A Different Fate

by Musal

What if Train didn't know Creed killed Saya? What if he believed it was Chronos? What if Train helped Creed create the Apostles to get revenge on Chronos? What happens when Train learns the truth? CxT

65. 65 Dreamscape Part 2

CW: Implied non-consensual contact. Again, it's brief, but I want you to be prepared.

To those who have only seen the anime and haven't read the manga, Doctor's Tao puts people in a dreamworld. I explain it in the chapters, but I wanted to be clear that they do not discuss it in the anime, so if this is new to you, that's why.

I've several taken liberties with Doctor's Tao. Mostly because, from what I can remember, they were really vague about how it worked (which I'm fine with because that leaves me room to do what I will with it!).

Disclaimer: I do not own Black Cat or its characters.

---

The moment the landscape around her changed, Sephiria drew Christ and aimed it directly in front of her. She set all her senses on high alert and positioned herself in a way she would be prepared for an attack from any angle.

As she quickly scanned the area, she immediately knew where she was, and she was not pleased with what she was sure would be coming.

Or rather who will be coming…

However, she refused to let the trauma of her past dominate her logic and made sure to keep her guard up, despite the suspense she felt being forcibly thrown back in time.

This isn't real. This has to be Kanzaki's doing. That's the only explanation to the sudden change in my surroundings and the disappearance of my allies.

She carefully took in every inch of the room around her, just to make sure she was positive her comrades had indeed vanished. Once she was sure she had been singled out and placed into her own personalized layer of Hell, Number One set her eyes on the large chair in front of her, certain of what was going to happen next.

If this is Kanzaki's doing, and I'm positive it is, I know exactly who's going to sit in that chair at any moment…

She had never seen Doctor use his Tao before, nor had she ever heard any personal retellings from victims to give her a better idea of how it worked, but through Chronos' endless research and tireless efforts, they were able to surmise approximately how the scientist's ability worked.

Kanzaki uses his Tao to dig into a visible, living person's subconscious, and pulls them into a sort of "Dreamworld." Although, I don't think 'dream' describes it very well. It's closer to a nightmare. A world that consists of whatever Hellish scheme he has resolved will torture his captives the most.

Sephiria remained still as she shot her eyes back and forth, looking for any signs of life, other than herself.

Since he was able to trap me in his Tao, that means Doctor knew where I was hiding. It means the Apostles were not only ready for us, but that man was able to spot me.

She gripped her hold on her sword and clenched her jaw.

...I was right. This was a trap. And I have no idea what happened to everyone else.

Sephiria's ignorance in regards to the specifics of Doctor's Tao made it impossible for her to know whether or not the scientist was capable of capturing more than one person in his fictional world or not.

And if he is capable of capturing more than one person, does that mean we're all in the same world? If I keep searching, will I find the rest of Chronos? Or the sweepers? That is, if they were all captured as well. They could be fighting the Taoists while I'm trapped here.

Along with that, she didn't know if her physical body was trapped in the world, or if it was just her mind.

Which would be worse? Knowing my body is lying prone to an attack from Chronos, or knowing I could die because my subconscious believes I am dead?

One of the things that made Doctor's Tao so deadly wasn't just the fact that it dug into a person's suppressed memories to reveal their deepest, darkest fears and create a world based on that, but also because it took control of the individual's subconscious.

And controlling someone's subconscious is as good as controlling the rest of their body.

With that control, Doctor could bend an individual's perceived reality and convince them of almost anything. He could convince them their worst nightmare had come to fruition, and that helplessly wretched feeling could cause the sufferer's brain to shut down and possibly leave them in some sort of vegetative state or worse.

He could even reveal their biggest regrets and convince them they have been given a second chance… Which is what I'm sure he's trying to do to me right now.

Sephiria narrowed her eyes and locked her eyes on the door behind the exuberant chair, preparing her body for a fight while she tried to persuade her mind into believing nothing she saw was real.

Individuals with a weak mindset who are caught in his Tao could be convinced of something far worse than hopelessness or some form of brain damage...

Her ears perked when she heard footsteps coming from the other side of the door and she tightened her fingers around the hilt of Christ.

...They could be convinced they've been killed. And killing the subconscious in this dream world will most likely kill the victim in the real world.

"Come on, Boy! Pick up the pace! The boss hasn't got all day!"

Sephiria remained still as she watched two large men step out from behind the door, throwing a small boy who couldn't be older than five in front of them. The youth howled in pain when he slammed his head into the wooden arm of the absurdly flamboyant chair, then cried like the child he was when he fell on the ground.

One of the men growled and stepped behind the boy to kick him in the side. "OY! Didn't you hear what we just said?! Get off your feet and hurry up! The boss expects you and your bitch of a sister to be ready the moment he steps through those doors."

Sephiria didn't look at the fake image of her little brother as the guard kicked him again, sending his small body down the stairs that led to the chair. However, when the child landed at her feet and her body jostled slightly from the contact, her heart froze.

This world has the capability of physical interaction with its prisoners? Does that mean they can see me as well?

Needing to know the answer to her question for survival purposes, Sephiria glanced down at the forged boy that was meant to represent her brother and waited for him to look at her. She ignored the circuitous route of pain and anger that traveled through every vein in her body when she saw the child cough up blood, waiting to see if he would react to her presence.

