing else that she could do, she paced around the street, going deeper and deeper towards the city. It was her first time straying so far away from her orphanage, and she was eager to explore. 

She rounded a corner, hurriedly, only to be facing several faces that terrified Aricia. The three girls that stood in front of her were tall, and older than Aricia, their twisted eyes staring maliciously at her. The girl that was on the left side was fat and portly; her eyes bulged with anger that never seemed to fade away. The girl on the right side was skinny and taller than the other two, with short black hair that reached her chin. Her thin dark brown eyes seemed to observe Aricia's every movement. The girl in the middle had long curly blond hair that tumbled down to her back, and her light emerald eyes looked down at Aricia. She had a twisted smile plastered on her face that sent rapid shivers down Aricia's back. Aricia took a step back, her forehead breaking out with nervous sweat. "Well, well, well. Aricia isn't it? Where were you about to go?" The girl in the middle asked, curling her blond hair in her finger. "Nowhere," Aricia murmured, quickly averting her eyes. "I just wanted to go and explore." This caused the gang to surround her even closer. "Oh really? Is that so? Well then, don't you want to play with us? We really want to do something, but since it's raining, there's nothing that we can do." The girl with short black hair said, grinning, her yellow teeth catching the light. "No thank you," Aricia said in a low voice, walking in a fast pace to escape the three. The plump girl blocked her path, and she loomed over Aricia, her face shadowed. "No one refuses our offer." Her voice boomed. Aricia stepped back nervously, as the three girls' eyes burned into Aricia's face, emanating hatred. "I really need to go right no-..." Aricia stumbled back as she felt a hard blow land on her collarbone. She could feel the throbbing pain, and it took all her will to not scream at the top of her lungs. The girls started to laugh. The only thing that Aricia could do was stand still as more hard blows landed on her arm, head, and abdomen. The three were stronger than her, older than her and bigger than her. There was no way she could win the fight. Aricia gripped her umbrella even tighter as the girls walked away, their expressions bored. She felt something prickle in her eyes, but held it back. She knew that shedding tears would do no good. It only showed weakness. Aricia slowly limped towards a small wooden trunk, and sat down, exhausted. She could feel herself lose conscious, her surroundings blurring. It was then she heard distant footsteps. Aricia's head snapped up, and saw a dark figure walk towards her. She squinted her eye to see better, and as the figure walked closer, she could just make out the shape of a tall man. He had golden brown hair with light amber eyes that gleamed in the night. He had a light brown overcoat, and slung over his shoulder was a guitar case. He stopped in surprise as he saw Aricia, drenched and shivering. "What are you doing here?" He asked, rushing over. He was holding a simple red umbrella, and he reached out a pale hand to Aricia. "Can you stand?" Aricia eyed the man wearily, her light blue eyes searching his face. He was handsome and the silver piercing in his ear made him look sharper than his voice. Deciding that the man wasn't a bad person, Aricia grabbed his hand. He pulled her up gently, and covered her with his umbrella. "The place that I'm going to isn't far. I'm sure that you'll be welcomed." Aricia pulled back a little, but the man grabbed her right shoulder lightly, and steadied her. "You're hurt! What happened?" He asked. Aricia looked away, not answering. She was still confused about his generosity and kindness. "Come on, I'll take you to the bar, Rose Red Shack. You can eat there and get warm, then tell me the situation if you want. So, will you come?" Aricia hesitated, and then nodded slowly. She had caught information from rumors that went around. Rose Red was a clan that she always admired. She didn't needed to be told twice. The thought of eating, staying warm, and meeting the legendary Rose Red Shack thrilled her. "Thank you," she murmured. The man smiled, and made something stir in Aricia's mind. His smile was bright and cheerful, but kind at the same time. Was this even possible? "By the way, I'm Akim Joyner. What's your name?" He said. "P-pardon...?" Aricia asked, without even realizing that she was shivering. The man, Akim, frowned. "This isn't good. We'd better hurry before you catch a cold." The man tried to walk, but Aricia stood still, folding her umbrella. "Aricia, that's my name. You can just call me... Ari." After a few months of her stay in Rose Red Shack, she decided that she would become a member of Karmirvard, and finally became one. The leader was David Keefir and the other members were: Fox Stanmore, Kouichi Yamaga, Olivia O'Conner, and Akim Joyner. One day, Akim made a promise to Aricia that he would never leave her alone. Everything was more than Aricia could've wished for until...The clock ticked by, as Aricia struggled to keep her head up. 

She looked at the clock. Midnight. She turned her head, and saw Olivia rubbing her eyes. "Why don't you go to sleep Olivia?" Olivia shook her head, her long white hair dancing at the movement. "No." She said. Aricia nodded her head, and turned her head to David, who was slumped on the bar chair, his shoulders hunched. He was staring at the clock, and for the first time, Aricia saw anxious in his bright yellow eyes. The phone suddenly rang, causing Ari to jump, and sit up straight. With a startled expression, David picked up the phone. "What is it? Did you find him?" Aricia heard a reply, but couldn't tell what it was because it was muffled. Then, she felt a shiver. David's light yellow eyes were flaring with anger and loss, which never happened. He stood up forcefully, knocking the bar chair down, and stormed across the room, his footsteps echoing around loudly. "Ari, a word with you. Now." Curiously and worriedly, Aricia stood up, and followed David. She heard Olivia's light footsteps against the wooden floor as she tried to follow, but David turned around sharply, startling her. "Olivia, go back to bed." He instructed. "Why?" asked Olivia. "...Please. I need to go out somewhere with Ari. It's important." replied David.  Olivia's pale red eyes searched David's face, and she retreated, noticing that it was serious. "Okay...." She said. David then opened the door, and walked out, leaving Olivia standing alone in the bar. "What's wrong? Did they find Akim?" She asked. David took in a shaky breath, as he stood in front of Aricia. "Fox and Kouichi found Akim.... but...." his voice trailed off, and Aricia's heart started to pound. "Yes? what happened?" She asked, already knowing the answer. She just didn't want to believe the truth. No, she couldn't. ".....he....he's dead." answered David. Several images popped into Aricia's mind: Akim's smiling face. Akim's warm eyes. Akim's jokes. Akim's guitar songs sung for her and the whole clan. Akim's appearance in the rain the day she met him. Aricia didn't know how to react. She just stood still, and for the first and last time, let warm tears drop freely from her face. David stood still as well, knowing better than to break Aricia's thoughts. "Why..." she finally whispered to herself. David looked at Aricia's face, his face also filled with something that Aricia couldn't recognize. She felt her voice choke with emotion, and had to force the words out of her mouth. “Akim, why did you break your promise?” Later on; Emily approached Ryker as she wanted to talk to him for a little bit. “Do you remember me?” asked Emily. Ryker looked at her, “I’m not sure but you look familiar to me.” He said. “Here, maybe this could help.” Emily said with a grin. Emily puts a hand to Ryker’s temple, where he saw the memories played out in his head: It was five years ago when Emily Grynte was 12 years old and staying at a hotel, Umbrella Beach Inn. Emily enjoyed swimming while her mother, Martha, sat in a chair; reading a book. Emily’s father Nathair was nowhere in sight. All her life Emily had collected interesting such as candy wrapper brands, snow globes, vintage-styled jewelry music boxes, and other souvenirs. She has an amassed veritable trove of wonders, though Emily still wishes for one thing: The ability to a fantasy land and be part of that dimension, she wants to explore the world out of her own world; she wonders if this world will be strange and unfamiliar to her. Nobody doesn’t do a lot when she lives in the same place and no opportunities. Emily is tired of the same mundane life, she’s ready to know what people from different dimensions know! Perhaps she can ask and get answers from them about what she wants to know. A world where weirdness and mundane come together, however everyone will be nice to her. One night; Curious Emily was on a walk when she saw a party so she took a glance inside where she saw a boy with medium short dark hair and reddish brown eyes and pale tanned skin. Emily’s eyes widened as she swoons a little, but she noticed another boy who was around her age, one year older than the first one. 

