Chapter 14: Pine-Sol and Mongoose

Deceit hummed a little tune as he jotted down a few notes in a journal that was labeled with Virgil's name. He had a journal for all the Sides, including Thomas himself, he wanted to keep tabs on everyone, he knew everything about everyone, and the knowledge helped him do his job efficiently, especially now that Virgil was going to the cerebrum, where he and the Core Sides would go and stay locked in until Thomas was done with school. Deceit and Remus never went in, but they hung around. Remus would cause slight distraction and such, doing his job very well, when Logan could be heard reciting what the Teacher in Thomas's classroom was saying. Deceit well, he just hung around. Keeping an eye on things. Making sure Virgil was working like he was suppose to and keeping tabs on any distress, coming from the Patton, Virgil, and or Thomas himself. Making sure the nothing attack his ego, which were both Roman and Remus. He wished he was allowed in this sacred room at which allowed the Core Sides and now Virgil a more intimate function in Thomas's life. They were allowed to learn and grow with him. While Deceit and Remus scrounged around for any bit of knowledge they could. Most by sneaking into Logan's room and copying from his notebooks. He would let Remus or himself stay too long near the cerebrum though. As fun as it might have been to watch the Duke break his way in. While the Core Sides and Virgil were away he and the Duke still had to do their other jobs.

"Deeeeeeeee!" Remus shouted from outside Deceits door.

The Snake Side ignored it in favor of completing his notes. Remus could amuse himself until Virgil came back. He jerked slightly when the Creative side began hitting his fist on the door, causing his neat and cursive hand writing to falter and ruin the elegant strokes he had been making.

"Come on Snakey, it lunch time!" Remus shouted.

"I'll fix something in a minute Remus." Deceit huffed, rummaging through his desk drawer for some whiteout to fix the mistake and sloppiness on the page.

A minute later, more banging sounded on his door. "It's been a minute! Come out of there already you been in there working ever since Virgil left this morning." Remus shouted, the door knob jingling signaling the Duke trying to come into the room anyway.

Sighing, Deceit put all his journals away, and locked the drawer that they belonged in. He didn't want anyone finding them, less they know he was keeping tabs on them. He rather avoid that type of situation. "I'm not coming." He called back making sure his gloves were on right and he was ready to walk out into the cold hallway. He was greeted by Remus who was bouncing in place with uncontrollable excitement. Deceit looked him up and down and took notice on the Dukes hands and how he seemed to be hiding something behind his back. "You seem usually enthusiastic today Remus, is anything the matter?" He asked, starting his way down the stairs yet keeping on high alert on Remus's movement. While the Duke has not meant harm in the past at least malicious intention, Deceit had learned by watching his actions with Roman to keep a careful eye out on the Duke.

"Nope!" Remus answered as he followed after the Lying Side into the kitchen.

As usual for the Duke, he did not sense a lie from the Creative Side. But still, Deceit eyed the Duke's hidden hands that were still behind his back, as he opened the pantry to pull out a few packs of ramen noodles. "Hmm….okay." He replied, as he opted to turn his back on the Creative side once more to fill the pot up with water.

"Dee, you trust me right." Remus asked.

The question had Deceit pause in his movements to glance behind him to find that Remus had moved and was now standing directly behind him. But Deceit did not jump, he was Deceit and nothing would bother him. "I'm Deceit, Remus. I don't trust anyone. Nor am I one to be trusted." He answered, pushing Remus back slightly to get more of his personal space back.

Remus let Deceit move away, with a thoughtful look on his face, still hiding something behind his back. "I trust you." He smiled, watching as Deceit started the stove.

"Charming. Now Remus are you going to tell me what it is you want, or am I wasting my time making this lunch to be interrogated." The Snake Side, eyed Remus up and down again with narrowed eyes. Again there was no lie coming from the Duke. The Duke really did trust Deceit. But Deceit hadn't lied either. It wasn't smart to trust someone who represented Deceit.

"I've got something for you, but I want to blindfold you first." The Duke cackled undeterred.