If this thing crashed into my feet, that must mean he knows I'm here… Right?

However, when the boy pushed himself up on his hands and knees and wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand, Sephiria frowned.

He didn't even look at me. Although, that could mean nothing. After all, what I'm witnessing is a script that was written long ago. Doctor is simply hiring fictitious actors to replay an old and tired story for me.

Sephiria felt her blood boil as she watched the creature playing the role of her brother cried miserably at her feet, a moment of sympathetic, sisterly protection taking over as she stared down at the being.

...A story to which I have all the lines memorized.

Feeling her stance falter slightly, Sephiria shook her head and straightened her sword arm again, keeping it aimed at the empty chair.

Don't let it get to you. It's not real. This story ended long ago.

Her vision slowly began to blur as she finished her thoughts.

...His life ended long ago.

The swordswoman growled inwardly at her pathetically despondent thought and shook her head again, trying to rid herself of the negative feelings her heart was experiencing.

However, instead of purging herself of the undesired sensations, she tasted a bit of bile in the back of her throat. The flavor was quickly followed by a repugnant wave of nausea, causing the woman's body to jerk slightly as she shoved the contents of her stomach back down.

What the hell is this? Why am I suddenly feeling sick?

Luckily for her, she had been trained to remain calm under any circumstances, so the momentary sickness was something she could easily push past. Even the blurred vision didn't concern her, since she had honed the rest of her senses enough that she didn't need to rely solely on her eyes.

However, I'm certain Doctor can mess with all my senses, so I can't trust anything my body is experiencing right now.

She watched the door behind the chair open again, barely able to see the next set of guards that walked through behind her blearied eyes. However, she didn't need to see them to know they were yanking a small, blonde girl by her champagne locks.

Sephiria stubbornly rejected the next tide of nausea that jeopardized her concentration as she watched the girl being dragged across the floor. However, her body slacken as another rush of nausea passed through, the sensation so strong she didn't see the men drag the adolescent down the stairs. But again, she didn't need to see what was happening to know they had thrown her next to the boy.

Will that girl come through? Or am I on my own right now?

Sephiria was too lost in her thoughts to notice more guards had entered the room, each one of them heavily armed.

"This one's got some spunk! No wonder the boss is interested in her." One of the guards laughed as he stepped away from the pre-teen child.

Sephiria couldn't see the other guard's face behind her cloudy vision, but she knew the repugnant look he had in his eyes. "Do you think he'd let me have a shot at her first?"

The guard that kicked her brother rolled his eyes. "Fat chance. You know the boss doesn't share. Especially the young and pretty ones."

Another guard gave his co-workers an exasperated look. "Is that what you think Boss wants to do with every girl we bring in?"

One of the guards moved himself to the wall and leaned on it. "What else could he possibly want with them? It's not like they're good for much else."

The one near the young Sephiria snickered. "And the sooner you start breaking them in, the better behaved they'll be when they grow up."

Sephiria's vision returned just in time for her to watch the guard sniff her hair and she echoed the shiver her younger self emitted. Even though she knew it wasn't real, even though she knew she was trapped in a sick nightmare created by a mad scientist, she could still feel the way the man's nose felt against her skull, the way his hands traveled down her body and between her legs.

"STOP!" Both versions of Number One shouted, the younger one shoving the man's audacious hands off her while the older one widened her eyes, shocked at her sudden outburst.

Why did you do that…? None of this is real. You're better than this. You're stronger than this.

Sephiria was astonished and a bit unnerved by how readily she had shouted at the fiendish predator, but the moment she saw his hands wander to her child self's most sacred area, she felt her skin crawl and her mind go blank.

What made her sudden tantrum worse was that nothing was happening to her present day body.

Still, I could feel everything that man's fingers were about to do to me… I could feel it as if it were happening all over again.

Sephiria clung tightly to Christ, using the smooth surface of her beloved weapon to get her mind off the sensation of the grotesque brute's fingers massaging crudely between her legs.

She wasn't sure if Doctor had the capability to make it so she experienced everything her younger self experienced, or if she had gotten so caught up in the traumatizing moment that her mind made her believe she was being assaulted all over again. But either way, she was ashamed of herself for allowing such an ignominious outburst.

I don't know if Doctor or anyone else in the Apostles can see or hear me in this world, but I need to operate with the idea that they can, and I can't allow myself to show any weaknesses. I can't let them get to me.

As difficult as it was for her to ignore watching the smaller version of herself be assaulted in front of her younger brother and a group of perverted men, Sephiria remained still. She ignored the worms that crawled reprehensibly throughout her body, shoving aside the way her skin froze and woefully writhed in quiet agony at the man's touch.

This isn't really happening...

No matter how positive she was that everything she was seeing and experiencing was fake, as much as she was trying to mentally convince herself she was by herself and no hands were being laid on her, it didn't stop the feeling she was receiving.

Sephiria winced when she heard her own, young voice scream at the man to stop again, shivering in disgust when the rest of the men laughed. She shut her eyes and tried to block the men out.

