Fading Black

Chapter 1

Roses

The figure stood in the shadow as she spoke to the human girl.

"To break the curse placed on you, you must bring me the souls of the two that escaped here. Then, I will let you leave." The girl chuckled dryly.

"At first, I thought escaping my world to a paradise was great, but now? This place is hell, and if this is hell you're the demon." The figure shook her head.

"You're spiteful, aren't you?" asked the figure. The girl ignored it.

"I will get you the souls though, but that makes me evil doesn't it?" asked the girl as she started to turn.

"Two lives, for my life?" The girl began walking out; she hardly made a sound as she walked.

"Heh, but I'm a human being, humans are selfish creatures. I want to live, so I'll get you what you need. But when I get out, will I be able to bare it? To know that I killed two innocents because I wanted to live? Such a sin." The girl reached the door. She turned and looked at the figure.

"How much time do I have?" she called. The figure gave her a dark grin.

"Less than a week, but this world is yours. It bends to your command, you're the ruler. Use you power to get what you need." After that, all that was heard was the door slamming and the evil laugh of the figure.

"Bring me their lives and I will end your curse and set you free."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After they had escaped the Fabricated World, somehow fate drew them back together. Garry lived on his own, his parents let him live on his own because he chose to. He was seventeen, they found him responsible enough. They even paid for his apartment. But he had to do everything else on his own, so he had a part time job. As a baby sitter surprisingly.

Boy was he surprised when he found himself the babysitter of a familiar nine year old girl he hadn't seen since the museum. Then a year passed and Garry because like family to them, of course he was already an older brother figure to Ib.

"Garry!" called Ib as she heard the door close. Her parents were leaving on a cruise, they had decided to leave Ib with Garry for the entire time they'd be gone. Neither minded, Garry liked watching Ib, and Ib liked talking to Garry. However, Ib soon found a problem that only Garry would know what to do with.

"Yes Ib?" Garry climbed the stairs to Ib's room to find her sitting on her bed, staring at an empty vase.

"The rose…. it's gone." she muttered before looking at him.

"What about your rose?" Garry thought back to before he had left his apartment. He shook his head.

"I don't remember seeing it." he admitted. Ib blinked.

"Who would have stolen our roses?" she asked, however soon her question was answered. A cold gust of wind swept through the room and a piece of paper floated off Ib's desk and onto the table. A noise could be heard, as if someone were writing. Garry and Ib shared a look and when the writing stopped, they stood and cautiously approached the desk. Garry looked at the paper first.

"It's a note?" he questioned, looking closer to find it was indeed a note.

'Roses control life, don't they? They're strong, like a human, but also fragile. They're life. You need your roses back. So come and get them. They're waiting. The Fantasy Plain isn't so bad, just a tad lonely. But the monsters love roses. So come quickly.'

"Fantasy Plain?" asked Ib, but more etching sounded as they watched the dark purple-black ink seemingly come from nowhere.

'Roses are red,

Roses are blue,

The Fantasy Plain is lovely,

But it is quite lonely,

So come find me.'

"Creepy." commented Garry with Ib nodding in agreement.

"So…" trailed Ib, "We go back to the museum?" Garry sighed.

"Seems like it." he replied as he grabbed the paper.

"Do we need anything? We should be prepared this time." pointed out Ib. Gary nodded.

"You're right, a lighter would be good again, maybe a flashlight although I'd prefer the lighter, maybe something to eat or drink if we get stuck again." Garry thought aloud.

"My dad keeps a lighter in the kitchen drawer, and I have snacks and small water bottles for lunch at school, we can bring some of that." suggested Ib. Garry nodded.

This time they would be prepared.

When they arrived at the gallery Garry looked the same as he did the first time. However this time Ib had a pair of leggings under her skirt, and she had a small backpack that contained four water bottles, an extra lighter, and a few boxes of crackers.

They walked around the gallery searching for the painting labeled Fantasy Plain, and they were surprised to find a whole new wing of the museum. They entered it and soon found a large hallway much like the original hallway that held the Fabricated World painting.

"This is it." realized Garry as he read the plaque that read 'Fantasy Plain'. They observed the painting. Really, the painting looked nice. The subject seemed to be a lush field that seemed to stretch far, then it had dark, lush forests looming on all sides. Far in the background a gloomy dark castle could be seen against the darkening purple sky. The painting was also very large, much like the Fabricated World painting.

"It looks nice." commented Ib. Garry nodded as he looked around to find them alone in the hallway. Garry slowly put his hand down on the painting, only to find it solid.

"How do we get in?" questioned Ib.

"I don't know, how did we get into the Fabricated World? Maybe that's how we can get into the Fantasy Plain." replied Garry.

"I think I can help." Garry and Ib whipped around but all they saw was something black before they felt themselves get pushed backwards. They fell through what felt like a wall of jelly before they began to fall. As they fell darkness overcame their vision as they fell into unconsciousness.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

They both awoke around the same time. Gary groaned as he sat up and Ib quietly sat up next to him.

"Where are we?" questioned Ib quietly as Garry looked around. They were in a small area that was surrounded by large dark trees. The sunlight, if there was any, was blocked by the trees. However there were strange plants here and there that glowed slightly, giving off light.

"Fantasy Plain is what the paintings called." Garry and Ib whipped around to find a tall teenage girl sitting behind them as she threw an object between her hands, catching it without even paying attention.

"Who are you?"asked Garry, pulling Ib behind him. The girl shrugged.

"I'm Nikushimi; I'm guessing your next question is if I'm from the gallery too? To answer that, I am, I was pulled into this strange world. I'm guessing you were pulled in too?" replied Nikushimi as she stopped throwing the object. She looked down at it and held it up with a frown.