Emily found out the first boy is Ryker Smallberry and the other is Arlow Cleghill. During this night; Arlow Cleghill begins to sit there alone, away from the celebration. His rival and friend Ryker Smallberry saw he looks trouble and walks over to talk to him. "Hey buddy, this is a celebration. Why aren't you having fun?" asked Ryker. "I don't know, I guess I'm troubled somehow. I'm just not the type who wants to have fun." admitted Arlow. Ryker is surprised, he smiled at him: "You don't, really?" He asked. Arlow rolled his eyes, "No. I mean, I want to have fun but I don't want to because I fear of rejection." He asked. Ryker shrugged his shoulders, "I know you are, you're afraid of being yourself and you don't realize how beautiful life is. You need to make friends and be yourself, don't be afraid. Just make the most of it. Have fun." explained Ryker. Arlow sighed, "You may have a point, have you ever been alone?" He asked. "No, well...Yeah, sometimes I do." replied Ryker. Then the two boys went back to the party. However, nobody knew they were being watched by the likes of Emily where she is swooning over the likes of Arlow as well as Ryker but becomes upset after an intense argument between these boys. Just then, a storm came in and ruined the party. The others tried to evacuate however Ryker and Arlow were thrown overboard as both boys fell unconscious, Emily jumped in and saved the two boys while she pulled them to shore. "Are they dead?" Emily asked. She then leaned over as she heard a pulse from the chest. “I hear his heart beating......And his too......Wait, it sounds faint...No, his heart is pulsing. Yes, he is living after all. Yes, I knew it." said the girl happily. She put her hand running through Ryker's hair. "He is so beautiful...They both are..." mused the girl's voice. “Maybe this will stop you from fighting." Then, she begins to sing a song: "Dreaming of all the places, if you would come with me. Escape from the pain; find peace inside where I am. So I can be part of your life, your world....wanting to stay and be with you." Stirring slowly in his sleep; Ryker was astounded, confused by this pretty song of a siren voice. "Wha--?" He thought. Turning to Arlow; Emily begins to sing again, "Dreaming of all the places, if you would come with me. Escape from the pain; find peace inside where I am. So I can be part of your life, your world....wanting to stay and be with you." Ryker found his words, "Oh....Wow......" He murmured. "....That was beautiful." Arlow said softly. Emily smiled dreamingly until she heard other people calling for her so Emily escaped but from afar, Emily sings: "....Escape from the pain, find peace inside where I am. So I can be part of your life, your world....wanting to stay and be with you..." For the time being; there was a lot of madness going on with the chaos in the hotel, when all of a sudden there was a mix up and Ryker now has a device that's not his. Later, he and Arlow were walking back as they were trying to work the device. "Damn, why isn't this working? I just know the others are going to get suspicious." Ryker complained. Arlow looked him, "At least, they won't notice. ‘That's yours? Yup, sure is.' NOT MY DEVICE!" He said. Ryker groaned, "Please, don't say that! We're going to be in big trouble if they do find out." They managed to sneak from their friends as the two boys look at it. However some strange recordings were discovered of singing, Arlow realized something and said to Ryker: "You know what this is, don't you?" Ryker looked at him funny, "This is the mysterious girl's device." Startled; Ryker shriek as he throws the phone on his bed! Arlow looked at him, Ryker was red faced. "Um...I don't know why I just did that." He said. They managed to hide it away but Arlow likes to listen to the recordings and finds them amusing however some of the songs sound so beautiful. In the meantime; Emily realized that her device is gone and realized she accidentally took Ryker's by mistake. She blushed, and then she freaked out. But cannot let him or Arlow know about her singing talent! Gasping for breath; Arlow took off his snorkel gear. He takes off her fins as he reveals wearing his swim trunks. Arlow went back to Ryker with a disappointed look on his face.  “Did you find anything?” Ryker asked. Arlow shook his head sadly, “Not really.” He said. “What do you mean ‘not really’?” demanded Ryker. Arlow shot a glare in his direction with his eyes, “Hey, give me a break. I looked everywhere. Nothing, nada, zip!” He snapped. Ryker shook his head, “This can’t be right, there should be something. Someone….” He said as he looked at the map. “Maybe it’s the wrong area.” Arlow suggested. “No, these are the right coordinates.” insisted Ryker. Arlow let out a sigh; he dropped on his knees as he buried his head for one second, and looked up with irritation. “We’re wasting our time looking for a mythological person that doesn’t exist.” He complained. “I know she exists, I know she does!” Ryker declared as he folded up the map. Arlow sat on a rock and looked among the blue sea. “Got any better ideas?” He asked. None of the two didn’t realize that a figure was swimming up to the surface. There were bubbles that the gang can see from shore. Arlow was the first one to notice, “What is that?” He asked. The others gathered to see what he was pointing at. “Is it…Ohhhh…?” Ryker asked. “No, could it be?” They watched in mixed feelings of amazement and fear as a figure emerged from the deed, a young lady it looks like. She was a beautiful girl, ivory white skin, straight black hair that covered her face. She wore a black bandeau top that revealed her midriff and matching pants that reached down towards her knees. It was Emily Grynte! When the girl removed the hair from her face; she revealed her face. Beautiful, dark brown eyes, small nose, and glossy black luscious lips. Arlow approached the girl as he said to her softly, “Hey, you OK?” The girl replied back in a creepy monotone, Arlow looked at the others with a perplexed look. “What are you talking about?” He asked. The girl pushed him away and seized Ryker by the neck and they fell into the water. “Oh man, Ryker!” Arlow shouted. The girl tries to drown Ryker but he breaks free and swims, he gasped for breath. He dragged the girl away; the girl released her grip from him and ran away. “She’s getting away!” Ryker cried. “After her!” They chased after the girl however they paused for a breath and they lost sight of her. In the meantime; Emily ran from the beach of her pursuers, she looked back to see nobody was following her. She begins to relax, as she walks ahead. She found herself in a city and looked around to see the sights. That night, Emily managed to get back to the land, to look for the people she encountered earlier. But when she got through the forest towards the beach, it was already vacant and getting dark. She was wondering when she was hand gagged from behind. “Gotcha! Can’t get away this time.” Ryker said with a leer on her face. Emily struggled, muffling but she thought she heard snickering of Ryker and Arlow from behind. 

Cold anger kicked in as she somehow she was glowing and she broke free from Ryker’s grip and let out a screeched. Ryker and Arlow fell to the ground as they look up in horror to see the girl's eyes glowing blue. Ryker is frightful, "I'm--I'm sorry!" He stammered. The two of them managed to calm down Emily, where she managed to remain her optimistic and cheerful self as she developed a bond with these two. Emily has nicknames for Ryker and Arlow. Ryker was referred to as ‘Dix’ while Arlow’s nickname was ‘Arley’. And Emily was referred to as ‘Emmy’, the three of them promised to never forget each other. The next day, Ryker and Arlow were wandering around where they were found at the place where they heard the mysterious girl's singing. As they were looking around for a clue; there was a bright light from the sun and heard someone singing from afar as it echoed in their ears: "Going ninety on the highway, we gonna do it my way. You say you want to go your way and it's not enough for me. We've hit a rough patch or uncomfortable situation but if they really want love to overcome it all. Sometimes we feel that life is taking our breath away and we need to take time to catch our breath.  We need to take a deep breath, count to ten before we react and then let it out." Ryker and Arlow were shocked to hear it was that same girl singing to them, she did exist! They heard her sing again, "When you are in that state of quitting and feel like giving up. Don't give up. Yes, life is hard, but take a second to breathe and then everything is better. So just move on and breathe, baby." She sang the chorus. And then, the second verse: "All my life I have struggled with when it mattered saying how I felt. But when it comes to the things that matter that could actually change my life. That could actually change something that puts me in the dark...." The two boys couldn't see what was in front of them, but they saw a glimpse of a girl with hair all a flow and she looked like she was wearing a white sleeveless dress. "Hello! Where are you?" Ryker called. Nobody answered. "We know that you're the girl who saved us." Arlow called out. "Please, come out so we can thank you." But it was too late, the voice was gone. One day, the last day before she went home; Emily went to look for Ryker and Arlow but she didn’t find them and she somehow knew that they broke their promise with her. She never forgot the promise, nor of the memories that they’d shared together in Midsummer Nation of Umbrella Beach Inn. Emily removed her hand away as Ryker had a shocked, remorseful look on his face. “Now you remember?” Emily asked. Ryker nodded but he looked troubled. “I guess you didn’t know.” Ryker said. Emily gave him a funny look, “Know about what?” She asked. “Here, put my hand to your head. You’ll see what I mean.” Ryker said. Emily allowed him to do it himself because she doesn’t mind him showing as she will not push further to read Ryker’s mind without permission. So, Ryker place a hand on Emily’s temple of her head where she could see what really occurred in the downfall of their close friendship: Arlow once had a sister name Caroline who was the only he cared for. Caroline is out to the city to find a job however her brother warned her about the other guys that can hurt her: "Listen very carefully, Caroline. There are guys out there that want to use you and abuse you." Arlow informed her. But Caroline smirked at her brother. "I can handle them, Arlow. I've been doing this for awhile now thank you very much." remarked Caroline. “I mean it!” Arlow insisted. Caroline sighed, "OK, OK, I'll be careful." She reassured her brother and father. "I'll see you later." Arlow said, taking his leave and watched his sister drive off in the car. Later, Caroline was seen gasping in horror, she went back home where her father was and she shouted, "Brother! Oh forgive me for this!" Her father was shocked to see her daughter in he his state. "What is it?" He asked. "I saw a boy today! He--" Caroline spluttered. "Did he hurt you?"  Her brother asked. 