It's far harder to ignore these sensations than I expected…

The flashback she was watching wasn't one she had ever confronted. As soon as her brief time with that particular gang ended, she immediately pushed the memory as far down in her subconscious as it would go, choosing to ignore the pain instead of facing it.

Which, in retrospect, was a mistake. Then again, I never expected to meet someone who had abilities capable of digging up the past.

Sephiria chose to ignore the logic invading her head that Doctor's abilities shouldn't have been the reason she confronted her inner demons. It was something she should have done on her own with the sole purpose of bettering her mental and psychological health.

Doesn't matter. I passed Chronos' psyche test, which meant I was sound enough to work for them and rid the world of scum like this.

Again, she trembled when she watched the older man snicker and shove her to the ground, the adolescent Number One screaming and fighting with all her might. Unfortunately for her at that point she had lived her whole life underfed and mostly secluded from the world, which left her weak and unable to defend herself.

It'll be over soon…

"LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!"

Sephiria didn't need to open her eyes to know her little brother had thrown his entire body at the man pinning her to the ground, his small body barely making the brute flinch as he collided with the beast of a man.

Still, that didn't stop the bold child from doing whatever he could to get the guard to stop. He wrapped his arms around the monster's neck, biting as viciously as his small mouth could at the man's neck, his feeble fingers clawing desperately at his throat while his legs kicked as hard as his undeveloped muscles would allow.

The men watching the scene laugh loudly as Sephiria's attacker grumbled annoyed curses and attempted to get a hold on the squirming boy. During that time, the young girl was able to slip away, catch her breath, and fix herself. However, her eyes remained on her brother the entire time, since she knew his actions were going to be severely punished.

"THEO, STOP! THEY'RE GOING TO-"

Her words were cut off by the boy's screams as the man grabbed his hair, then yanked him up and over his head, slamming his tiny frame on the hard, marble floor. The only sound her brother could make was a miserable wheeze as the air was knocked out of his undeveloped body.

"YOU USELESS, STUPID, ANNOYING SON OF A BITCH!" The man hollered as he stood up and kicked the boy in the stomach, surely shattering his tiny ribs.

Another guard laughed as he watched the man kick the boy in the face, breaking his nose instantly. "After meeting his mother, I can absolutely agree with that statement! Still can't believe she and that incompetent husband of her's sold both her kids to us."

Another man shrugged and lit a cigarette as Sephiria's predator kicked the boy in the chest. "What other choice did she have? They owed the boss waaay too much money. More money than selling her body every night for the rest of her life would ever pay back."

A third guard snickered as he watched blood pool around the boy's body. "Even if they both sold their bodies and organs, they'd never be able to pay it back. And you'd think the reason for their massive debt would be because they were trying to pay for commodities for their kids, but judging by how scrawny they are, I think it's safe to say that was not the case."

Young Sephiria was frozen as she watched her brother get beat to death, unable to move as she watched more and more of his blood leave his body. She didn't register anything the men were saying, nor did she acknowledge the truth of their statements. None of it mattered. All that mattered was her brother was going to die if that man kept beating him.

"STOP IT! YOU'RE KILLING HIM!"

Sephiria's adult version had to bite her tongue to stop herself from shouting alongside her child self again, still refusing to open her eyes. She knew everything that was happening, so there was no need to rewatch it.

And now I can't tell if the perpetual sick feeling is from being trapped in this world, or from the memory playing in it.

Again, the men laughed as Sephiria threw herself in on top of her brother, taking the next several kicks to her back as she clung tightly to Theo's tiny frame. She shut her eyes and muffled her screams by curling her lips shut, refusing to give them the satisfaction of hearing her cries of pain.

The present day Sephiria felt each of the man's kicks, but her body didn't move nearly as much as the younger Sephiria did. As the leader of Chronos, she had experienced pains so intense that the man's foot felt like nothing more than a tickle.

However, it wasn't the attacks that hurt, it was the knowledge of what he had done to her brother.

He's not dead. Not yet at least. This isn't how he died...

The beast growled violently as reared his foot back, ready to cave Sephiria's face in with his boot. "YOU BITCH! GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

Both versions of Sephiria prepared themselves for the final blow, even though her adult self knew what was going to come next. Instead of having the man's foot collide with her body, she heard the man being forcibly pulled away from the children by another guard.

He growled and yanked his arm out of the other man's grasp. "What the hell is your problem?! Why'd you stop me?!

The man with the cigarette bit down at butt of it, glaring harshly at his co-worker. "What's my problem?! If you keep kicking them like that, you'll kill them!"

The assailant rolled his eyes and stepped back over to the children. "Yeah, so what?! You saw what they did! They need to learn not to attack us!"

The guard with the cigarette grabbed the other man's shoulders and pulled him away again. "And killing them won't be teaching them a lesson, it'll only make the boss angry. And I don't need to remind you what happens when he's angry, do I?"

The man froze, then swallowed thickly. "No… No, I remember…"

Another guard who had been watching from the sidelines snickered as he spoke. "Besides, I think they've learned their lesson from that beating."

The man with the cigarette nodded as he took another drag. "So, what do you think he's going to do with them? I was shocked when he accepted these brats as payment for the parents' debt. He didn't even kill them. He let them off scott free just for their kids."

