Alfred let out a deep breath and sat up. "It's no trouble. I had to get you guys out of there," He said through his still shaky voice. He peered up at them. "So what did you do to get pulled in here?" He was curious to find out what role they had played in Arthur's life.
Gilbert sighed. "Well, I'm not too proud of it but when we were in middle school we bullied him. Francis, Antonio, and I, that is," He gestured to the two behind him who were staring at the ground in shame. "But we apologized! When we got into high school we realized that it wasn't cool or funny what we did. I guess the human Arthur forgave us… but the Pirate didn't… by any means."
"He was the first person we saw when we came here," Antonio explained. "When we woke up here, we were already chained and he was smirking down at us. It was terrifying." Antonio shivered at the memory.
Alfred thought for a moment, recalling all the information about the trio and Ludwig. "Ludwig said that you guys were in a car?" He questioned, wanting to know more about the moments before their capture into the mind.
Francis cleared his throat. "Well we were in the car driving on the freeway late at night. We had just gone to the store for food and we were coming back. Gilbert was driving with Ludwig and me in the back and Antonio next to him."
Gilbert took over. "Then they all started to fall asleep. First Francis then Antonio. They always fell asleep so I didn't mind. Then I started getting sleepy," Gilbert's face turned bleak and cold. "I've never fallen asleep at the wheel before and I didn't know what to do. I started to swerve. Badly. And Ludwig started freaking out. He told me to stop turning so quickly, it was scaring him. But I couldn't keep my eyes open." He sat there for a moment, staring at a blade of grass like it just spoke to him.
A few moments later he snapped out of it and started speaking again. "Then there was a person on the road…. Out of nowhere…. They didn't come from the bushes or the other side of the road they just popped from thin air…Now I know it was the Pirate… He stood there was his evil grin and all I could hear was him was a huge 'STOOOOOOOOOP!' He screamed it so loud I shook." He bit his lip, tears falling from his eyes. "It wasn't the last thing I heard though… The last thing I heard was Ludwig screaming for me to stop turning once I swerved to avoid hitting him. I heard my little brother's last words. Gott it was awful… After that everything went black as the car was flying into the tree. Next thing I knew we were here. In front of pirate Arthur." He says lightly, almost a whisper.
Alfred cringed; his heart ached for the poor guy. He was technically the reason for the possible death of his best friends and his little brother.
Being choked up, Gilbert couldn't continue. Antonio took over and reiterated. "When we opened our eyes, we saw the Pirate. He told us where we were, why we were there, etcetera. Gilbert didn't want to know anything but where Ludwig was. And if he was okay or not. The Pirate laughed and him and pointed to an unconscious Ludwig. Then he told us that we were all still sadly alive and were put on life support. He wouldn't let us ask any questions. He merely said 'begin' and left."
Antonio had a sting of pain and hurt on his face so Francis replaced him. "That's when the whipping began. They sliced our skin and caused us to bleed. It never stopped. It kept stinging and stinging until it was numb and we couldn't feel it anymore. That's when they stopped. They allowed us to heal as much as we could, and then started whipping us again. Over and over for what seemed like years."
Alfred frowned, sadly being the one to tell then it has been quite a few years since they had crashed. "Guys… It has been years… Three at the least," The expressions on all of their faces were the same. They were mixed with sadness, pain and loss. "Did you have anyone at home? That you loved?" Alfred asked them.
One of them nodded. Antonio. The cheerful man who never looked sad throughout their entire meeting, painted a deep frown on his face. "My…My Lovi…. He….He should be waiting for me… I hope he does… But three years…" He turns to the others. "I don't want to lose him, guys. It took me so long… What if he's with someone else? B-Bella always had her eye on him and! And!"
Francis placed a hand on his shoulder. "No, Tonio. He won't leave you. He loves you too much." Immediately Antonio calmed down. As if all he needed was his friend's word. He nodded and sat, staring off in a different direction, not wanting any part in the further conversation.
