Okay, I've organized my ideas and such for this story, so here we go!

I woke up at the foot of the bed, which was not where I had fallen asleep last night. I looked up to the headboard and saw that the Redheaded Stepchild had rolled over and put his arms around Nikola in his sleep. I glanced at the corner of the room to see Heck and Rukia in an interesting position.

Heck had somehow managed to fall asleep with his ass planted in Rukia's face. I knew that if Rukia woke up first, there would be a show to see.

"It's like I can almost hear the impact of him hitting Heck…"

"Yeah, it's the only way Marill will ever touch him. Sneasle does this sort of thing on purpose."

I jumped, startled.

"Calm down, Eevee. We're not in battle right now."

"My name is not Eevee. The hell are you?"

"Cinders. And I know your name. It's just that I only call my friends by their names. And I don't have any friends besides myself."

"Are you interested in making any?"

"No, Eevee, I am not."

"I hate you already."

"No, you don't. You want to be my friend."

"Not anymore."

"I think you're interesting. What do you remember from your childhood?"

"Nothing."

"That's a lie. Tell me."

I sighed. Man, was something wrong with this guy or what?

"I remember my father and mother. I know what they were called and the species they belonged to. I remember how to read, because they taught me. I remember the story they told me about how they met. I remember my dad healing me. I remember my mom having a filthy mouth. I remember their personalities, and I remember my mom training me. In fact, that's really all I remember from when I was young."

"How did you leave them?"

"Don't know."

"Where did you go?"

"I was in a forest for a few years. I don't know how. I just woke up and I was there."

"Did they try to eat you?"

"I killed anything that did. I lived in a cave and ate flesh and flesh only."

"So you're a savage with an education and a bad memory. How interesting."

"Screw you."

"If you did, I'd be screaming 'Eevee' repeatedly and they'd have to treat me for DID."

"You remind me of Heck."

"I don't suppose that's a compliment."

"No, it's just a fact."

"Truly interesting."

"Stop using the word 'interesting.' What's my life story to you, a pulp novel?"

"I suppose it's something like that."

"No wonder you have no friends. It's because you don't have a soul."

"I don't believe in souls."

"Did I ask you if you did?"

"No, I suppose not."

"Why do you keep talking to me?"

"You're interesting."

"I said to stop using that word."

"I didn't say I'd listen to you."

"Now, why did I expect that?"

"I don't care. Turn around. I want to see your face."

I whirled around to find my nose pressed against his. His eyes were totally blank.

"And you said I remind you of the Sneasle."

"Soulless bastard."

"Interesting savage."

"What about your childhood, then? I don't imagine it was anything out of the norm. You are a lab rat, after all."

I noticed a shift in his demeanor. His eyes gave nothing, but his voice was slightly shakier, and if it hadn't been for my ears and skills of observation, I would probably never notice.

"It is only fair, but I entrust this as a secret to you."

"Whatever you say."

"I was injected. They injected it. Then they left me without it. Days and days. Nothing but the pain. Then they injected it. It felt good, maybe for an hour. Happy and giggly and sleepy. Then it went away, and pain."

It was as if he had reverted to being a child, though just for that moment.

"What did they call the injection?"

"They called it heroine. Like it was a pretty girl who saved people. Like on the TV. But it wasn't saving me. There was pain when Marc took me. Pain, many days of pain. It didn't stop till a moon phase. No more injections."

I paused.

"Cinders, you can go back now."

His voice shifted again.

"Does knowing my history satisfy you? It does interest me to know."

"It does not."

"Oh? And why would that be?"

"Because it scares me to know that you lived in the same lab as Cream, and that happened while you were in it."

"You are such an interesting creature, Eevee. I do hope to get to know you better."

"I thought you said you didn't want friends."

"I don't believe I said anything about being your friend."

I was about to reply when I heard Rukia's angry yell.

"YOU FUCKING PRANKSTER!"

Heck flew across the room, and landed face-first on the carpet in a slide. He flipped himself over and turned around to look at Rukia. He spoke in complete monotone.

"Did you know, Rukia, that I am just one big joke?"

I didn't see his expression, but it was clear that those words were not a good sign.

Rukia just sat there, not sure what to think. Heck turned around with his usual smile. His mouth was bleeding, presumably from busted gums. It was very scary, and that means a lot, coming from me. The only thing rivaling this is the injections of this 'heroine' stuff in some lab. That, and perhaps the snippet I heard of Holden.

"I'm going to go clean up."

"I'm going with you."

Heck raised an eyebrow.

To make sure you don't…hurt yourself, I mouthed at him.

"I'm fine, Psycho. I can handle this."

He kept talking in monotone. He addressed me by my name. Heck, at no point, had directly addressed me by my name.

"Fuck that, you deserve it."

Rukia, still in a haze, muttered something under his breath. Only I heard it, but I think that's for the best.

"What does he deserve? He's just an asshole."

Heck blinked.

"Alright, you can help me."

"Thank you."

I followed him into the ugly yellow bathroom. He jumped onto the sink and turned the faucet. The water started flowing, and he splashed it on his face, and then drank some. The blood was gone, but it would probably come back soon.

"Do you want to talk to me?"

He hesitated.

"I don't know you. I think today is the first time I've ever said your name. I think today is the first time I've let up my mask in front of you. I don't like revealing myself to a newcomer. Why do you ask me, of all the people and Pokémon I know?"

"It's not evil to be attracted to other males, Heck."

"Why do you think I'm attracted to Rukia? Is it because of the cross-dressing joke I made? My jokes are bull."

"I know, but I am more intelligent and observant than any of you would care to think. I am most likely insane on some level, and I have met a similar individual who has confirmed my opinions."

"You're fucking trusting that prick? Cinders?"

"He and I are similar."

"Then you're both pricks. I don't care."

"Heck… you don't have to talk now, but don't hurt yourself, alright? Your attractions are not unlike what my own would be if I was truly capable of love. Being insane, it's a bit of a barrier."

"Fuck you."

"Yes, exactly."

I think I'll end this chapter here. It'll probably be a while till this is picked up again.