The children's assaulter straightened out his coat as he stepped away from them again. "I've got a few ideas what he wants to groom the girl for, but I'm at a loss with the boy."

Another man eyed the boy as Sephiria ran her fingers through her brother's hair, whispering soothing words in his ear. "Probably wants to groom him for something as well. Although, I bet it's different from what he wants to groom the girl for."

"Yeah, but what makes these two so special?" Another said from against the wall he leaned on. "I mean, it's clear they both have tenacity, but with the debt their parents owed, the boss could have gotten a lot more from them. And considering that woman was a tasty piece of meat, I'm shocked he didn't take her as well."

The man with the cigarette took one last drag, then flicked it off to the side. "It's not our job to question the boss. Our job is to do as he says, and right now he told us to stay put with the kids until he arrived."

Sephiria was too concerned with her brother to pay attention to the rest of their conversation. One of his eyes was swollen shut and both his ears and nose were bleeding profusely. While the guards were distracted, she took her jacket off and began dabbing away whatever blood she could, tearing a bit of her clothing with her teeth, using it to stop his nose from bleeding.

"You're so stupid, Theo! Why'd you do that?!" She whispered harshly, moving him into a sitting position so he was resting between her legs.

Sephiria's adult eyes were transfixed on her brother's beaten and blood face, everything else around her blurred except for the sweet smile on his innocent face. In that moment, tunnel vision took over and all Number One could see was the last smile her baby brother would ever give her.

"...Because you would do it for me."

The teen girl bit her bottom lip as quiet tears began to fall from her eyes, and she buried her face into Theo's hair. "Stupid… So stupid, so impulsive. I hate you so much!"

Theo coughed and rested his head against his sister's chest. "Where are Mommy and Daddy? Are they coming? When will they be here?"

Sephiria froze and tightened her grip on her brother as her adult self tightened her grip on Christ.

Don't tell him the truth. Just lie to him. He'll be dead soon anyway…

The teen girl ground her teeth as she spoke. "...They're not coming. They abandoned us. They sold us."

Theo blinked with his one good eye and looked up at his sister. "Sold us? But, we're not pets… That doesn't make sense."

Sephiria growled, growing angry with her brother's naivety despite the troubled life they had lived. "To them… I guess we were."

Theo tried to shake his head, but found it impossible with how badly it hurt. "No… No, that's not true. They'll come. I know they'll come…"

Number One watched the scene play out in front of her, tears that she refused to release brimming her eyes.

So naïve… So trusting… Just like a certain cat I know…

The swordswoman watched as her younger self sobbed into her brother's chest for what felt like hours, her young brain trying to work out what she could do to save them since she knew no one would be coming to their rescue.

Our whole lives, we only had each other to rely on. We only had each other to love…

Sephiria shook her head and lifted her arm again, not sure when she had allowed it to fall to the side. She was beginning to think the fight that was about to occur would not be a physical one, but she still wanted to be prepared.

Don't let your guard down. Don't show weakness. Stand your ground and stay strong. Stay alert.

Her eyes finally left her brother's blood body when the door behind the chair opened again. She knew who it was going to be, but that didn't stop her heart from pounding violently against her ribs, nor did it stop her blood from boiling momentarily, then instantly going cold the second she laid eyes on the man who would soon be Theo's.

A tall, lean man with light skin and dark eyes stepped through the door, his eyes lazily locked onto a small dagger that he leisurely cleaned with a white cloth. He had long, brown hair that stretched down to his knees, the silky, auburn locks shiny slightly as he walked under a low hanging light which illuminated his face momentarily.

He was a young, scrawny looking man, so it was surprising his name inspired fear in others. The moment he stepped into the room, a lethal, ominous darkness followed him. There was a murderous aura that surrounded him, directly contradicting his handsome, suave features.

If my life has taught me anything, it's to never judge a book by its cover. His youth and looks mean nothing. He's a demon sent straight from Hell.

As the man stepped further into the room, the guards immediately straightened their bodies and lined up on either side of the chair. The man ignored the guards in favor of his dagger, frowning as he tried to get every speck of blood off it, concentrating mostly on the embroidered handle.

"If that woman didn't struggle so much, I wouldn't have gotten it dirty…"

The guard who had been previously smoking dared to ask a question. "Who did you kill, Sir?"

The man did not look at the guard as he leaned against the large chair and gestured to the room behind him. "You can go look for yourself if you'd like, but I thought it was obvious."

Sephiria's assaulter swallowed, then asked his own question. "The kids' parents?"

The man glanced up at him, giving him a quick wink and smirk before turning his attention back to the dagger. "It was a waste of my skills. The boss needs to realize what I'm truly capable of."

"I know what you're capable of, and I know I was fully capable of taking care of those people on my own, but you know I don't like to get my hands dirty."

The man with the dagger rolled his eyes as their boss entered from the door. "So, you prefer if I get my impeccably beautiful hands covered in blood instead? They're one of my greatest aspects! Then again, I can't think of anything on my body that isn't flawless."