The next to speak was Gilbert. He looked at Alfred. "Thank you again. I don't know what we would do if you wouldn't have come to help us," He chucked lightly. "The scars would be deeper I guess!" The stale humor got a few pity chuckles only because of the lifelong friend ship; otherwise it would be a lonely silence.
Alfred sighed and scanned over them. "Well guys… I gotta go. Stay out of sight and try not to get too lost. Keep Ludwig safe. There are things that seem harmless but aren't. I hope I never have to see you again." Alfred said with a smile, extending his hand. Somehow, even though they have been locked away, they know it would be better if they've never see each other again. It means freedom for them all.
They all shook Alfred's hand and sent him off. Alfred had more to deal with now. Like trying to get through the rest of this crazy OZ. But first, Alfred needed rest. More than just a moment where he laid on the grass. He needed an equivalent to at least 30 minutes.
On his way towards the darkening end of the path, Alfred found a nice shady tree. It seemed to call for him to sit under it. In this world, Alfred wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it actually talked to him. Lazily, he made his way over and plopped himself down. The rest was blissful but he was still a bit bored.
He decided on taking out the leather book. The History as it likes to call its self. Just a bit of light reading after almost getting burnt to a crisp. He flipped through the thick pages, passing the Article about Arthur, Kiku, and Feliciano. Stopping only for a moment to check the days passing.
Three days pass, It told Alfred. Saving the trio took a day according to the book. He studied the book. It had no reason to mislead him since time meant nothing here. It must be the only thing to keep him sane.
Alfred turned the page past his own face and, to his surprise, there was more information. A huge picture of Ivan and his followers looked back at him. A newspaper article underlined it.
Local vodka sales man Ivan Braginski and a few friends were murdered in Ivan's home. They were laid in a circle, all pointing to their right. The neighbors on either side, the Rivers and the Kirklands, said they didn't hear or see anything. The only hint that's the group was in the home was the River's dog barking at the door. There will be a service next Friday.
Under the clipping there was more gold writing in its perfect script hand. His first taste of blood, he was hooked. A chill wracked Alfred's spine. Did the Pirate kill Ivan and the rest? He thought to himself, staring down at the golden words. It seems to be the right answer.
The Pirate is the murderer. He was there when no one else was and the human wasn't going to turn him in. It was a perfect. It's even reusable. Planned perfectly, he could kill a whole household and no one would know. That's what he did here.
Terrified, Alfred flipped the page so he wouldn't have to see the faces. The once smiling faces were always the worst. The way they were stained with perfect, ongoing smiles. They looked like they could never frown. Like they were cheerful for the rest of their drawn out life. But no. They weren't happy. In fact, they were morbidly sad. Each one cursed with a heavy hearted existence. Some that only live because their souls where held by the very same person who took life from their body. The souls weren't even lost. They were trapped.
Alfred closed the book. Painfully bleak and true information haunted him. To clear his mind, he looked around.
Everything was to painfully bright and vibrant. The green was an obnoxious lime paired with three shades of sky. The same lavender as before, off into the distance to the right. A shocking flame blue for the stretch of sky directly in front of Alfred. And, just off in the horizon, a black. Charcoal couldn't even begin to describe the darkness of this waving black. It's the pitch of night on a new moon. Not a star, nor moon in the endless velvet wall of sky.
Normally Alfred wasn't afraid of the dark but this seemed to taunt him in the worst ways. For one, it came closer. Every time Alfred looked back at it, it was thicker, longer, and darker, than it was. It reached out. It wanted to consume him as the next addition to the collection of humans and souls it took from the world that shunned it. It wanted to finish Alfred off. End this intruder's rain of happiness amongst its prisoners. It wants this new hope crushed. Quickly.
Though Alfred could read this only from the growing cloud, he knew he had to move on. He had to save whoever was left in this shell of a mind. The human and the sanity needs to be saved from pure madness itself. He wanted to save him at this point. He cared about what happened to this boy. Alfred didn't want to see Arthur hurt…
With a yawn, Alfred stood. It was time to get going. Further into the mind and closer to the ever reaching darkness. Come on, you can do this. Think of Arthur. He pressed on, feeling a wave of inspiration come over him.