Caroline took a deep breath and said, "No, he looked pale and I was scared. I was sewing at my workshop when the mysterious Ryker, filthy and his clothing astray, was pale as his shirt, his knees were knocking each other, and he looked so bad that he couldn’t talk to me. But then, He grabbed me by the wrist and started touching my face as if he was observing it for a painting. Then he bobbed his head up and down like a crazy person would do. He finally let me go and walked out the door with his face facing me; his eyes fixed upon my face." This left Arlow in disbelief. "What? He's gotta be using you!" He claimed. "Now, Arlow. Don't be so uptight, not all men like us are dirty, greedy pigs." Out from his window; he can see a beautiful woman passing by and goes down the stairs to see who it was! There, was the fair and virtuous Caroline! "Caroline?" Ryker called out, recognizing her. Caroline begins to tremble as she turned around, "Oh! Ryker, I come before you...I mean, receive your letter and I accept you. I really do like you." She admitted shyly. Suddenly, Ryker burst out laughing. "Are you trying to fool me?" He finally said. Caroline's smile faded. "W-wha--I'm sorry?" She asked. "Are you honest?" Ryker asked, amused with himself at her reactions. "What do you mean?" Caroline asked. "How can you still be virtuous when you are so beautiful?" Ryker asked. "Where is your father?" He demanded then. "At home, Ryker." Caroline replied. "If you’re going to play the fool, do it in your own house." Ryker said, he started to walk away but Caroline seized him by his arm in despair. "Help him, dear lord!" "If you get married, I will give you the plague as your wedding gift. Marry a fool when you are ready to. Wise men would see right through you. Go to a nunnery quickly. Farewell." He started to leave until Caroline grabbed him again fiercer. "O heavenly powers, restore him!" Caroline cried but she accidentally slapped him. Shocked; Ryker yells at her, "Those who wear too much make-up are not as they seem. You joke, you don’t make sense, and you baby-talk. You nickname God’s creatures, and you make your lacking your ignorance. I will speak no more!" And he left. Caroline was so shocked that she cried hysterically, Arlow hears her and rushes over to her. She was sobbing over Ryker and that set off Gareth completely. "Did he hurt you? I'll kill him if he did!" Arlow said with determination. "He--I don't understand! He gave me his love and now he's....Rejecting me....." Caroline blubbered. Arlow was so mad that he could spit. "That bastard!" He cried. In her distress; Caroline was weeping and babbling lyrically to songs in a creepy tone. She then took her own life where Ryker attempted to save her but he was too late. And Ryker held Caroline in his arms while in the shallow part of the water. He took the corpse of Caroline to Anita and Minato in the house. Just then; Arlow entered and looked horrified. "No! NO! It's you!!!!" He yelled. Ryker looked up, "Arlow!" He looked. "You? You! Are Ryker?! How--" Arlow stammered. "Arlow, please!" Minato was begging, but Arlow stopped him, "No! Don't! This is for father and for my sister!" He held up a pistol and charge at him. "ARLOW!" Ryker cried. "RYKER!" screamed Arlow. "NO!" Minato cried. There was a fatal gunshot! Emily pulled away, gasping. She’s trying to process what happened, however Ryker said: “I’m sorry…I didn’t tell you, I felt so guilty for what I’ve done.” Emily put her arms around Ryker as she said, “Oh Ryker…” They stood there for awhile until they pulled away startled to hear: “Agent Grynte, you have a mission assigned to you. Come at once.” 

Emily looked at Ryker with a guilty expression, “Ryker….I’m…” She started to say but Ryker just nodded with a sad smile. “Duty calls.” He guessed. Emily nodded, “Thank you.” She answered and she waved to him before setting off to her next mission. The world was Solitude Fields, she couldn’t remember what happened but she knew that she was there when she heard voices in clouded area! "Oooh, she smells nice!" One of them said. "Come to us...we’re hungry…" The second beckoned. The third laughed a little, "Poor girl, she's all alone. All alone.....Alone...." It taunted. Emily covered her ears and ran off. "Get away from me, you monsters!" She shouted. Then it happened; Kanda Kosuke, Yuunagi Takato, and Syaro Kirimi were walking on the street when they heard a scream and saw Emily running off. When they came close they saw her being lead away as her eyes widen & shivers shaking. It was one of the worst and most terrible scenes Kanda had ever seen. He was really sad & worried. That night, Emily was on the ground as she had to watch out what was happening. She cannot make a sound or any movement yet. She watched people from her corner from where she was! Waiting, waiting, and waiting. That's when she saw something that made her gasp in awe: It was that boy from the accident she suffered in! He ran over to the ghouls as he slay them with his thin sword called a katana, cut them in half and then he was approached by a familiar boy besides the dark haired guy. "KANDA!!!!" A girl called out, approaching the boy as she talked to him a little. Emily could not believe it, then she saw ghouls about to pounce and then, Emily sprinted into action! She tackled them to the ground, growling like a wild animal as she tear at them with her claws and killed them up. But noticed those three were staring back at her, "Do you mind?!" Emily snapped, "Trying to take care of business here." 

They turned away but they were nervous and scared by this girl. Once Emily turned to them and said, "OK, I'm done. You can look now." The trio turned and stared at Emily with amazement. Emily cautiously steps towards them slowly as she assured them, "Don't be afraid, I will never hurt a human being. I can't eat human flesh." The dark haired boy asked, "Who are you? Are you new here?" Emily nods, "Yeah. Well, that's what everyone around town calls me but they don't know what I look like." She replied. However she looked at the dark haired boy and then asked, "Who are you?" The boy said to her, "Pleasure is mine, my name is Kanda Kosuke. I have come to help the people in Solitude Fields and deal with the monsters around here. And I am a homosapian, a supernatural human being that's much more advanced than an ordinary human and stronger than any other creature, which cannot disobey nor rise higher against the wills and powers of God." He then offered his jersey jacket as he said, "You don't have to be scared, and we’ll protect you." Emily looked at the jacket as she said, "Oh, thanks?" The other boy, Yuunagi, rolled his eyes and looked at Kanda with a glare: "You're offering that stinky, sweaty thing again?" He snapped. Kanda looked exasperated as put his jacket back on, and Yuunagi was about to take off his jacket as he said: "Here, take this with...." Then he stopped and said, "You're that girl, you were that girl that those people took you away!" Emily stared back, a nervous smile planted on her face. That night, Emily starts sitting outside the house with Kanda and his friends. She talked with them when Yuunagi mentioned something. "So, if we're staying, where are we going to sleep?" asked Yuunagi. Emily thought for a moment, "Hmm...I think we've only got one spare room, but it's pretty small for all four of us." She mused. But Kanda spoke up, "I've got space at home, including spare rooms. If you guys would like, you can live with me." He said. "What?!" gasped Yuunagi. "Will you really?" asked Syaro. "Sure." Kanda said with excitement, "This is gonna be sweet!" Kanda noticed Emily looked a little disappointed so she walked over and said, "If you want, you can come with us. It's OK; I wouldn't mind crashing your place." Emily smiled back at her, "Thanks!" She said. A little while later; Kanda injured himself as he took to the extreme as he was trying to fix something. "That's what you get for not being careful." remarked Emily. Kanda rubs his head with a free hand and laughs nervously. "Are you OK?" asked Yuunagi with concern. "I'm fine." assured Kanda but he flinches as he said, "J--just a painful scratch..." Yuunagi stared at him in disbelief, "'Just a painful scratch'? Kanda, you nearly cut your entire arm off! Be careful next time!" He said. As Syrano started bandaging his arm, Emily came up to the gears and said, "I'm going to continue fixing any bugs. You just sit down outside and heal that arm." Kanda wanted to protest but Yuunagi and Syaro made stopped him. They helped him, while Emily sorted out any gears he'd loosened and bloodied. During that time, she noticed a house and decides to get closer, Emily had never seen a house like this! She saw a cupboard in the kitchen but out came the wind. Emily jumped and ducked. It was getting creepier and creepier for her; she has no idea where she is. Just then, a voice within this house made her shivered. “Where are you?” Emily called back, "Who are you? Where are you?" But then, the voice got even closer. Emily backed away, but she crashed against something and heard the voice in his ear, "Who is in my house?" He then turned around and saw a grotesque face with bulging eyes and messy hair. "YOOUUUUUUU!" The monster cried. "AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Emily screamed, she fell to the ground. Emily curled up and was afraid to look up. A laugh snapped him out of his fear. He looked up to see a man laughing as he took off his mask. "Terribly sorry, did I scare you?" The man asked with a grin on his face. Napoleon looked red faced at how scared he must've been, but he said: "No, not really." The man smirked, "I see." He said. He wasn't buying it. Emily stuttered, "I--Um, who are you?" The man bowed to her, "I am Kojiro Hedigan. Welcome to my mansion." Emily looked humiliated, “I’m Emily Grynte.” She said. And so, Kojiro showed Emily around his mansion of other girls! They came across a room where a figure turned around and walked over but as she got closer, Emily freaked out. “Ah, Erika!” Emily said with a joyful glee in his voice. “Erika?” Emily asked. The girl looked up, and talked: "I see you brought a friend.” Kojiro nodded, “Yes. Erika? This is Miss Emily Grynte.” He made the introductions. “Emily? Meet Erika Toyama.” Erika smiled pleasantly, “Hi.” She said. Emily shook hands with her while smiling with ease, “Hello.” She replied. Emily fell to the ground as he looked up in horror to see the creature was white and looked hauntingly beautiful, "Pardon me, sir, is something wrong?" It asked. Emily was so frightened that she could hardly speak. "No, he's just startled by your appearance, Marie Ming." Kojiro explained for her. The woman nodded, bowing to her, "Sorry, I mean no harm." said Marie. 