The man took a seat in the large chair, looking at his second in command out of the corner of his eye as he spoke. "That arrogance of yours is going to cost you your life one day…"

The handsome man shrugged. "And if it does, then whoever took it is a better killer than I, and they deserve the honor of ending my life."

The man in the chair rolled his eyes, and it was then Sephiria was finally able to fully take him in. To her young eyes, he was decrepit, but the present day Number One could tell he couldn't be more than fifty.

Although, I guess to a child, fifty is ancient.

The man the guards had been referring to as their boss smirked down at the children, giving them a perfect view of the crinkles in the corner of his eyes. Had he been a respectable older man, the puckering of skin may have been an endearing image, but the twisted smile on his lips took away any warm feelings he could instill in anyone.

His green eyes glimmered sinisterly as he leaned his hefty elbow on the arm of the chair, resting his pudgy cheek on his fist as he spoke. "So… I suppose you're wondering what I plan to do with you?"

---

Train cursed as he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another blow from the counterfeit Creed. The moment the train stopped moving, the doors opened and the Black Cat blotted through them in hopes he'd find a way out of the Hell he was now certain Doctor put him in.

However, he was beginning to debate whether or not it was a bad idea to leave the train. There was less to see outside than inside, which only served to further aggravate the cat.

Well, at least I have more room to fight and the sickness has subsided. I guess that was temporary while I adjusted to this world.

"Shit!" Train muttered as he quickly scrambled to his feet and sprinted as far away from his attacker as he could.

The phony Creed's Imagine Blade had been upgraded to level three and tears fell from the sentient sword's eyes, matching the pain the wielder seemed to be experiencing.

"WE COULD HAVE HAD EVERYTHING, TRAIN! I COULD HAVE GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING!"

The creature slammed his sword into the ground, the teeth of its blade consuming a substantial chunk out of dirt, leaving a large crater where Train had just been. The cat was having a hard time adapting to the fact he was unable to use any of his abilities, and he hated feeling so defenseless. Especially after he worked so hard to regain them.

And to make matters worse, this thing seems to have all of Creed's abilities! That's just not fair!

Train spun around to face his opponent only to swiftly leap backwards, dodging another toothy slice from his fake lover. As the golden man flew in the air, he pointed his gun in the direction of the demon, aiming it squarely at the Imagine Blade's mouth.

Should I be aiming at that thing pretending to be Creed instead of the sword?

With that thought in mind, Train shifted his arms slightly to point Hades at Creed's face, then growled as his fingers began to tremble.

Damnit! I should be able to shoot him with no problem! I know that's not Creed, and yet there's a part of me that is still questioning it.

Since Train had no idea how Doctor's Tao worked, he wasn't sure if he was fighting the real Creed and his partner was under the influence of Kanzaki's world.

And if that's the case, that means he has no control over what he's doing…

Train cursed again and threw his arm and Hades to one side of his body, scarcely blocking another blow from his opponent. The force of the attack launched the cat's still airborne body to the side, sending him flying across the vacant sky until gravity finally took over and unceremoniously dropped him to the ground.

Train tucked his arms and legs and allowed his body to roll several feet since he knew there was nothing he could do to stop his momentum. If he had access to his Tao he would have been able to stop himself, but Lady Luck seemed to abandon him to his fate in that world.

Guess I'm doing this the old fashion way!

As soon as Train stopped he got to his feet and scanned the area, hastily raising Hades as he searched for his ghost lover.

I guess I'm going to do this without killing him since I don't know if he's taken control of Creed.

Train's logic and heart were at war with one another. Logically, he was positive whatever he was fighting wasn't his fiancé, but his heart kept giving him a nagging doubt he was wrong.

There's also the possibility that it's Doctor… who I also won't kill. Damnit! I wish Chronos or Creed found out more of his ability so I would have a better idea how to handle the situation!

Train saw movement out of the corner of his eye and blocked his head with his gun, once again being thrown several feet away from his assailant. He had no time to get to his feet as the silver man leapt towards him and stabbed his Imagine Blade next to his head.

The Black Cat instinctively pointed Hades at the man's face, cocking his beloved gun as he locked eyes with the image of the man he loved.

Creed smirked and leaned forward so his forehead was pressing against Train's. "What's wrong, my love? Can't pull the trigger? Too scared to accidentally hurt the person you love?"

Train flashed the devil his trademark cheeky smile. "Still trying to convince me of something I know can't possibly be true? Honestly, this is getting pathetic."

The creature pretending to be his lover growled and pulled his blade out of the ground. "DON'T LOOK AT ME WITH THOSE WITCH'S EYES!"

The second Creed pulled his sword away, Train rolled to the side, once again narrowly avoiding what would have surely been a life ending blow. He wasn't sure whether or not he could truly die in that world, but along with killing whatever was attacking him, that was a risk Train really didn't want to take.

Considering I've already figured out I can feel pain and I can bleed, I think it's safe to say I could die in this world as well.

Train jumped to his feet and immediately leapt backwards, yelping quietly as he watched the tip of the blade miss his neck by centimeters. As Creed slashed at him again, Train flipped himself up and backwards into the air, landing on his unoccupied hand momentarily and using it to throw himself further away from the silverette.