"It's got half battery left, makes me sad." she sighed as she put the iPod into her black leather jacket pocket.

"Do you have a rose?" questioned Garry. Nikushimi raised an eyebrow but pulled out a dark purple rose. However this rose's petals were black on the tips and the purple seemed to be fading.

"Why isn't it just a solid purple?" asked Garry. Nikushimi shrugged.

"What makes you think I would know?" she replied as she stood up. Garry and Ib soon followed.

"So I'm guessing your roses are red and blue?" guessed Nikushimi.

"How did you know?" asked Ib. Nikushimi grinned at her.

"My rose is purple, my eyes are purple. Gary's eyes are blue; his rose is probably the same. Your eyes are red, so your rose must be red." explained Nikushimi as she walked over to Garry and Ib.

"So you guys are probably going to want to head to the castle." decided Nikushimi.

"Why?" inquired Garry, Nikushimi grinned.

"I read some note that said treasure was in the castle, I think it may be the way out, and who knows what else is in there? Maybe something important on how to get out if the castle isn't the way out." replied Nikushimi as she pointed through a small hole in the trees. Garry and Ib squinted to see and saw a castle far off in the distance.

"It looks so far away…" trailed Ib.

"How long do you think it will take to reach the castle?" questioned Garry.

"I think if we start now, we can get there later tomorrow if we rest at night." answered Nikushimi.

"We? What makes you think you're traveling with us!" exclaimed Garry. Nikushimi gave another grin as she produced something from her pocket and began to throw it back and forth between her hands.

"One," Nikushimi started throwing the ball up and down in one hand as she held up one finger with her other free hand, "I know how to get there," Another finger went up, "Two, I can help you with some of the monsters that roam the plains and forest," a third finger went up, "Its best to travel in groups when in situations like this," a final fourth finger went up, "And finally, would you really leave a girl all alone in this situation?"

"Take one look of yourself." deadpanned Garry, Ib nodding behind him. Nikushimi laughed.

Nikushimi didn't exactly look welcoming. Her pale face made her purple eyes look eerie, and her dark hair that had silver and purple streaks didn't help because even though it was in a ponytail, a few straight bangs still framed her face making her look paler in contrast.

Her clothes weren't friendly looking either. She had knee high black biker boots that Garry was willing to bet had metal tips. She had black shredded jeans and a black long sleeved mesh shirt. Over the mesh shirt she had a black tank top and she had an open black leather jacket on over that. Around her neck she had a silver locket, a black choker with a purple gem, and a spiked collar. Her black fingerless gloves had silver circles on the knuckles that were most likely painful when punched by, and that was probably the reason they were there. A black studded belt with a skull buckle was around her waist and a chain hung from one of her pockets.

Then, Nikushimi's piercings. Nikushimi had five piercings on her eyebrows, then on her nose she had three. On her lips she had three and when she spoke Garry and Ib saw she had one on her tongue. Under her lips she had a labret with snake bites surrounding it. Garry also saw she had many bars, hoops, and studs in her ears but he lost count when she moved, which she did often. Other than her piercings, Garry saw a black rose tattoo on the side of her neck. Her sleeves were rolled up slightly and a black and purple dragon could be seen going up her left arm. He was willing to bet she had at least one other tattoo somewhere.

"Point taken, but still, would you really leave someone alone in this place? Even if I look like I can handle myself, I'd be alone. That isn't something that we should do in this situation." Nikushimi replied before she grinned at them as she pulled the straps from her backpack tighter, "Besides, do you really want my possible death on your conscience for the rest of your life?" Garry sighed.

Nikushimi was cunning. She was able to twist words around and come up with answers faster than he could keep up with. He was fast with things like this too, but Nikushimi was something else.

"You do have a point." muttered Garry. He felt something tug at his arm and he looked down.

"She should come." decided Ib quietly.

"Fine, you can come with us." snapped Garry. Nikushimi grinned at them again.

"Awesome, now, ready to get moving?" she asked to which Ib and Garry nodded. Nikushimi walked over to where the hole they saw the castle through was. She pulled the plants and you could hear paper moving.

"The plants are paper?" asked Ib.

"Some of them, then some others are like plaster." answered Nikushimi as she pulled the plants out of the way to reveal a path.

"Follow the yellow brick road." announced Nikushimi.

"Well…" trailed Garry as he looked down at the path, "It is yellow." Nikushimi laughed and started ahead on the yellow painted trail, only stopping when she noticed Garry and Ib were walking slower and more cautiously.

"Oh, c'mon, you can't be that scared. Sure it's dangerous, but I think that when we're together we'll be fine, until we reach the bigger monsters that is." Nikushimi turned around again and gestured for them to hurry. Garry looked down at Ib.

"She's….weird." Ib finally decided as they continued along with Nikushimi still leading through the small path.

"She is quite…. eccentric." agreed Garry. Then, they reached the end of the path.

"Whoa." Garry was speechless. The world was beautiful. The sky was a deep dark purple, there was no sun, however the area was lit up, and not by the glowing plants. There was a slight breeze that ruffled the long grass and in the distance, the sky got darker over the dark gray castle that loomed off far in the distance past the dark green and eerie looking forest.

"It's pretty. But probably dangerous." warned Nikushimi. It was at that moment, they heard a rustling from behind them. They turned and began to back away from the forest they came out of. Then, the creature revealed itself. All Garry could look at was the deep, blue eyes the creature held.

AN-

I forgot this authors note originally...

SO, just tell me what you think, and if you like the story cover, and stuff... so yeah.

Bye :D