Then she and Erika Toyama went away. However; Emily was told by Kojiro to do an investigation of a haunted place and something to do with creepy animatronics so Emily decides to find out. Meanwhile; she was pretty. Ah, what a pretty one! She’s give you time to make your motor run. She’s got supermodel-like legs; she has a slender but impossibly hourglass figure and large breasts. Her assets cause boys to have such a desirable attraction for her; it drives all the guys wild! She’s an attraction babe who walks around in a tank top and shorty shorts. She has long blonde hair like a river of gold. Her ample bosom and cleavage is shown as her skin is so perfect!  Her lips are puckered voluptuously. She comes off as a nymphomaniac however this bombshell has a mindful set unlike the stereotypical negligence beauties out there! This curvy blond angel was different from the rest. Her name is Ronda Kichiro. One day; she caught the eye of a boy in glasses in his late teens and in a suit. He was staring at Ronda, who stares back. It felt like they were the only ones in the world while everyone else disappeared in the background. Then, Ronda was pounced by Wendigos that were on top of her, it wasn’t until that boy in glasses saved her by shooting the lizards with bullets that cause the Wendigos. Ronda was covered in cuts and saw the boy Taron Rapata saves her again when more human sized reptiles came to attack however Ronda and Taron were rescued by Murasaki Kaoru. That night, Emily sat down after promptly receiving the job and hears a guy on the phone ring in. Turns out these animatronics actually move and might kill her. As she anxiously wait in the chair, Emily could no longer sleep in peace, and she could always hear whispering and strange sounds that made her jump. However she needed this job, it was the only one she could get and she was motivated enough to keep the people she loved safe. Sitting in the office she began to twitch and tap her fingers in unease. As usual she was always anticipating something to happen, it was always something. Every jump, every sound made her more afraid and she were beginning to lose herself. With both doors eventually closed when she was reaching the night; Emily began to see something unsightly on the camera, it was the poster it had changed. She quickly looked away in fear but when she turned and saw a terrifying limp machine. She switches the left light and sees one of the animatronic. Squealing; she flops out of her chair onto the floor unable to reach the door. She again jumps up and shivers but yet again slip and fall like the failure she was. By the time she actually is able to reach the button. Soon after she was unable to achieve her one job one of the animatronics pops in and shakes her violently. Frozen in fear; Emily began to panic screaming and running out of there! She personally was never ready for this kind of job and was terrified like a child. Yet something kept making she come back for more, like a sick obsession, in love with her own nightmares. As she nervously start your night shift you hear one of the animatronics call through the phone making strange noises and screeching she feels sick and terrified slamming both doors closed. After allowing herself to calm; she stands and face them with a tremor in your bones, he stares back at with dead eyes. Violently; Emily was stuffed into a new suit unlike the ones before. She has become one of them. Emily woke up with a start, she gasps for breath and realized it was all a dream. The next night was different, everything was going perfectly well, you had everything down and you were ready for anything. She sits back down and starts dozing off as the night shift was screwing up your sleep schedule. She woke up to hear a loud clanging from the hallway and her eyes flash open and let out a squeal as she saw another animatronic howling at her like a lunatic. Without noticing for the first time that same animatronic decided to sneak in and scaring her, the thing took a strong grasp trying to drag her away. But Emily got away as she pulled away the mask and escaped. The next day when her employers arrived for inspection they were very disappointed to see the animatronic without a face, she was sent home with pay in order to keep quiet and to never allow returning. 

Good riddance, anyway! When she saw Kanda and his friends, she told them what happen so she was told about Kanda’s past life: Kanda Kosuke may be in his 20’s but he was a childish and impish-like trickster of a man. But Kanda was taken on the ship for his 20th birthday. The night he was killed, it was the day before his birthday. Him and his father had gotten into an argument about since Kanda was about to become a man now, that he needed to grow as well as help him on his quest to take on the world of Nirvana, Nirvana was later re-named the current town Solitude Fields. Kanda had refused. It was more his father that Kanda was arguing with. His father was a successful man who nothing more than a dictator. This was how the family was able to be feared by the townspeople. And it also plays a part on why Kanda was ‘murdered’ but more like a near death experience. Kanda’s sister, the creepy and manipulative Tsuneko, was there as she overheard the argument. After arguing with his father; Kanda stormed onto the deck and stared off into the sea. Conveniently, Tsuneko followed him onto the empty deck. A knife in her dress pocket. Tsuneko walked up to Kanda and asked what was wrong. Kanda then spilled his guts out to Tsuneko. How he hated how his dad was so cruel all the time. And how he just wanted to help people. Kanda also went to explain how he vowed he would never be like his dad. Tsuneko pretended to understand. She coyly said how father wouldn't be as serious if he wasn't a dictator. And maybe something should make his dad get some emotions. Kanda agreed. And asked Tsuneko what she had in mind. Tsuneko had casually thrown out some ideas, "Oh I don't know...maybe smash a pie in his face, replace his socks with baloney...kill his only son, perhaps.” Kanda had loved the ideas Tsuneko threw out before the last one. Kanda understood what Tsuneko had in mind with the evil look on her face. Kanda started to run but was pulled back by Tsuneko. Kanda struggled for his life. He kicked, punched, even bit Tsuneko. Kanda actually escaped from his grasp a few times. The third time Kanda escaped, Tsuneko just had enough and stabbed Kanda. She then tossed the in shock Kanda's body off the ship into the ocean. However, Kanda was resurrected into a homosapian and he is able to be given supernatural powers by Hesper Ainsley and Kouhai Nakamato who becomes an ally to him. After wiping up the mess that she made, Tsuneko returned to her cabin and cleaned herself up. She changed into nice clothes and walked upstairs into the ballroom. She chuckled at this. Throughout the dinner party; Tsuneko felt out. She felt very uneasy; she kept sweating even though it wasn’t hot. Tsuneko kept shaking all over. And she couldn't shake a tick tock sound in her ear. With each passing minute it grew louder. Tsuneko could’ve sworn she heard Kanda's mischievous laugh as she suffered. It grew louder, and louder and louder as the days progressed. She kept hearing Kanda. The announcements asking where he was, the pictures of him that showed up on the deck and the rescue time interviewing about Kanda. Tsuneko couldn't take it, she threw herself off the cruise and proceeded to drown herself into the ocean. Kanda’s current appearance was in a black and white striped long sleeved shirt, a black buttoned vest, and ripped jeans. He also wore suspenders and boots. He was going to get his revenge, one day if he could! After hearing this; Emily was shocked by this, she was surprised by this. She never knew that he was betrayed by her. The one girl that was his sister would be a terrifying monster that had hurt him and tried to kill him. However there had been some issues occurring, Emily was then told of the greatest terror: It was summer. Syaro woke up to see the sun was out and she got ready when she was greeted by her parents at the table. "Good Morning Syaro." Her mother said. "Morning Mom." Syaro said. "Honey, did you hear the news? Sugar Bowl Theme Park has a restaurant in the theme park and they have help wanted there. Would you like to apply there?" Her mom asked. "Really? They have one, I didn't know that." Syaro said. "Yes, they have one now. Perhaps you can get a job there." Her father suggested. Syaro wasn't sure about working there and promised she'll think about it. But when Syaro met up with her friends; they told her the exact same thing: Sugar Bowl Diner which was a chain of family entertainment centers and restaurants. Syaro decided to check it out so she went there and there was a help wanted sign. She went in and saw a worker there, he asked Syaro if she can work. Syaro asked if she could have a word with the boss, the boss came out and introduce himself as Hatashita. "So, Miss Syaro, will you be available tomorrow?" He asked. Syaro was shocked, "That's it? No interview?" She asked. 