The golden man landed on one foot and one knee, skidding backwards as dust billowed around him. He gripped his throat and smirked at his adversary. "The fact that you're not able to land a single cut on me is just further proof of how fake you are."

Creed returned his smirk, the threatening expression contradicting the tears that continued to relentlessly fall down his face. "That witch really has made you weak… Check again, Kitten. I think you'll find that my skills are just as perfect as always."

Train let out an alarmed gasp as he felt a warm liquid seep between his fingers. He pulled his hand away and stared down at his own blood, eyes wide as he tried to determine how bad the damage was.

Based on the amount of blood coming out, it doesn't seem too bad. Just a shallow cut.

He didn't have long to assess the damage before he was forced to leap away yet again as the fake vision of his fiancé thrust his sword forward, aimed directly at his chest. The wound on Train's neck distracted him enough that he only just barely dodged the attack. Despite that, he was able to tell the nightmare Creed was aiming for his heart.

Train frowned as he continued flipping back away from his opponent, finally landing several feet from the man as he placed a hand over his heart. "I'm sorry, but that belongs to someone else. And even though you may look like him, it's not enough to make me hand my heart over to you. For that, you'll need some substance behind those stolen good looks."

The devil Creed ground his teeth and clenched his fists, screaming at the top of his lungs as he ran towards the cat. "I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO'S ALLOWED TO CALL YOU MINE!"

Train cartwheeled to the side, then shot several bullets at his enemy. "Not this version of you… Not the version Chronos turned you into with their damn drug."

Creed swiped his sword in front of his face, his blade eating each of the gunman's bullets as he spoke. "There is no other version of me, Train! This is who I am! Who I really am! And this is who you are supposed to be!"

The monstrous Creed reared his sword back, then flung it forward, sending Train's bullets back at him. "AND THIS IS WHAT YOUR DESTINY IS! THE SOONER YOU ACCEPT THAT, THE SOONER THIS WILL BE OVER!"

Train smacked the first and second bullet away with quick movements from Hades, then spun around to avoid the next two. He dashed off to the side, watching as Creed ran parallel to him from several feet away as he reloaded his gun.

As he slid the last bullet in, he smirked at his opponent and snapped it closed. "It was over a long time ago, Doc! And I've already accepted what my destiny is. My true destiny!"

Creed released an animalistic scream and extended his blade again, swiping at the Black Cat's abdomen. "WHY DO YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER MAN, TRAIN! DON'T YOU KNOW I'M THE ONLY ONE GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?! THE ONLY ONE WORTHY OF YOUR LOVE?!"

The Creed variant swiped his sword again when he saw Train jump to avoid it, growling furiously every time the golden man avoided his attacks and ignored his words. "WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN TO ME, TRAIN?! WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN TO REASON?! WHY WON'T YOU FOLLOW THE PATH OF YOUR TRUE DESTINY?!"

Train was beginning to find it easier and easier to ignore the man's hysterical words since they were only acting as further confirmation that the being he was fighting was not his lover. Each sentence he spoke only provided more proof as to what was happening.

This is without a doubt Doctor's doing. And now that I'm sure of that, I'm shocked at how far he was able to dig into my brain to bring this rendition of Creed to the forefront of my mind.

Train had gotten over the nightmare depiction he had of Creed long ago since he knew it was never really Creed in the first place, so he wasn't sure what Doctor's plan was. If there was a plan.

This could just be a distraction while they deal with my physical body. That is, if it's laying prone in the woods.

Train ducked as Creed swiped at his head, then shot several more bullets that he knew would miss.

Actually… it isn't a bad plan... Despite the fact that I know this isn't real, it's still messing with me. And if he's caught everyone else in his world as well, they're probably struggling just as much. On top of that, if we're all lying helpless on the ground, it'll be easy pickings for the Apostles.

Train frowned as he rolled to avoid another slice at his neck, then looked up at the empty sky once he stopped. "That's a pretty dirty trick, Doc! Did Charden really agree to take us out in such a cheap way?!"

The cat flattened his body on the ground as the demon's sword swiped at his head, slicing off the hairs that were fraying. "HEY, WATCH THE HAIR! I worked hard to not work on it!"

Train rolled away as the sword attempted to make contact with his neck again, but instead embedded itself in the ground. The golden man knew it wouldn't take long for his enemy to free the blade, so he pushed himself to his feet and ran around the fake representation of his lover, making sure his eyes never left the phantom.

The cat kept his gun aimed at his opponent, smirking as he spoke. "At the very least I would think Shiki and Maro would want to have a fair fight! As much as they annoy me, I always admired their respect for a good battle. And I know ending the Black Cat's life like this would not be satisfying for either of them!"

The phony silverette gnarled contentiously as he ripped his blade from the ground. "All these people you keep speaking of… None of them are deserving of your attention. None of them are even worthy of you speaking their name with your beautiful voice!"

Train rolled his eyes and sprinted towards his opponent's back. "Oh please, jealous Creed is so played out! You need to change up your script, Doc!"

The gunman skidded to halt behind Creed, noticing the man had frozen and aimed his gun at the back of the creature's head. Standing only a few feet behind the swordsman, Train cocked Hades, ready for the nightmare in front of him to disappear before he could shoot.

