Chapter 3

The remaining party of six returned to Will's house. They sat in the living room, while the deafening silence engulfed the room. Will and Moses were leaning against the wall on opposite ends of the room, while everyone else was sitting. Shirley slumped over, hiding her face with her knees. They were all thinking the same thing. Senel was dead, and Chloe was gone. How would they be able to move past this?

"It's too quiet in here!" Norma whined. "Somebody say something!"

"And what're we supposed to say?" Moses asked.

"Well, you're obviously thinking about something! Just say what you're thinking about!"

"Norma, we're all thinking the same thing," Will told her. "We're all thinking about what we're going to do about Chloe. We can't do anything about Senel, but we can't just leave Chloe out there."

"Was that the same Chloe we know?" Moses asked. "She looked more like a madwoman."

"Yeah, that wasn't like C at all," Norma agreed. "I honestly thought she was going to kill me."

"It'd be just like her to do it, too," Jay said.

"Yeah, especially if she was mad enough to kill Senel," Moses added.

"But C's gonna come back, right?" Norma asked. "Now that she's avenged her parents, she'll feel better, right?"

"I don't think so," Jay said. "Killing Senel was her way of throwing us all in the garbage. She's probably thinking that we won't accept her back after what she's done. And as far as I'm concerned, she's correct. I don't know about the rest of you, though..."

"Hey Shirl, you're being awfully quiet over there," Norma called.

Shirley sat up, wiping the tears that were streaming down her face. "I'm fine...I just can't believe that things have come to this."

"So what do you think's gonna happen to C now?"

"Well, we knew that Chloe didn't really want to kill Arnold. That's why Senel tried to stop her. But now that she's gone through with it..."

"Her heart will be trapped in a deep darkness..." Grune finished out of nowhere in a mellow tone.

Everyone raised an eye at her.

"The black mist is the darkness in Chloe's heart..." she continued. "It will take over forever."

"What are you talking about, G-Girl?" Norma asked. "Do you know something about that black mist?"

Grune paused as she began to ponder. "Hmm...was I just saying something?"

Everyone dropped their heads in frustration. "Never mind..."

"As I was saying..." Shirley went on. "Now that Chloe's gone through with her revenge, she will only feel better for that one instant. But all that'll lie ahead of her is new suffering. She may live in regret...regret for killing Senel and Elsa."

"Oh yeah, she killed Ellie, too," Norma added. "She really didn't have to do that..."

"So are we just gonna sit here and let her suffer out there?" Moses asked.

"We can't do that," Will said. "But if she won't come back to us, then that makes things that much more difficult."

"If what Shirley says is correct, then all I can see is more killing," Jay said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Moses asked.

"If killing Alcott will bring her a small burst of relief, then she'll kill again for another burst of relief. And that pattern will continue eternally, until someone stops her."

Shirley gasped. "But Chloe...she's not like that..."

Jay looked over at her. "You saw her at the forest, didn't you? It appears that Chloe is no longer the person we knew her to be."

"Why you always gotta be so cold?" Moses asked.

Now Jay turned his attention to the bandit. "Oh, you want me to be optimistic? Well, I could say that Chloe may choose to kill monsters instead of people. But that's only a maybe."

"Whatever the case, we can't just leave Chloe out there," Shirley said. "If she's suffering, and going around killing people, then we have to stop her!"

"Even though she's the one who killed Senel?" Jay pointed out. "Can you so easily accept her back after that?"

"I..." Shirley faltered. "If it was the old me, I wouldn't. But I won't allow myself to hate any longer. Hating her won't make things any better. Besides, Senel gave his life trying to help Chloe. So I will help her on his behalf."

Jay sighed. "If you say so..."

"Well, JJ, what's your brilliant solution?" Norma asked.

"I don't wanna hear it," Moses spat. "Knowin' Jay, it'll just be somethin' cold."

Jay shot him another look. "For once, the stupid bandit is correct. You don't want to hear it."

"Aww..." Moses groaned as he moved over to the couch, sitting beside Grune. "Grune...I love you..."

"Hmm?" Grune smiled at him. "I love you, too, Moses."

"No, no..." Moses whined. "I really love you..."

"Hmm? I really love you, too, Moses."

"Noooo!! You don't get it!!" Moses slumped over, sobbing in Grune's lap.

"Oh dear..." Grune stroked the bandit's head. "There, there, sweetie. Everything will be okay..."

"I can't listen to this any longer..." Jay stood up and moved towards the front door.

"Hey, where're you going!?" Norma called.

"I need some space," Jay replied. "If you'll excuse me..."

He left the house, leaving the room in total silence again.

"I don't feel like going anywhere..." Norma said. "Let's all spend the night here tonight."

"Oh, that's a wonderful idea, Norma," Grune said. "It's so much better when we're all together."

"Yeah, I don't feel like going anywhere," Shirley added.

"Well, then you all can make yourselves at home..." Will said. "I'll be upstairs reflecting on what's happened, so please don't disturb me unless there's an emergency."

As he went upstairs, the remaining party members began to search for a place to sleep.

--

Jay walked down the road on the way to leave the city. He paused when he saw Chloe crossing the bridge to enter the city. Her eyes still looked cold, but less maniacal. Perhaps she had regained at least part of her former self. Chloe paused upon seeing Jay as well.

"Chloe..." Jay greeted her, knowing that he needed to learn her true intentions. "Are you coming back to us?"

"No..." Chloe closed her eyes. "I don't deserve to come back. Not after everything I've done."

"I see..."

"But...the next time you see Coolidge...tell him that...I'm sorry."

Chloe began to move past Jay, who didn't even bother to face her.

"So you don't know..." Jay muttered.

Chloe stopped again, but she didn't bother turning around either. "Don't know what?"

Jay dropped the news. "Senel's dead."

Now Chloe faced him. "What? Why? How did he...?"

"By your hand," Jay replied, still with his back turned. "By your sword."

Chloe only gasped.

"We buried him next to Stella," Jay went on. "If you're really sorry, then you should go tell him that yourself."

Without even looking at her, Jay walked on, leaving the city. Chloe only watched him wide-eyed until he disappeared into the duct. Then she looked up at the night sky.

"Coolidge...are you really...?"

--

When Jay arrived at the Oresoren Village, he went all the way to Quppo's house, his home. He opened the door, but just stood in the doorway. The three Scallop Brothers turned to face him.

"What's wrong, Jay?" Poppo asked.

"You look sad," Quppo added. "Ors..."

"S...Senel's dead..." Jay told them, on the verge of tears.

"Ors?" The three Oresoren tilted their heads.

"And it was Chloe who killed him," Jay added, as he crossed the room and sat down with his back against the wall. "I don't...I don't know what I'm going to do..."

"Are you going to cry, Jay?" Pippo asked.

"It's okay to cry, Jay," Poppo said. "Ors..."

"I...I don't...I can't..." Jay pulled his knees to his chest, tears now beginning to form in his eyes.

"There's no shame in crying, Jay," Quppo said. "Senel was a good person. We're really going to miss him...ors, ors..."

"But I...I..."

The Oresoren huddled in close to the boy.

"Go ahead and cry, Jay," Poppo said.

"In fact, we're going to cry with you, Jay," Quppo added.

"Qu...Quppo..." Jay finally broke down, crying openly, burying his face into his knees.

"Oooorrrrsss..." the Oresoren began to cry as well. "Oooorrrrssss..."

Jay reached out, embracing the Oresoren as they continued to cry together, mourning Senel's untimely death...