"No, you got the job." Hatashita answered. Syaro was so happy that she thanked him and promise to come by tomorrow. She told her parents as soon as she got home! When she got to her room; Syaro thought that the guy never gave her information on what was she suppose to do and did her research. There was cleaning tables and wearing the mascot costume, this dreaded Syaro a bit but she smiled as she found a job out there. "Somebody looks happy." A voice said. Syaro jumped and looked to see Kanda. Syaro kicked Kanda down, "You idiot! You scared me!" She shouted. "Yow! What's with you? I came out and surprise you and this is the thanks I get? It sucks to be a god of being fast and affordable." Kanda complained. "Speak for yourself, Mister. Is being fast and affordable on an account to scare girls?" Yuunagi said with sarcasm. Kanda reacted in horror! "Come on, Kanda. I just got home. I got a job and I'm really happy about it!" gushed Syaro, "I didn't get an interview. They just gave me the job. I'm so thrilled!" She was so glad that this made Yuunagi smile. "Syaro." Kanda said in a serious tone. Syaro glanced at him, "Yeah?" She asked. Kanda looked at her with a solemn look. "Have you been noticing the news reports of missing kids?" He inquired. Syaro looked at him, "No. Nobody told me about that." She said. "There's disappearances out there?" Yuunagi asked. "Yes, I don't know what's going on but I think there is something going on with that Hatashita guy." Kanda said. "Him? That's crazy! He hasn't done anything. He seems like a nice guy." Syaro protested. Kanda wasn't so sure about Syaro and this new job. The next day, Syaro got to meet Hatashita again who told her that her job was to clean the robot and left. So Syaro did her routine however she was suddenly felt uneasy by the sight of that animatronic of Sugar Boy staring at her. Turning straight at her who horrified Syaro as she went and did her business before being told that she was done. And Syaro left but not before looking back and shivered as that animatronic was still staring at her. When she got home, Syaro was so content that she told Kanda and Yuunagi about her job there. Kanda was in disbelief, "That's it? You have to clean the robots? And watch them? Sounds boring." He said. "Yeah, what can you do about it?" Syaro said with a shrug. Kanda asked, "So, did anything happen there?" Syaro was hesitant, "Uh...No, nothing." She lied. Kanda smirked at her, "Uh huh. You sure about that?" He said. Syaro sighed, "OK fine. Something freaky happened." She admitted, "I think one of the robots that resembled Sugar Boy was looking right at me, it was so creepy." Yuunagi couldn't help but laugh, "Oh come on Syaro!" He said. "You can't believe that!" Kanda wasn't laughing which was odd. "Did it really?" He asked. Syaro looked at Kanda, "What's wrong? You seem calm." She noted. "I have a feeling something is up with that diner at the Sugar Boy Land." answered Kanda. Yuunagi looked at him, Syaro was horrified. "That can't be!" Syaro said. "I think it could. I mean, there could be something wrong with that animatronic for sure and also that place." Kanda said. Syaro was shaken a bit and the thought made her uneasy. Yuunagi looked at Hiyori with concern, "Syaro...." He thought. In the middle of the night; she woke up to a sound of a high pitched laugh from outside her house. From afar. She knew who that it was, she looked out the window!  There was a dark figure from afar that made Syaro uneasy by this. She looked away from the window and looked back to see the figure was gone. Syaro sighed and went back to sleep. The next morning when she got to her job, she noticed that the other employees were staring. They gave her looks and whisper about her when she wasn't looking. 

"What's with them?" Syaro thought. Kanda glared at the employees who couldn't see him or Yuunagi so Syaro went out and did her routine however she was, once again, creeped out by the sight of that animatronic of Sugar Boy smiling at her. Syaro thought there was a glitch and sprayed it with water but the animatronic begin to squeak. However it turned out fine but it continued to stare at Syaro. Syaro didn't understand what was going on. Kanda looked at it, he glared at it and Yuunagi was shocked by this sight. "Hmm, it is alive huh." Kanda remarked. "Could you please back off?" Syaro yelled. " Syaro, come on! You have to admit, look at it--It looks creepy! How could you want us to back off? Look at it!" Yuunagi protested. Syaro nervously glanced at it, that Sugar Boy animatronic was still looking at her! "I think it likes you, but not for the right reasons." Kanda said. "Shut up!" Syaro said angrily. "Syaro Kirimi?" A girl's voice said. Syaro turned and saw a girl by the name of Ryoko, "Yes?" She asked. "You can take your lunch break now." said Ryoko. She was about to turn when Syaro calls out, "Miss? I'm sorry to bother you but I haven't done much around here. What's the point of my job anyway?" Ryoko slowly turned to her and said in ominous tone of voice, "Your job is more that meets the eye, Syaro." She then turned and walked away. Syaro thought this was strange but Kanda knew what that could mean. At lunch, Syaro ate as she learns that the price for lunch was already paid for a cheap amount. She was amazed but it soon became downhill when another co-worker entered, his name was Takayto and he looked spooked under his glasses as he put his hands on Syaro's shoulders and said, "Get out of here, Little girl. While you still can, if you care for your life." Then, he turned and left. Syaro was now scared and confused but Kanda knew what that meant. "Hmm....Sounds like there's trouble around here." He muttered. This made Yuunagi a little freaked out as he glances at the trembling Syaro. After the second day, Syaro lied in bed and wondered about the strangeness in the co-workers and what was going on amongst them. She then fell asleep until she woke up to the startling sound of a high pitched laugh from outside her house. She knew who that it was, she looked out the window! She saw that it was a mascot of Sugar Bowl Land! It looked right at her and Syaro jumped back in horror! She gasped as she backed away, "Wha--What's going on?" She thought. Syaro looked out the window and saw the mascot was gone which she breathed a sigh of relief. Kanda, from outside, saw the mascot was gone too but he glared at its retreating figure and the laugh it made. "A storm is coming." He thought, "It looks like there's a storm coming at Sugar Bowl Land's new restaurant." On the third day, Syaro went to work but was shocked to see the police at the Sugar Bowl Land Diner and asked the officer what was going on. She heard that somebody stole one of the animatronics from the diner. Syaro was troubled by this, Kanda and Yuunagi heard this from afar as Kanda said: "Stole? Yeah right." Yuunagi looked at him, "What do you mean?" He asked. "I mean, I don't think somebody was strong enough to take those." Kanda said, "If they had tools, it would be tricky but it looked like the animatronic went away on its own." 