Train narrowed his eyes as he watched his fake lover tremble. "Where are my friends?"

Creed's entire body shook, unable to comprehend how Train was able to talk about other people so easily when he was standing right there. "Train… Don't you know I love you?"

Train twitched slightly when he heard Creed whisper those three words. The way he said them was exactly how his Creed said them to him every day. It was whispered with the same sweet, loving alto voice that played in his most euphoric moments, the same sacchariferous timbre that always put a smile on his face, and set a flame in his heart.

Stop it. It's not Creed. Don't get distracted!

Train didn't know the fate of his comrades, but was positive that whatever it may have been, there was no way it was better than what he was currently experiencing.

I only hope if I'm the only one that got caught in Doctor's Dreamworld that they aren't at a disadvantage trying to protect me.

"Is this part of the plan?" Train demanded as he tightened his fingers around the trigger of his gun. "Is the plan to knock me out of commission to weaken the rest of my party? Or do you plan to use your ability to take us out one by one?"

Do they even know I'm trapped in this world? If my body disappeared, they probably would have no idea what happened, but if I just fell asleep, I'm sure they'd be able to figure it out and come up with a plan.

The man did not answer his question, and Train was beginning to wonder if he had somehow broken the Dreamworld.

Would that be a bad thing? Wouldn't breaking the world free me?

Train scanned the area, noticing nothing else had changed since his opponent stopped moving and frowned when he remembered there wasn't much to change.

There hasn't even been a gust of wind that I could use to confirm what happened. Just a dreary, isolated desert.

Train growled in frustration when his enemy still did not move, and poked him a little with his gun. "Hey! Creepy Copy Creed! Say something! How do I hit the unpause button on you?"

The copycat only moved slightly when Train pushed him, making the cat sigh. "Does this mean I won? Can I go home now? Or at least back to the woods where my friends were?"

A few more moments of silence passed before the spurious man spoke. "...I'm your only friend. I'm the only one who truly cares about you… I'm the only one who loves you…"

Train rolled his eyes again. "You are making this far more difficult than it needs to be. Although, I guess that's part of the plan."

Creed whimpered sadly, but still did not move. "...I'm sorry my love. I know how much you despise plans. I didn't mean to upset you…"

Train felt a sudden wave of rage ravage his body when he realized what Doctor was trying to do, but was quickly able to set it aside and took a deep breath.

Now he's trying to use the pathetic version of Creed to get me to feel bad for him? He's just grasping for straws at this point. This is ridiculous!

So far, everything Doctor had pulled from the cat's subconscious didn't have the lasting effect Kanzaki most likely wanted to have on his psyche.

That's because I've worked hard to move on from my past. Even though these memories exist in my subconscious, everything he's pulling out are traumas I've put to rest. And I don't think Doctor was expecting that.

Hearing the fake Creed whimper again, Train let out another annoyed sigh. "We both know you're not Creed and I couldn't make it any more clear that this isn't working, so either change tactics, or let me go so I can fight you the honorable able. In person."

Setting aside my slight unease when he more properly mimicked Creed's voice, I've been nothing but obstinate. That singular second was just a momentary lapse of judgement. Doctor has to know this hasn't been working and isn't going to work.

Train knew Kanzaki was smart enough to figure out when he had failed, so he was positive the scientist was going to change methods soon. It was just a matter of when, what it would be, and how the golden man would handle it.

Besides the fact that none of this is real, the most important thing I need to keep in mind right now is how to get back to my friends.

Train tightened his grip on Hades and pressed it against the demon's head as resolve coursed through his body.

That's right. At all costs, I need to get out of here in one piece. It's just a matter of how.

Feeling a bit more confident despite having no idea how to break himself free of his prison, Train stiffened his body and stared down the back of the dream beast's head.

I can do it.

Train took a small step forward and pressed the barrel of Hades harder against the phantom's skull. "Drop the act and answer my question, Doctor."

I know I can do it.

Silence passed between them, the stillness in the air making the tenseness of the moment more palpable and oppressive. Despite the fact that Train knew the sun in the sky was fictional, the blazing, tyrannical rays that baked the desert beneath his feet felt just as authentic as the real thing. The massive star's heat made the extinguished conversation even more disturbing, especially since Train knew it wouldn't remain that way.

He adjusted his body, preparing to launch himself in whatever direction he needed to when the next inevitable fight began. "Tell me how to get out of here."

A few more seconds of silence passed before the varmint disguising itself as Creed let out a low, ominous laugh that slowly increased its volume and lowered its pitch, causing Train to cock an eyebrow in confusion. What started out as a light, yet voracious cachinnate, gradually became a heavy, stoic chuckle that did not match the lithe man standing in front of him.

Train shivered as his bogus lover's voice changed.

I know that laugh…

The man he associated the laugh with never portrayed any form of jovial emotion, but there was nothing jovial about that laugh.

"Is this what you've become? A weak froth of a man who not only refuses to kill any living creature, but also relies on the strength of another man to survive?"

Train felt another cold tremble travel down his back as his blood solidified and his skin went numb. The owner of that hoarse, vengeful voice belonged to the only man that Train believed could instill fear in him as an adult man.