His weak legs stood and carried him further down the crimson path. There was a soul clack of his shoes. It seemed to be the only sound that mattered. Their tempo had speed up from their last journey. Now he was a bit more desperate.
The end of the path started to feel like it was moving away from him. The closer he got the farther the end shot back. It was maddening. Alfred just wanted to scream. His focus was all on the horizon which kept extending away from him.
Finally something came into the distance. Or someone, rather. Some one that Alfred nearly crashed into. Slowing, he tripped over his feet and almost onto his face. He caught himself in a pause, and then looked up at his optical.
The green eyes and blonde hair was all too familiar. Though the length in hair and body type were all too different. The golden hair was held back in two waist long pigtails with a clip to hold the bangs back. Glasses shielded the emerald eyes. Lastly they were all held up on a women's physique. A body that looked fragile but held its self strongly.
Alfred gapped. It was a female Arthur. "Will you quit you staring? It's rude." She asked her voice shrill with anger. She scoffs. "And you call yourself my hero. I can save me self." He turned away from him, sticker her nose in the air.
He rolls his eyes. "So what do I call you? Arthur doesn't seem to fit." The girl glares at him as he smirks. "Alice. You can call me Alice. Can I call you dumbass?"
"No!"
"Fatass?"
"I'M NOT FAT!"
"I've seen better."
Alfred almost screamed. Who knew a female Arthur could be this bitchy? "So why does Arthur have a FEMALE personality in his mind anyways? I've seen under the Angel's skirt and hes all male."
Alice flushed a dark pink. Whether with anger or embarrassment Alfred had no idea. "WELL! If you'd pay attention to anything at all you'd know! But typical of someone like you. You were probably looking for food the whole time you were in here!"
"Shut up! I haven't thought of food once since I came here!" Alfred snapped back. "I'm trying to help you here. Why are you being so mean to me?" He pouted. "It's not fair…"
Her eyes rolled again. "Because your stupid and cocky and I don't know why the others think you can do it!" The green eyes lined themselves with tears. "No one has been able to stop him before! And no one will! Hes too strong and Arthur is too weak! No stupid high school football star is going to change that!"
Alfred blinked. She didn't want to get her hopes up again. Two was enough to ruin the trust she had for any outsider. She didn't want to be hurt again. "Alice… Don't think like that." He said softly. His arms wrapped themselves around her. A hand held her head to his chest and the other held her waist. "I'll do my best. And if that's not enough to help you…You can hate me all you want, alright? You can hate me for tricking you, making you think it will all be okay… Just don't think that no one will help. If it's not me it will be someone else. I promise."
She gripped his shirt tightly. She wanted to believe him so badly but it was hard. Breaking down barriers took time and these were strong ones around her.
"Hes been watching you," She gasped. Alfred froze. Hes been…watching me? He asked himself. "When one of use sees something, everyone sees it. He knows you're here, he knows I'm talking to you." She fists the shirt again. "I can feel it….hes getting angry…" Suddenly, she pushes him away.
"G-Go before he sends his creatures after you." She holds out her hand. A yellow stone sat in her palm. She stared the ground. "He doesn't know the Forest as well as the others do… Just get through there and get the other two… They'll give you the other gems."
Alfred just looked at her for a moment. It was a lot of things to take in in haste. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE! GO!" He jumped a little at the volume, taking the stone and waving goodbye to her. "Thank you Alice. I hope you won't hate me." He flashed her a small quick smile. She turned and ignored him.
Alfred sighed and started down the path again. With the new mutual knowledge of the other's presence, Alfred wanted to hide as best as he could. He wanted to get away so he could save everyone in this vessel and put the trapped souls in their place.
HAHAHAHAHAH! So this sucks…. I just needed to get this done. I'm supposed to DRAW something! I CAN'T DRAW FOR MY LIFE! So yeah….MY LIFE. And I spent four days on this *lazy*. So…HERES YOUR CRAP! Please don't hate me….Please? Danke~! Read Mein others~!