Hah. Hah.

W-what happened? Where am-?

"Kid." A voice came. "Kid, wake up."

Hazel-green eyes blinked open to see raven black eyes staring down at him.

Kitai Riveros sat up slowly, not taking his eyes off the strange...he can't tell what gender the other is.

The stranger has golden brown hair, bangs that has black tips, and-were those fox ears?

Fox...Auntie...

Kitai breathed in, then lets it out slowly. "Who are you? Where are we?"

The stranger's lips twitch. "Raef Hyzaki and we're dead."

"Dead?" Kitai asks, dread and fear settling over him.

No...no...

"Yep. I was bashed and choked." Raef nodded before chuckling. "I brought it on myself, really. The Ultimate Trickster? What a joke."

"You were a part of a killing game? Just like I was?" Kitai scooted closer.

"Yeah. In space."

"Cool." Kitai smiled dimly before pulling his knees to his chest. "What happened to me?"

"Obviously, killed." Raef responds curtly, sending him a deadpan look.

Kitai flinch before looking away. He hasn't noticed but they were in the sky, just hovering above a massive island.

"Is that...?" Kitai trails off, staring in surprise.

Raef looks down. "Yes."

"Oh." Kitai's eyes water as he finally realizes his reality.

He's dead.

Raef turns to him and sighs, sliding his arm around his shoulders and pulls him in close. He can feel the kid's tears soaking his shirt but pushes away his discomfort at the feeling of someone else's touch, even if he was a little kid.

This wasn't the first time Raef's done this. This wasn't the first victim he had to greet up here...

...and it sucks that he's stuck with this job when any of the others before or after him could've done it. But, no. They all moved on into heaven or hell or wherever they belonged. Hell, he doesn't even know why he's still here.

After he helps this kid move on, he will move on too.

Let someone else deal with the recently murdered or executed.

"Kid, it's time for you to go." Raef murmurs, fox ears twitching.

Kitai shakes his head, pulling back from the trickster. "No."

Raef frowns. "What do you mean, no?"

"I want to know. What happened to me and what will happen to my Auntie, to my Alpha, to all of the others who are participating in these games!" Kitai cries, trails of tears running down his cheeks.

In a whisper, Kitai says, "Don't you want to know?"

Raef suddenly looks older than he is when he heard that question. Quietly, "No. I've seen enough people come through this in-between place, tortured beyond words. Even though I'm a trickster, I wouldn't wish to know what caused their torment, dead or living."

Raef swipes at his eye, inhaling sharply. "Pup, it's time for you to go."

Kitai looks thoughtful, his eyes spotting a flash of nine white tails. He looks up at the older teen. "Why are you here? Why didn't you move on?"

The trickster clenches his fist slightly. "Even though I said I didn't want to know what happens to the living and dead, I...left someone behind...someone I didn't get the chance to meet."

"Who were they?"

"Jay. That's what they called him." Raef answers, a faraway look in his eyes. "He's going to join a killing game in the future...looking for me. But he's just getting himself killed."

"I'm sorry, Raef." Kitai offers, settling a small hand on the older's head, fingers grazing his fox ears.

"Yeah. Me too." The trickster mutters.

"I want to join you." Kitai states. "I want to know what happens to Auntie Ari, big brother Chase, King Teleios, cousin Alpha, uncle Sebastian, and..." He hesitates before continuing.

"...and Jay."

Raef exhales through his nose heavily before ruffling Kitai's messy hair. "Sure. But don't say I didn't warn you about the tormented souls that'll go by here."

"I won't." Kitai promises.

Raef holds out his hand. "Shake on it?"

Kitai nods and grabs the other's hand before giving out a loud yelp, jumping back.

Raef laughs loudly, turning his hand around to show the silver ring with a red button.

"I got you, kid."