Yuunagi shivered, "Stop creeping me out." He snapped. "Sorry, I just...Nothing, sounds crazy for an animatronic to leave by itself huh." Kanda said. At night, Syaro try to sleep but she was freaking out however she managed to after calming herself down. She woke up as she got a phone call but she decided not to answer, however a message was left on her phone and she decides to answer it. The person who left the voice mail message was Hatashita: "Miss Kirimi...I am so sorry, this is nothing personal but.....you must understand we needed you.....We needed someone.....He's getting more ravenous, Syaro. He needs to eat more or else.....Listen well, Syaro Kirimi, your sacrifice will not be in vain nor forgotten. Please, we only do this to please him and save humanity. We can't kill it, we only make him angry....If we don't feed it, we only wanted him to consume only backstage but now he's on the run. I am so sorry, Syaro." After the voice mail was done; Syaro thought this was all a joke and decides to call the police. As she dialed the number, she looked in horror to see the animatronic in her room. She was scared that she managed to open the window and look back to see the thing opened its mouth as it slowly moved towards her. Syaro jumped out the window, she was out of her body but Kanda caught her body as they both escaped with Yuunagi with them. "See Syaro, it does like you but for the wrong reasons!" Kanda said. "Why does it want me?" Syaro asked. "The disappearances....This animatronic.....These people who are your co workers......Something is up with all of this....." panted Kanda. Later; Syaro got back in her body and went back to her house where she saw the police was there as well as her parents. Hiyori told them that a man in a Sugar Boy costume had trapped her in her room and she escaped from the window. The police decided to investigate the diner and searched it only to find a horrifying sight of mutilated bodies of the missing teens were backstage. The Sugar Bowl Diner was shut down however the scariest thing was that the animatronic was still out there! And was still on the loose. "Aw, Poor Sya! I never knew that you were part of all that! You poor thing!" Hesper Ainsley said, hugging Syaro. Kouhai Nakamato, who brought in food shook his head, "I can't believe those humans would do something like this." He remarked. "I feel like something was amiss but I couldn't be sure, is that animatronic possessed? Or are the workers controlling it and are delusional to think that it's out of control?" Syaro said. "Possessed is a good word to describe it." Kanda said. "So, what do we do now?" Yuunagi asked. "Simple, we're going back inside that closed down diner and confront that monster." Kanda answered. "WHAT?! NO WAY!" Yuunagi said, backing away. "Listen well, Yukine, as my servant, you will do as I say!" Kanda said, pointing a finger at him. "I won't do it! Forget it!" Yuunagi protested. Syaro pound her friends on their heads and scolded at them, "YOU GUYS ARE GOING THERE BY YOURSELVES?! YOU! AREN'T GOING THERE.....!" Kanda and Yuunagi bowed their heads in disappointment. Hesper gasped. Kouhai sighed. But Syaro smiled and said in a normal voice, "Without me." Yato and Yukine looked up at her, "WHAT?!" They cried. Hesper cheered, "YAY!!!!" Kouhai was surprised but he soon smiled, Syaro grinned at the boys. "I would never let you two deal with this alone. I want to find out more about all of this." She answered. Yato smiled, "Good to hear." He said. Yuunagi beamed, "Awesome!" He replied. Syaro slipped out of her body and went with Kanda and Yuunagi, Syaro's body was to stay at the shrine for protection if that animatronic were to wander around the shop. 

The three friends went off to the close down diner, looking outside at it. "Man, it looks so creepy. You sure you want to do this?" Syaro asked. "Positive. We are going to end this once and for all." Kanda confirmed. "I don't like the looks of this." Yuunagi remarked. Syaro put her arms around her blonde haired friend, "It'll be OK." She said. Kanda then pulled out a tape recorder and smiled like a nerd, "Maybe we can catch some strange activity, huh?" He said. His friends gave him a weird look, "You really are weird, aren't you?" They both said. Kanda let out an 'Ack' as he turned white but recovers and says, "ALL RIGHT! LET'S GO!" Kanda, Syaro, and Yuunagi sneaked inside the building after pick-pocketing the back door opened. As they got inside, Yuunagi wrinkled her nose. "Whoa! It stinks in here." She retorted. "That explains the corpses of the bodies." Kanda said. He looked around and saw the bodies were gone. "Guess the police took care of it, there aren't any around here." Kanda replied. The three walked from the back to the halls and looked around the arcade and all the other places such as the kitchen, the dining place, and the stage. Kanda used his bought tape recorder and turned it on, "Fast and affordable Kanda with his friends, his Regalia and his fair maiden as we explore the wonders around this area." He said dramatically. "Will you put that away?!" Syaro demanded. "Aww come on, Syaro! I want to catch some on--" Kanda protested but they were interrupted by a snarling sound. Kanda whirled around, "Did you hear that?" He said softly. "Wha--What was that?" Syaro stammered. "Aww man! Is that the animatronic?" Yuunagi said. "One way to find out, c'mon!" Kanda said. The trio move into the direction that the sound was coming from: The play place area. "Hmm, I don't see anything around here." Kanda commented. "It was so scary, what could it be?" Syaro asked. Yuunagi then peered over and could see a little girl. "Wait guys! Look, there's a kid here!" He said, he walked over to the child. "Yuunagi, come back!" Syaro called. But Yuunagi said, "I just want to see if the kid is OK." He approached the child and touches his or her shoulder, "Hey kid, what are you doing here....?" He started to inquired. But as the child whirled around, the child had pinkish red eyes and a demonic appearance as it growled, "Smells nice....Smells nice...." Yuunagi jumped back. Kanda pulled him aside and the three friends ran into another room with a huge window and shut the door, locking it. They turn off the lights outside and in as they huddled in that room, panting out of breath! "What....were you....thinking?" Kanda gasped for air. "I...I'm sorry....I didn't know..." Yuunagi protested between breaths. Kanda had shut off his recorder and sighed, "Well! We're safe for now." He said. "You think? You think that kid is still out there?!" Syaro protested. "It'll be OK." Kanda promised. Then, they heard a tapping at the window. It was so dark that Syaro had to turn on the lights but was startled to see that Sugar Boy animatronic was there with possessed children. The children had eerie smiles and Syaro turned off the lights. She backed away back to her friends as Kanda looked at the window, "He has possessed kids? What the hell?" He rasped angrily. "What is becoming of Sugar Bowl Land?" Yuunagi whimpered. "Now this place is going to be a nightmare! It won't be such a happy place with all of this going around." Syaro said. "No doubt about it, not until we put a stop to this." Kanda said. 

They waited for a while and are unsure to get to the outside but once turning on the lights outside, there was no one there. The trio opened the door and looked around, the coast was clear! They slipped out and made their way to the staff room. It was dark and damp but it reeked badly like in the back. "Aww! It smells like dead animals in here!" groaned Yuunagi, covering his mouth and nose. Syaro felt nauseating, even Kanda was disgusted. "It's no good, this is where the other bodies were hiding." He said. Syaro's eyes bulged wide in terror! "B--b--bodies?" She whispered. Kanda moved the mascot's head and sure enough, there was something of piles of something stuffed in there. Yuunagi held in his breath, Kanda was shocked, and Syaro almost fainted. "What. Is. This." Kanda said. "I--I don't believe it....!" Syaro sobbed. "Who are these people? What is going on?!" Yuunagi demanded. In that instant; Syaro then felt someone was behind her so she slowly turned around, the Sugar Boy animatronic was there and it opened its mouth and screamed. It grabbed onto Syaro, who squirmed before she kicked it. The animatronic fell backwards but eyes pop from its sockets of a familiar pinkish red color and the words were: "I’m hunnnnggrrry, hungrrrryyyy!" Syaro was horrified, "What the--? It’s possessed!" Syaro cried. "I knew it! There was a Wendigo Demon in that animatronic after all! It was inside of it!" Kanda said. "So, what do we do?" Yuunagi said. "We cut the head off and find the source. Then we eliminate it." Kanda said. "Or I can kick the head off and you finish it!" suggested Syaro. "Can you do that?" Kanda asked. Syaro nodded, Kanda glance at her and said, "All right." Syaro fought the possessed animatronic and managed to kick its head off! She saw a swarm of evil from inside the animatronic, causing it to move inside of it! "I found it, take it down Kanda!" Syaro shouted. Kanda eliminated the corrupt spirits and took care of it. The animatronic was no longer possessed. "Ah, I'm glad that's over!" Syaro sighed. "Let's get rid of the pieces in the mascot and make this place nice." Kanda said. "Really? I think I like that!" Yuunagi said. And so they did but they need to find the people and how they got a demonic presence amongst them in this place. A week later; ​​​Syaro walked down the street, she saw Ryoko and Takayto talking to each other in hushed but frantic tones. She looked at them, waiting patiently. But she heard them speak about an abandoned place called Misfit Toys Island. 