Deceit turned the stove off immediately, but with practice calm movements, and turned to face the Duke. "Is that really a necessary for whatever it is you have hiding behind your back?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

Remus held up his hands that, one holding an actual blindfold. "I didn't want to scare you off before I asked the question." He grinned. "So can I?"

Deceit honestly did not want to be blinded. He needed his sight. And he did not want to just let Remus blind him and then be unable to defend himself if he had to. But he didn't feel like Remus would hurt him, he just wasn't sure if Remus's surprise wouldn't hurt him. "Will it matter if I say no?" He asked, instead.

Remus thought about for a minute. "No." Remus smiled, with a shake of his head.

"Then I guess you have your answer then." Deceit sighed, closing his eyes. At the sound of Remus's fingers snapping, and a cloth materialized on his face right over his eyes.

"Okay, my Yellow Noodle, follow me!" Remus cheered.

Deceit held his hands out in front of him, his four extra coming out in an attempt to make sure he did not run into anything, when he heard the sound of Remus's footsteps, walking away in a hurried pace, seemingly into the common room. Of course with his eyes now covered, he could not really be sure as to if he was right or not. When two of his hands came in contact with the counters edge more than he would like. "Remus. This isn't ridiculous. I'm taking it off." He finally huffed, not going to spend the day being made a fool of as he blindly try to find his way through their home. It wasn't going to happen.

Just as he was about to remove the blindfold, he felt something slither around both his wrists and tugged his hands away from his face. And something else was wounding around his waste. "Don't worry Dee, I got ya!" Remus called.

Deceit followed the tugging around his wrist and waste, that he guessed was Remus's tentacles leading him, to wherever Remus wanted him. He bit back a complaint when he found himself lifted by the tentacles. "Remus, I am not in mood fo-" He started to say.

"Don't worry, your gonna love it!" Remus said cutting him off.

A rush of cold wind rushed, past Deceits, that sent a violent shiver down his spine, signaling that Remus was transporting them somewhere. Once everything was still again the tentacle put him back on his feet, and Deceit heard the bottom of his shoes click on the floor beneath him and echo slightly. "Are we in your castle?" He asked.

"Mhmm!" Remus hummed in acknowledgment. Deceit let the Dukes tentacle pull him and push him into a seat. "Okay, just another minute." Remus said, voice fading and as he walked around, the tentacle retracting and leaving Deceit alone in his chair.

Deceit blinked, his lashed rubbing against the blindfold, as he listened to Remus's footsteps moving from one area of the room to the another. Before he felt the Dukes body heat suddenly behind him. And the blindfold pulled off.

"Tada!" Remus cheered.

Deceit glanced at the table before him and the dark green present that sat on the plate in front of him and then to the large amount food on the table. And not the food they usually eat which were pizza, ramen noodle, canned tuna, and chef boyard, and what else that would, spoil or stay around for too long. On this table Remus had a full chicken roasted in herbs, with mash potatoes and gravy, and green beans, corn, peas, streamed broccoli, asparagus, with a mix of squish and zucchini. And he even had dessert laid out with banana pudding, and eclairs and cake with white icing. The Snake side looked at everything laid out before him, taking in the wonderful smells that hit his nose, before glancing over at a very pleases looking Duke that was still standing over his shoulder. "What is all this about?" He asked, curious now. Because something had to up.

"I've decided to celebrate the day we first met!" Remus said, with a grand gesture of his arms. "What do you think?" He asked, coming around to sit on the right side of Deceit.

"I don't know." Deceit answered, taking the fork set before him to point at the nearest plate of food. "Did you make all of this?" He asked.

Remus was already shaking his head. "Nope. I swiped all this from Roman's castle. They were planning on celebrating when Thomas got his grade on the first exam of the year." The Duke beamed.

"And this?" Deceit pointed to the present on his plate.

"Open it and find out!" Remus grinned, all teeth.

Looking at the present it looked harmless, it was even topped with a yellow bow, it didn't look anything like something Remus would make. The Snake Side gaze the Duke one more look, before carefully lifting the lid, revealing a dead mongoose inside. Deceit pulled the small dead creature out by the tail and held it up. "You shouldn't have. Remus." He said, after glancing over and seeing Remus grinning from ear to ear pleased with himself.

