Twenty-Five

"Look, I know you hate me."

I didn't answer. I just stared at her numbly. That shit scares the daylights outta her.

"But hear me out, ok?"

"I'm listening."

"The Academy endorses the slave trade."

I blinked.

She leaned forward, "the slave trade."

"I know."

She sighed, "You ran away just in time. They started shipping us all off after you left."

"Uh…I was the first one they sold."

"What?"

I rolled my eyes, "You're not that surprised."

She smirked, "You still haven't lost your touch."

Oh Cthulhu, is she for real?

I rolled my eyes again. "Enough with the sucking up. I get it. What am I supposed to do about it?"

"We're gonna save them." She crossed her arms. "You and me. I got some of the others, and you sorta fell into my lap. It's perfect. With you on our side, we can't fail!"

It's a trap.

You couldn't tell?

"What's in it for me?" I examined my nails uninterestedly.

Course of action?

Let's figure out who the fuck is going this extreme to get to us.

What if it's just Meerkah?

Come on. That bitch can hardly tie her own shoes. She's just good at looking scary and cheap shots. Someone else is pulling the strings.

Then let's see who this puppet master is.

"…save them from the worst experience of their lives! Don't you want to keep them from living our hell?"

OUR hell? Ok, this is borderline pathetic.

I stretched, pretending to mull it over.

"Fine," I consented after a moment of "deliberation". "Where's our base?"

She grinned that smarmy smile I hate so much. "Hollow Bastion."

Giant castle full of zombies and skeletons? Figures.

Eh, it sounds like a Tuesday.

I grinned at Janice's joke. "Sounds good!"

000

All our door traveling made us spoiled. I mused.

Not liking the magical train?

Hell no.

"Wait," I put my arm on her shoulder. "I'm gonna change. I feel more confident if I have my armor on."

"Well…ok…" I didn't even wait, just wheeled around and marched into the bathroom.

Janice was waiting for me.

We slipped into the big stall. I took off the dress and ribbons, making Janice into the old me. I handed her a Bowie knife.

"You know how to use this?"

"Stab?"

"Good enough," I slipped it into her pocket. "Worst comes to worst, bite their skin and claw their eyes. Aim for the groin with guys and the chest with girls."

"Got it." She pulled my costume out of my bag and handed it to me. Then we stuffed her old clothes into the sack and sent her out.

What do I say?

Too conspicuous. You'll change once you get to headquarters.

I pulled on the costume, pulling up the hood and generating a door.

It's show time.

000

That's when I first met Maleficent. You know, that lady I killed in the first chapter. Yep. Her. She was the one who was so keen on capturing me. Isn't that sweet? When I said 'take care of an annoying problem', I meant it. She's a damn annoying problem.

At first, I underestimated her. That was probably the stupidest mistake I've ever made.

And almost the last one too.