I was waking up slowly and the reality struck me down, making my thoughts chaotic once again. That's why I didn't haste to open up my eyes. My head was still aching with dull pain. The first thing I felt was the soft fabric underneath me. It was soothing my senses with it's gentle mildness. I could breathe in freely. There was a specific scent of lavender around me and... something else. I slightly frightened myself. Since when I had such strong senses? It must be the change of my body. That infection these people were talking about... These horrible people that tortured me. This reminds me of... Where was I now?

I opened my eyes and understood that I was in another unknown room. The ceiling, the walls, everything was made of metal plates. It was rather oppressive, these dark colors, the lack of natural sunlight. There were no windows. The humble bed that I was lying on was contiguous to the wall in my left. It was almost the only furniture in this small place. I looked around me. There was a TV monitor on the wall next to me and a... I quailed and involuntarily gripped the sheets tighter.

- You're finally awake. - Mockingbird's wistful voice warbled in the silence.

He was sitting on a small cupboard that looked more like a locker to me. His white coat was so long that he could easily wrap himself in it, but now it was falling freely around him. The most intriguing about him wasn't the his bushy hair with the color of green ashes or the sandy eyes, but the pale scars that were wrapping his face, hands and legs like a creeping plant. I couldn't move my eyes away from his, his gaze was disturbingly persevering. It wasn't the usual irritating head-to-toe observing that all the representatives of the male sex were doing. It was a silent domination over me, a stare of magnificence. Despite his cheerful disguise, he was reminding me of a lion that was scrutinizing his prey. And it felt so uncomfortable.

- Thank you for...saving me, Mockingbird. - I said slowly and gratefully, looking up to him.

- You can call me Toto. - A bright smile lightened his features. He jumped off the cupboard and in the next moment found himself inches away from me. His lightning speed didn't gave me the chance to do anything else except leaning my back on the wall behind me. Thank God, I had clothes on me, it was so cold. I wasn't sure if my situation wasn't "out of the frying pan into the fire". He could be worse than the others I met. In fact I was almost sure of it, judging from that wild, empty look of his. I decided to act like one acts with beasts - without any sharp moves. I knew the odds weren't in my favor and I had no chance of surviving anything at the moment.

The other scent I picked early - it was rusty cinnamon and it was coming from... his skin. I felt my face slightly warmer that usual. His liquid gold eyes were penetrating through me so easily, I never felt so revealed. Except the fact that my stomach was shrunk with uneasiness, my fear was somehow clouded. Was it his insanity that I found enchanting or maybe his mischievous appearance?

- You're cute. - Toto said concluding and drew himself backwards, putting a smile on his face again. He sat on the bed in front of me and brought a candy out of his pocket. I released the breath I was holding till now and came off the cold wall. - Eat one of these.

I looked at the candy in his hand so suspiciously that he laughed.

- It'll help you.

- Help me? - I took it from his hand.

- Yep. For this. - He pointed the metal circle on his neck. I was shocked to realize just now that I have also one on my neck. - It will kill you after two days if you don't eat candy.

- And why should I trust you? - I asked carefully.

- You shouldn't trust me. - He chuckled and stood off the bed, heading to the door right across the bed.

- Wait... - I was so confused. - What is this place? Where am I?

He put his hands in his pockets and turned around.

- You're in the most ferocious and well-constructed prison in Tokyo. - He smiled warmly. - Deadman Wonderland.

I shuddered. A prison? What have I done? I didn't remember a thing.

- And you... - He came in front me in the blink of an eye and touched my forehead. - Are a deadman. Like me.

- A deadman? What does that mean?

- It means that you can use your blood in different ways.

- Like?

- Killing. - Toto snickered.

I recoiled back and frowned upon him, disgusted. His looked confused.

- I don't want to kill anyone! - I shouted frustrated. - Why is everyone talking about killing here?

My eyes went blurry, I covered my face with the sheets. I awfully wanted not to cry, but life seemed so meaningless all of a sudden. I felt so helpless, I didn't know what to do. It seemed that everyone and everything in this wicked place wanted my death and the only question left was: Was I going to embrace death with dignity or with cowardice? I almost heard my own mind laughing at me. I was doing a great job facing my own fate with weeping now. I'd rather die than kill somebody. And nobody was ever going to make me kill a person. I took down the sheets.

- Will you do something for me? - I wanted to sound determined, but the words got out as a whisper. - Will you kill me, right now?

I raised my eyes to face him and was surprised by the anger in his eyes. He stared through me, his eyes were distant. I closed my eyes and waited. While waiting for my end I wanted to stop these shameful tears, they never helped anyway.

Instead of pain I felt warmth around me. My muscles tensed, not knowing what to expect. I opened my eyes, Toto was sitting in a way that was actually surrounding me. If I wasn't this close, I probably wouldn't feel his trembling. Strange, did I made him angry? He raised my chin.

- Fairies don't cry. - He stated seriously like it was a well-known fact. Then licked a tear on my cheek.

- I'm not a fairy. And I'm surely not yours. - I still waited for my death, though I was standing my ground.

- I'm sorry, you are to me. - He inclined his head with a look that was both unpredictable and captivating.

- Aren't you going to kill me? - I asked.

- Mmm...no. - He shook his head. - Come here.

He literally forced me to lean on him. Out of physical point of view was absolutely impossible for him to have such strength. But I remembered he wasn't ordinary human being. Neither was I. Not anymore.

- Why did you save me? You don't know me...

- Because you remind me of someone. - I didn't know that his voice can be so normal. It was like this wasn't him for a few seconds of silence. I couldn't see his face, he was holding me really tightly. Then he started laughing in my hair again. - See? I'm not scary!

I could feel his happiness. What kind of a person would judge another human being with his limited mind? I didn't know a thing about him. I didn't know what has he been through. Did he lost someone? I did not know. All I knew was that he saved me and when he had a chance he didn't kill me. And now when I was listening the even beating of his heart, I really couldn't help but believe him.

- Yes, you are. - I laughed quietly.

- You have nothing to worry about. - He let me go and moved away from me, dancing his way to the door.

- Where are you going?

- To fight for my fairy. - He said mockingly, knowing that I totally rejected this designation and smiled to me.

- Fight?

- Don't worry. I never lose. - He screwed his eyes, his cunning behavior has returned.

He left. Soon the monitor in the room turned on by itself and drew my attention.

- Ladies and gentlemen - A familiar loathsome male voice announced cheerful. -Welcome to Carnival Corpse!

Here's the promised sequel to Salvation. I hope you like it ;3

P.S. I'm not sure if there can actually exist a romance between someone and Toto. He's completely insane. But also a brilliant character.