"So you like it?" Remus asked, with excitement.

"Yes. It is a thoughtful gift Remus." Deceit nodded, throwing a small smile toward the Duke. "I still do not see why the sudden need to celebrate something that happened when we were ten."

"Well, they were going to celebrate so why not us. And since Thomas did something that made them happy. It make since that we celebrate what made us happy. The start of our own little Dark squad! They day me and you met!" Remus crowed.

"Yes, but it seems you didn't forget someone. Virgil." Deceit reminded. Noticing that a third chair was indeed placed at the table on Deceits left.

"Oh yeah, he should be back now!" Remus said, with a snap of his fingers.

Deceit looked up at the sound of screaming, his mismatched eyes following Virgil as the Anxious side fell straight into the chair. The Shadowling teen after realizing he was no longer falling, looked around frantically, before his purple glowing eyes focused on Remus and he lunged across the table fist swinging. "What did I tell you about messing with my room!" He growled. The tumble he and Remus taking the table with them, Deceit was quick to grab the green box with the dead animal in it to avoid having said dead animal somehow landing on Virgil, who was in a scuffle with the Duke on the cold floor of the castle dining-room. The food on the table flying everywhere and Deceit just couldn't wait to see how many stains were now on his clothes.

He watched the two sides on the floor wrestle it out, or rather watched as Virgil squirmed and kicked and shouted curses at the Duke that was sitting on the Anxious Sides back, making faces and avoiding the flailing limbs with ease. Cackling at the action that were no doubt really funny to him. The Snake Side let them fight it out a few more minutes before standing up and with his four extra arms out reaching out to pull the two apart, as he dusted what bits of food he could off himself, before starting to sink out, throwing a "Thank you for the horrible effort Remus. I loath the present. Virgil help him clean up please." as he sank out and back to his room.

Remus pouted slightly as the Snake Side left. They hadn't even gotten to eat the food that Roman's fantasy chefs had made. "Nice going, Itsy-Bitsy!" He said, throwing a light punch at the Anxious sides shoulder.

Virgil yelped at the hit and rubbed at his shoulder throwing a glare at the Duke. "I told you not to mess with my room. And I don't want to be here in the imagination. Your brother banished me and Deceit remember."

Remus shrugged. "So what. Fight the system!" He cheered.

"I do fight the system. From the safety of my room. And I am not helping you clean this up." Virgil humphed, crossing his arms and started sinking out.

"Deceit will know.~" Remus sang out.

Virgil came back up. "Fine..." He groaned, holding his hand out and as a mop materialized in his hand.

"Just start spreading it like your painting. I want it smeared everywhere!" Remus said, throwing himself on the food and rolling in it. He didn't really want to clean up, not when his plan went belly up.

"Your so weird." Virgil mumbled, keeping his distance from the Duke.

"Like your one to talk, Anx. Always gawking at the spoiled Prince of the imagination with wanton bliss behind all that eye shadow." Remus cackled, staring the Anxious teen down, making a mocking face, and changing his voice in a poor mimicry of Virgil's. "Oh Roman, your so dashing and terrifying, that I don't dare disobey your decree."

"Shut up!" Virgil snapped.

"Oh Roman, what a mighty sword you wield. I wish you would show me your sword." Remus continued, having a grand o time watching the pale emo turn red from anger and embarrassment.

"I said, knock it off!" Virgil shouted. Throwing the mop at the Duke.

"Remus!You foul fiend, you broke into my castle!" Roman's voiced echoed across the imagination.

"Ooooo, Speak and cry baby prince. How about you go take care of that for me Virgie." Remus grinned, hopping to his feet and grabbing the Anxious teens closest arm and flinging him out the window.

Dusting his hand in a manner of a job well done. Remus leaned out the window to watch the show. He so hoped Roman would initiate a battle on the Dark side of the Imagination. After the failed surprise dinner he really wanted to engage in some chaos. That, and Deceit would have Remus's head if he let anything happen to Virgil. He had learned that a few weeks ago, to never try and really harm another side unless he wanted Deceit to come and pull him away and locked in his room. That was not a fun time. Besides maybe if Virgil got into a bit of distress delivered be Roman, and Deceit might come to the Anxious Sides rescue and then Remus would get another chance at trapping the Snake Side in the Imagination instead of the side hiding in his room all the time. Deceit didn't seem like the type of side that liked to spend his time cooped up in his room.

