A/N: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I'M BACK! thank you for all the faves and follows; I'm not supposed to be up here right now so let's make this quick.

Anonymous: Aw, thank you so much! and yeah, you're right, more angst is definitely coming. Thanks for the well wishes!

Guest1: AAAAAA I'M SORRY! I felt bad too.
Heh, it is? well then. Glad I could provide the angst. And I'm not happy; it just has to be aaaaaaa
You'd like that? well, fortunately, and unfortunately, Bill is gone. It's just... memories? so maybe you want THOSE to take over. :0
And that's fine. Thanks for the review anyway, but I'd love to know more of your thoughts. :3
Thanks for the cookie by the way! :D
Oh and Merry LATE Christmas to you too!

Guest: Thank you! here, have a tissue. And great! that's a good thing!

Anyway, with that said, let's go!

Another Form, Another Time
Chapter Eight: Struggle

The little demon continued to run, arm covering his crying eyes. He somehow managed not bumping into anything, until he approached the path.

An old man with his beard reaching his toes, carrying a rather bulky case, sauntered down the path, singing old southern jaunties to himself. And soon he felt something tumble into him, but the force was not nearly enough to knock him down.

He adjusted his goggles, and glanced down, tilting his head. On the ground was a rather strange creature the likes of which he'd never seen before. And it appeared to be.. crying?

"Well I'll be rootin' and tootin'!" the guy grinned and slapped his leg, jolting the creature out of its sorrow. "What might you be?"

The little guy stood up and narrowed his eyes. This person looked familiar too. Was this the same guy who briefly got stuck in the Nightmare Realm? but he definitely recognized him as one of the Zodiac Ten. King growled and clutched at his head, holding back the urge to attack, not realizing he'd been asked a question.

"Not much of a talker, eh?" the man rubbed behind his ears. He could work with that. "I wonder, what's a little feller like you doin' out in these parts?"

The demon finally seemed to get his senses back, and glanced up at the man again, shaking slightly. "None of your business, McGucket," he spat, doing the one thing he did best. Pushing people away.

Fiddleford blinked. Not only did the voice sound familiar, but this critter knew his name too? "Well, butter my biscuits.." the man replied with awe.

King grasped at his snout, clamping it closed, realizing that maybe he shouldn't speak. His voice seemed to carry a hate disease, and also he might say something he'd come to regret if he hadn't already. And then he looked away, a disinterested look in his hot pink eyes.

The man seemed patient, contemplative as he stared, his somewhat broken mind trying to put the pieces together. While the demon just stood, trembling claws still holding his snout closed. He wanted to snap at the guy, push him away.

But at the same time, he didn't want to hurt anyone.

Not anymore.

The trembles coating his claws moved to his entire body, and he glanced at the staring man again. Scoffing, he harshly asked, bringing his claws away from his snout, "Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Ol' Stanford Pines wants me fer portal business," whatever smile he had kinda slipped away. It was clear what he thought of it after their first go-round, but he was going to help anyway. He blamed it on the southern hospitality.

Regardless, this caused King to drop his guard, eyes widening. "Of course. The portal to send me and Luz back to the Boiling Isles.." he muttered.

"Wait. Ya must be King, right?" Fiddleford finally put one piece together. Ford had told him their names over the phone, as well as descriptions. Yet he forgot. And he had himself to blame for that.

King nodded, choosing to shut up again. But all the while he looked largely unimpressed. And grouchy.

Maybe even a little angry.

He could feel the otherwise inexplicable rage, gnawing on his heart and trying to infect him. Rage at not winning, rage at being stuck in a tiny, powerless body.

Rage at everyone who hurt him.

And it hurt and confused him.

"Ya wanna head back with me to th' Mystery Shack?" Fiddleford jabbed a thumb in that direction, back to smiling. Unaware of the demon's turmoil.

He couldn't do this.

He couldn't.

He needed someone to ground him.