The two of them noticed Syaro and greeted her. Syaro smiled but she then said in a serious tone, "I want to show you guys something." She said. Syaro pulled out a flyer that read, 'Purification: Mind, Body, and Soul. Feel clean and perfect by the Healing of the MIRACLE CLEANSE!!!'. "Is this yours?" She asked, showing it to them. Upon seeing this; Ryoko and Takayto got excited, "Yes! Where--How did you find this?" They said in unison. "A good friend of mine still had it. You know that incident in Sugar Bowl Land? You guys really caused a ruckus there." said Hiyori in a disapproval tone of voice. Ryoko and Takayto's heads bowed in ashamed. "We're sorry Syaro. We didn't mean to." Ryoko protested. "It's fine, but you're going to take me to this place you mentioned. Misfit Toys Island? Can you take me there?" Syaro requested. "I don't think that's a good idea Syaro." Takayto warned. "Here's the deal--If you take me there, I promise I won't turn you in. I really don't think you guys wouldn't like being on the news wouldn't you?" Syaro said. That scared Ryoko and Takayto, they could not want to be arrested for their secret will be exposed and everyone will know! However, not everyone will believe them. "OK, OK, we'll take you but Hatashita cannot know about this." Ryoko said firmly. "All right." Syaro said. And so, they all went to the site however it didn't take too long to realize that they had to waddle in the shallow water to get to Misfit Toys Island. But they did, despite getting their shoes wet only slightly. Syaro knew something wasn't right and she felt as if she was going to panic a lot. She was saying, "Are you guys sure this was a good idea of keeping this a secret?" Takayto glared at her, "Come on Syaro! Don't be such a chicken!" He scolded. "I'm not, I'm just saying." protested Syaro. "It doesn't matter; we wanted to show you this so we're going to do it anyway." Ryoko said in a neutral tone. Syaro nodded so they managed to arrive at Precious Strike Haven. There was a row of dolls in display but they all looked creepy. Syaro felt eyes watching her every movement as she walked past the display glass. They reached another part of an exhibit which was dark in the room but they turned on the light and felt something upon them. Eyes, blood-red eyes in the room. There were dozens of pairs of eyes reflecting the light back at us. Syaro, Ryoko and Takayto froze in their tracks as they saw a colony of Wendigos looking back at them. They were larger and far paler than any Wendigo! Syaro has ever seen before, probably a cross between multiple species that used to be on display back at the area. Syaro knew they had to leave right now. "Guys, we have to get out of here." She whispered. "Right." Ryoko agreed in a hushed tone. "More leftovers, huh." Takayto murmured to the girls as they began shuffling backwards towards the door. They didn't lose focus on the group of primates, who were beginning to congregate. 

Takayto's heel caught on something as the trio moved and he fell backwards, hitting his head on the cold concrete below with a loud smack, where he became unconscious. The colony of Wendigos noticed Takayto's fall as well, they all banded together and moved in sync towards the still body of the young man, whooping and hollering at the tops of their lungs. Their screams sounded human-like as they approached, some of them standing on two legs as they did so. The larger dolls had to be at least four feet tall on their hind legs, looking almost human-like with patches of corn-silk on their heads and coarse of clothing on their bodies. With about twenty of them now approaching Takayto and the girls with a predatory stare, Syaro knew that Ryoko and her alone was going to be no match fighting them off. Syaro slowly backed up and saw something she would never forget: the Wendigos, who now surrounded Takayto, began to eat him alive. His screams of anguish were deafened by the screams of the dolls, who were now excited and enraged. They took large bites out of him, ripping him apart like a child's toy. Takayto had a slow death however he was in a state of shock as the live dolls began to violently tearing at him out of his body and drag them off into their own corners of the room to eat. Occasionally, two other dolls would squabble over a clearly distinguishable body part and Syaro would often hear the loud crack of his bones being broken from their strong jaws and large teeth. The sound made her sickened but she swallowed hard. Syaro and Ryoko waited until each last Wendigo was occupied with eating before they made their escape out of the building and to the edge of the island. Thankfully, none of them pursued them as they made a bee-line it to the opposite side of the island. Takayto was gone. And he was now in a dozen pieces being ravenously devoured by some strange mutant monsters that someone doesn't want people in the city to know about. Syaro knew that there are more monsters in that haven. Ones that have evolved and mutated to become monstrous and aggressive beyond belief on the inside. Syaro and Ryoko didn't stick around to find out, getting away from that place was far safer than being stuck on an island with who knows wants to eat her and Ryoko now. The girls don't even remember the walk back to the city, except for the fact that they made it back to the main part of the city safe and sound and without getting caught. Syaro was told by an understanding Ryoko that most people don't make it back from the island alive and the ones that do share their stories of predatory possessed dolls of all shapes and sizes. Some who survive their visit to Misfit Toys Island say that there's black magic and human sacrifices are performed there to keep profits up. "If you are wise, Syaro, you'll heed my advice and warn people never swim out to that damned place. If they do, prepare yourself for the horrors that abound in the one place that lifts the innocent veil of the strangeness that goes on in this city." said Ryoko. Syaro nodded, she was going to tell Kanda and Yuunagi about this. They need to know. "Takayto is dead?" Kanda asked. Syaro looked sad, "Yeah, Ryoko and I witness Wendigos devouring him." She said. "You saw that?" Yuunagi asked. Syaro nodded, Kanda gave her a hug. "It's OK, you're safe Syaro. Nobody's going to hurt you." He assured her. Syaro felt stiff as she managed to say, "Kanda....How did they get themselves into this mess? How could they be doing this?" Kanda said, "I don't know." He pulled away gently, "But it's going to be OK. I promise." Kanda assured her. Syaro nodded, however despite being comforted by her friends; she knew things were about to get worst. Since Takayto's death; Ryoko told Syaro about all the spirits she could see. She said that they were always there, just staring at her. She claimed she saw an old woman with a doll mask in a bloodstained apron. Ryoko took them seriously though. That week, Ryoko wasn't around. Though Syaro wasn’t horribly upset, because even though she wanted to always be nice to her nevertheless she had been getting on Syaro's nerves a bit lately. Though, Ryoko returned and she looked like hell! 

The ghost stories had increased; she was claiming to see a misshapen spirit with a pig snout and bites on its skin, like some kind of animal had started eating him but quit halfway through, and the ghost of the old woman was back, only this time she looked disfigured. Obviously Syaro thought Ryoko was just acting out, so I kind of ignored him. That Monday when she didn’t come into the cafe like she used, Syaro figured she’d be back the next day. But she didn't. It was one day around the weekend; Syaro found a stream of text messages poured through, she hadn't use her phone all day so this surprised her. Her friends looked at a message she missed and was shocked by this. "Looks like you’re a pretty popular girl!” remarked one of her friends playfully. "Yup, sure am!" Syaro said, beaming. But she was curious to know who they were from! All of them were from Ryoko. Syaro went out to the sidewalk to start reading them while walking with her friends. She had seven messages unread and what she read that day still haunts her: “Syaro, I don’t know what’s going on, but I think I just saw someone pull into my driveway. I’m home alone and this is kind of freaking me out, my parents aren’t coming back until Monday. This is like the start of a horror movie! Where are you right now, Syaro? I don’t know where I am. It’s dark and I’m in a really small space. I don’t know what happened, first I saw headlights and then I blacked out and now I’m here. I tried calling the police but they didn’t help because they’ve had problems with my brother before. Help me, Syaro! Help me!...Okay I think I’m in a closet now, I see a little bit of light outside. The door is locked but I think I hear someone outside....Oh my god....They opened the door. Their faces… They aren’t human. At least not anymore. They have like…boar heads. And they have blood all over. Why don’t you answer?! I need help! Call the police or something, Syaro! They have me, I can’t escape! There is no escape!!!! They’ll take you too, there’s no escape, all that's there is fear! I only wanted to be loved! There is no escape, the monsters are coming!!!!! Why didn't you help me, Syaro?! We could've at least gone together, you were my only friend now they have me...I can't breathe...I can’t see...and they want you too they want us all!!!! They want you too, they'll take you, there's no escape from the Evil Spirits of this world, see you soon Syaro!” In the next day; Syaro showed the message to Kanda, Yuunagi, Hesper, and Kouhai. She looked like she hadn't slept in days; Syaro couldn't sleep well because she couldn't close her eyes and spend all night keeping her eyes opened, her blankets over her head as she ducked under the covers. 