Down below Virgil had landed on some type of slime covered plant and looked like some twisted version of the thing on the pokemon bulbasaurs back, only grosser. After making sure he was okay, he through the bird up at the window that Remus had had threw him out of the castle window. "Stupid, horror demon of the mind." He mumbled, in a growl.

"You!" Roman's voice growled out.

And Virgil groaned in despair. "Damn it Remus!" Schooling his features and getting his mental guard up, Virgil turned to face the Prince. "Hello to you too Princey." He greeted.

"Where's Remus?" Roman demanded.

"As if I'll give you that info, after what happened in school today." Virgil scoffed.

"Are you still on about- Look you Nightmare, Thomas wants to pursuer acting, and the only way he's going to achieve that dream is to join the theater club."

"Where everyone in the school and the parent and teachers can watch him make a fool of himself. Did you ever think how's that going to make him feel? What if he embarrass himself?! He'll never be able to show his face every again!" Virgil countered.

"Don't talk about his feelings, that's Morality's job. Which if you forgot, he was ecstatic about joining."

"Morality's always happy, you moron." Virgil spat, he had enough of this argument when Thomas was in school. It was always like pulling teeth to even get the other Core Sides to listen to him. He did not have to take this when he didn't need to be around the Core Sides. "Listen Princey, I'm leaving whatever you want with your brother is none of my business, so please attack the castle in the name of that stupid sibling rivalry you two like so much. But leave me out of it." Virgil hissed. "Stupid Creativity. Stupid Imagination." He grumbled as he sunk out of the imagination, ignoring the offended gasp from Roman.

(Deceits Room)

Deceit's head whipped over at the wall at the sound of Virgil's door slamming open and followed the sound of the Emo's steps stomp down the stairs and into the common room. When everything was quiet again, the Snake Side, continued to the scrubbing he was giving his hat to get the food stain off it. His eyes drifting over to the book he had slipped from Logan's room before returning. It was a book about mongoose and Deceit was trying to figure out why the Duke picked this animal. Of course after reading that they were the enemy of snakes. Particularly, the one Remus had gifted dead. It was a gray mongoose and the species was well known for their ability to fight and kill Venomous snakes, due to their thick coats and specialized acetylcholine receptors that render them resistant or immune to snake venom. Deceit paused in his hat cleaning at looked at the dead mongoose again. Was he suppose to take this gift as a flattery? A threat? No it couldn't be a threat. It didn't feel like a threat.

Humming in thought Deceit placed his hat on his desk to let it dry. Whatever, Remus wad trying to convey by the gift, Deceit couldn't not gave something back. So, while his hat dried the Snake teen went to the kitchen and promptly ignored to the inquiring look Virgil was giving him as he pulled out the cleaning supply, before leaving and appearing in the Core Sides kitchen, hiding behind the counter as his borrowed some sugar, eggs, and flour and quickly sunk back into his own kitchen, Virgil having moved from the couch to sit on the stool at the counter to watch Deceit bake.

(Later)

Remus exited his side of the imagination, covered in new scratches and blood. Roman hadn't stayed long enough so he could get a good fight in. So, he had created a few creatures to take his pent up energy on. When they proved, not good enough, he went to the Dragonwitch. And boy was he glad he and Roman had her in the imagination. Too bad Deceit didn't return though. He was about to throw himself on his bed when he spotted a plate of cookies on it. He looked around his room, suspiciously in case Virgil tapped into his fight mode and was trying to get back at him for throwing him out the window. But the thought soon vanished seeing that a note sat beside the cookies, in Deceits handwriting reading 'Thank You for the Gift.'

"So Snakey made me cookies..." The Duke hummed, picking one up and nibbled on it. "MMM, Pine-sol." He hummed delighted tossing the whole cookie in his mouth at all.

TBC

A/N: Sorry for not updating in a while I took on another project and had to take a break. Hopefully next chapter will be up sooner.