He needed Luz.

"I appreciate your offer, kid," the creature waved a dismissive hand, "but no," and started to walk away, only to freeze in his tracks and grasp at his head.

But what if he hurt her?

What if she couldn't ground him?

What if he…

Something snapped just then. He turned to look at a confused Fiddleford again, a strange glint in his hot pink eyes. He brought his claws from his head and rubbed them together. "I'll think about it," he said slowly, as if unused to his own voice.

"Erm. Okay?" the man blinked, and he motioned with his thumb again in that direction. "But I gotta get goin' now, so.."

"I'll catch up then," he replied almost emotionlessly, continuing to rub his claws, as though something cold had rushed through them.

Something cold had swept through his entire body, but surrounded his heart.

McGucket blinked again, brow furrowed, and soon nodded, heading down the path again a bit somberly, scratching his temple with utter confusion.

And so King stood there, attempting to sort through his being. His memories. His lives. But he found that one was attempting to conquer the other…

Luz Noceda sprung into action, barely allowing a full ten minutes to pass. She rushed through the thicket in the direction King took, worried extremely sick. Mabel followed, lips pursed and concerned. She was starting to regret making the Afro-Latina wait.

They reached the path, and Luz was the first to spot King walking along it back to the Shack. "KING!"

The little demon didn't seem fazed, still walking. Not even looking back. Luz, shocked, called for him again, cupping her hands around her mouth. Mabel gulped, remorse filling her heart.

"King! where are you going?!" Luz started walking up to him at a fast pace, catching up a foot every second.

He still ignored her.

"King, what's going on with you?!" she reached him, kneeling to take his arm. As soon as she did, the demon turned his head and glared, saying nothing.

Something was wrong with those hot pink eyes.

They made her falter, her mouth falling slightly open. But she still kept a hold on him.

"Let go, kid," King commanded with a level tone. Mabel just stood several feet away, looking pale and awful.

"King, I'm sorry I wasn't here for you," the young girl nearly shot a glance at Mabel, biting her lip. "I wanted to be so badly."

The little demon didn't blink. Just continued to stare. "Let. Go." His tone was still level, but harsher this time.

"Why are you pushing me away? did I do anything wrong? please, King, let me help y-"

"I said LET GO!" he shouted with near unbridled rage, using Luz's dropped guard and weight against her and swinging the arm she was holding.

It got her to let go, but it also sent her flying. Mabel grimaced and rushed under her shadow, catching her before she could hit the ground.

Luz shook in Mabel's arms, brown eyes wide. The shock at being flung like that, and by her friend no less, took prevalence. The twin looked over at King, surprised to find no emotion, no remorse in his eyes.

"King, why'd you do that?" she asked feebly, though something told her she already knew. "Aren't we sweater buddies?"

"Ha. I have no use for sweater buddies, kid," the demon scoffed and rolled his eyes, and soon continued along the path with a different sort of walk from his usual.

And with one fell swoop, he flung off his sweater, ripping it across the front. It landed in front of the two girls.

Mabel regretted letting him be even more now. And Luz soon recovered, hopped out of the twin's arms, and called out for her friend again, pleadingly.

"King, please. Come back," the young Afro-Latina couldn't stand, her legs jelly and forcing her to kneel.

The sweater girl sighed. "Sorry, Luz.." she placed a hand on her shoulder, "but I don't think that's your friend anymore…" and then her entire head bowed onto Luz's back, and she choked on a sob. "I'm sorry."

And with that, King disappeared into the horizon, away from their sight.

A/N: WELL THAT HAPPENED. Hope you enjoyed! also, this chapter.. HURTED. It really did hurt me to write it. It's so angsty and sad. Especially since I was listening to Timeless Miracle's cover of Full Moon. Anyway, thanks for sticking with me. I'll have the next chapter written soonish. Eventually. But it won't ever be abandoned. :3 You can count on that.
Ta ta!