"Oh wow! What do you think might've happen to her?" Hesper asked. "I don't know." Syaro said. "Eh, that's just creepy." Kouhai replied. "Geez, and you spend awake all night?" Kanda asked. "I wish I could've helped her." Syaro replied. "You did all you could, Syaro." Yuunagi assured her. Just then, the phone rang but the number was unknown. Syaro answered it: "Hello?" A short pause and then, "Ha--Hatashita? Whoa, whoa, slow down. Where are you?" She listened and nodded, "OK. I'll be right there." Kanda and the others knew something was up. Hours later at around night; Syaro meets up with Hatashita, who was pacing around. "Hatashita!" She called. Hatashita jumped but he seemed relieved, "Ah Syaro. It's so good to see you. Where have you been? Are you alive?" He asked. "I'm fine. But you look awful. You look like you haven't slept in days." Syaro noted. "Ryoko told me about Takayto's violent death and she went missing. Where is she?" Hatashita asked. "Her text to me a lot but she looked like she was in trouble but I don't know where she is." Syaro explained. Hatashita looked like he was going to lose his mind, "Where is she? How did you know?" He asked. So Syaro explained what happened: The Precious Strike Haven incident, the dolls, Ryoko's strange behavior and the text messages. Once she finished; Hatashita looked scared and guilt. "We really got ourselves in trouble." Hatashita remarked. "What do you mean?" asked Syaro. " Syaro, we went to a place and got to meet someone. A girl, she promised us....But now, she's causing us to go crazy and now..." Hatashita stopped and turned around, he looked scared and ran away. "NOT ME! PLEASE, NOT ME!!!" He screamed. "Hatashita! Hatashita, wait!" called Syaro. But he was gone! Syaro wanted to go after him but she was afraid he will see her. Though she wanted to help him. But Kanda stopped her, "Just leave him. He got himself into this mess." He stated. "What? What do you mean?" Syaro asked. "I'll tell you along the way. Come on." Kanda said. And so they went. 

Meanwhile; Hatashita could hear the corrupt spirits as he ran faster but he tripped many times until he found a secluded area and hid there. He thought he was safe but he was dead wrong. Hatashita felt paralyzed in the area he was in. Not able to move at all. All he could see was a scene of pure horror and violence. A massacre. He looked before him of a woman dead next to him. He screamed but still couldn't move. Whispers filled his ears as Hatashita struggled to keep his eyes open. He heard the spirits told him horrible things: how they would rip his organs from his body one by one, they would pull his eyes from the sockets and devour them like grapes, the vile ways they would violate his body before death turned it cold. Hatashita covered his ears, desperate to block out the voices, but it was no use. They grew louder and louder until whispers turned to screams. He witnessed children ripped limb from limb, a woman tied to a table while a bear-like creature penetrated her with a long knife, a man’s skin blister and melt away as he burned into nothing. A figure was holding Hatashita by the back of the neck while Hatashita pleading with it, begging it to let him go. But the figure pushed Hatashita into its stomach. Once he was gone, his body became nothing but a Wendigo. Tsuneko watched her work brought to life, "Well then. I believe it's all part of the purification. Throughout mind, body, and soul....This is my 'healing' of the Miracle Cleanse." She said with a creepy close-lipped smile to her red thin mouth. "You are such a fool, Hatashita. You and your allies. You didn't keep your promise and for that you will face the consequences. Shame on you." She said. However; Kanda and his friends took down the once human demons. Once the tale was over, Emily was rather surprise by all this. “That’s insane.” She admitted. “Oh yea, it’s not a pretty picture. It was crazy.” Kanda divulged. “So, what now? What do you think you shall do?” asked Emily. “I don’t know.” Kanda replied. Upon hearing this; Emily explains she wants to help out Kanda, Syaro and Yuunagi to put a stop to these corrupted spirits! “How? How can you take on these monsters?” demanded Kanda. “I have supernatural powers, remember?” Emily reminded. “Oh yeah, sure-sure.” Yato said while laughing. "Don't believe me? Watch what I can do." She said, she caused her powers begin to levitate as Kanda, Syaro and Yuunagi are shocked. They were dodging, running a bit, and hiding until it was all over. Afterwards, the three of them emerged from their hiding spots as Emily spoke to them excitedly, "You see? I can control things that nobody else can control. I am no god, nor devil, nor anything from what you imagine. I can be a dream, yes but once you push my buttons, I can be a nightmare. I am nice, I am sweet, but I am a force to be reckoned with. But I am from another world." Emily said. There was silence there and quiet. Pretty eerie. "Is everything okay guys?" She asked. Kanda and his friends are in great shocked, "Uh... I don't know. You tell me. You're the one with the power in your hands." Kanda said. "I do?" asked Emily. Then, she gasped in realization. "I got the whole world in my hands!" She clapped and then said while group hugging them, “Don't worry, my dear friends, I’ll keep you all safe.” Later; Emily, Kanda, Syaro and Yuunagi are hanging out with one another until Emily's cell-phone. Her face fell when she saw and looked up with a fake smile. "Can I take this?" Emily questioned. Kanda nodded, "Sure." He said, but noticed Emily's face looked troubled. Emily smiled, "Excuse me." She said and left the room. Then, she answered the phone: "Hello?" A voice she recognized made her stomach dropped, "Hi honey." It was her father's voice. "Dad...Um, hi." Emily said, trying her best to stay calm. "It's good to hear your voice. I missed you. I've been in so much trouble lately. Here I am in the hospital. Your grandmother is blessed to be alive, she almost died." Her father said. Emily was shocked, "Grandma? Is she OK?" She asked. "She just almost overdosed on pills, honey. She's going to make it, she wanted to commit suicide but thank the angels she's going to live." Her father said. "Oh, good. I'm glad." Emily sighed. "But you just had to go and say that." Nathair said in a snarky tone. "What? What do you mean?" demanded Emily. "You actually care about her?" Nathair said. "I do, I love grandmother!" Emily said, raising her voice a little but managed to speak in a low tone. 

"Well, well, the greatest agent of the shitty corporation decided to lie about it in order for someone to commit suicide almost." Nathair said in a mean tone. Emily was furious, "Well that's a load of crap. Who the hell were you to say that?" She argued. "I'm your father, Brie. And you show your daddy respect. You deserved it. Believe me, you were nothing but ungrateful. You and your mother!" Nathair scolded. "Crazy mother? She was having a hard time since you came around! I've been trying to be good; I made a lot of mistakes. I'm only human, I have to live with the threat of my existence." Emily argued. "Good. You break everything you touch." Nathair said. "You do too." Emily barked. Silence, now she wished she didn't say that. "What you say? What's the matter with you?" yelled Nathair. Emily tries to repair what she had done, "Dad, stop. Let's just have a nice conversation." She said. A pause and then, a scoff: "A nice conversation?" Emily shrugged, "Yes." She said. She didn't noticed that Kanda was listening in. "Here's your nice conversation, bitch! I get no respect from my own family!" Nathair yelled in her ear over the phone. "Look, I'm sorry. I said that. I'm sorry." Emily said. "Yeah, yeah, you say that every time." Nathair said, maliciously. "Please just stop." Emily begged. "You stupid bitch!" Nathair shouted. "Go to hell!" Emily screamed, she hung up and slammed the floor on the other side of the room. Then, curling up on the sofa; she begins to cry. "Emily?" Yato said. Emily turned to see him standing there, "Hi Kanda." She greeted. Kanda smiled but then he looked at her with concern, "You look troubled, are you OK?" He asked. Emily nodded, "I'm fine." She claimed. "You don't look too great." n said. "Really, I'm just tired." insisted Emily. "Emily!" snapped Kanda, "Don't you lie to me! I want the truth now!" Emily begin crying, "My dad has been saying crazy things....He's causing madness and I feel like I can't stop him from all the bad things he's saying to everyone here and other places. If he keeps this up, I don't want to be around him. They all think he's a saint but he really is a monster! A monster..." Emily explained, she started crying again. Kanda embraced her, "Don't worry. Just don't cry. Please, Em, don't cry." He soothed her. Once she calmed down, Emily rests her head on Kanda's shoulder. "So, you're not going to judge me?" Emily asked. "No." Kanda said. "Can we be friends?" Emily asked. "Of course!" replied Kanda. He hugged her, "C'mon. Let’s go join the others together!" He said, taking her hands. Emily smiled, “Would you like a job? Perhaps come with me?” She asked. Kanda, Yuunagi, and Syaro look at her with amazement. Kanda looked shocked, he smiled. And so; Kanda, Yuunagi, and Syaro but it’s not just them that became allies for Dream State; Kojiro and his legion, Ronda, Taron and their army would band together to help Emily and the rest of the agency in any way they can. Meanwhile wandering in the land with a huge sign that reads, Velvet Ditch; Lily begins to dance around like a ballerina, she did a pirouette. She spins around on one leg as she closed her eyes. She didn't know that she was being watched from the shadows as she felt calm. She could feel herself moving to the music of tranquil piano playing as well as violins streaming along by the strings of harmony. Unknown to Lily; Artem watches her takes in shaky breath, the time he saw Lily the first time dancing; Artem was desperate to be entitled to have her. However, he said to himself: “I can't….She won't….We wouldn't….” Nevertheless; he won’t stop to bring out the light within her.