"...The same man you willingly lie in bed with at night."

Creed's silver hair shortened and turned into an obsidian black, his pale skin tanning right before his eyes. He grew at least a foot and his body widened as the lean muscle in his arms sharply plumped and hardened.

His clothes changed as well and Train watched as the normally flowery patterned garments that usually adorned his lover turned into long, black cloaks that were far more fitting for an assassin. In fact, they were very similar to the clothes Train used to wear when he was a killer.

But… Even when Creed was working for Chronos, he never wore threatening clothes. He has always been more attracted to flowery, effeminate outfits.

However, Train found it impossible to focus on images of his fiance when a familiar, emphatic, female screech could be heard from the distance. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the scream repeated itself, as if it wanted to make sure Train heard it.

No…

The man who had formerly been Creed snickered and adjusted his hat. "...You are a disappointment."

The woman's wail filled the air again and the scene around him suddenly changed. He was no longer in a desert, but in the house he lived in as a child, standing in the exact location he watched his mentor and tormentor murder his mother.

"Wha… What's going on?"

Zagine made an annoyed sound as he stepped away from Train and over to the spot where the cat's dead parents lay. It wasn't until the assassin walked over to the bodies that the golden man realized they were actually there, their blood soaking the carpeted floors as their executioner kicked their lifeless corpses.

"I guess I should be comforted by the fact that you're still as dumb as I remember."

Train twitched then trembled when he saw the man nudge the bodies with his foot again, knowing he was doing it to make sure they were dead. "But… It is a shame to see you in such a sad state and since you are no longer a pathetic child, I guess I may as well finish you off like I should have all those years ago."

Zagine pulled out his gun and checked it for bullets, then snapped it shut again as he glanced at Train. "I need to correct my mistakes… And training you was clearly a mistake."

In that moment as he stared at his parents' dead bodies and watched as Zagine aimed his gun at his face, Train felt as though he had turned back into a powerless child, unable to move or say anything as he waited for the man to make the first move.

Zagine smirked, a strange gesture for the somber man. "Guess there are still some triggers left in the Black Cat's mind."

---

Eve's pink eyes skimmed the area she had suddenly appeared in, but didn't need to scrutinize too much to know where she was.

This is literally the last place I ever wanted to come back to. Is this Doctor's Tao?

The last thing she bio-girl remembered before being zapped in that room was sitting in a tree next to Sven, ready to pounce on their enemies the moment they made an appearance.

However, when she turned to ask her guardian a question, she was alarmed to see he was no longer there. But instead of panicking, she turned both her arms into swords and positioned them in front of her body, ready for an ambush.

Except there doesn't seem to be anyone here. But, I can't let my guard down just because it looks like I'm alone.

The girl took a step forward, her small feet clicking quietly against the tiled floors as her eyes took in her surroundings. "It's just like I remember…"

The first thing she noticed was the large standing tube on the opposite side of the room, the place that had once been considered her bed, the cylinder where she slept every night in utter malaise. Next to it was a lab table where she spent her waking moments chained up while her caretakers poked and prodded her with every device imaginable, testing the limits of her powers.

This is the place where I spent the first tortuous years of my life until I got too big for the tube. They eventually had to accept I needed a proper bed to sleep in if they wanted me in the best shape possible.

Eve took another step forward as she eyed the tube up and down.

And they needed me to be at my strongest so they could sell me to the highest bidder.

The bio-girl frowned as a particular memory flooded her mind.

Actually… The first bidders for me were Creed and Train. But, they ended up saving me instead of buying me.

Even though she knew Train was the reason they didn't purchase her, she was still grateful to both the men for allowing her to leave with Sven. Not only did they let her go, but they helped her escape. They helped Sven take her away.

They fought for my freedom and Train even convinced Creed not to use the Nanomachines at all. They left me alone to live my life with Sven.

The irony that Train was the reason the Apostles did not initially use Nanomachines, but now he enjoyed using them for combative reasons and to mess with their family was not lost on her.

Eve couldn't help but smile a little at the images of her immature friend pulling pranks on Sven with the use of his Nanomachines. She shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts.

I can't let that damn cat know I find him amusing. I also can't afford to get distracted right now.

Feeling a bit of anxiety when she got closer to the lab table, Eve tried to think more about the day she met Sven and shared ice cream with him.

The day Train and Creed chose not to take me was the first day of my freedom. The first day of my life with Sven as a normal child.

It was true being who she was, having the powers that she had, and traveling with the quirky people she traveled with, her life would never be normal, but she loved her life nonetheless.

I wouldn't change a thing…

When Eve was standing in front of the table she frowned down at it, staring at her own reflection on the smooth surface. "It's smaller than I remember…"

"No, you just got bigger."

Eve turned around quickly and shot both her blades forward, aiming them directly at the short man's throat. Instead of reacting fearfully like she had hoped for, the man simply smiled at her, his arms folded behind his back as his fat belly jiggled slightly when he laughed.

"Now, now, my dear. Aren't you happy to be home? We've been looking for you nonsto-"

Eve cut the man's sentence off by slicing her blade across his throat. She was positive that what she was experiencing wasn't real, so she wasn't concerned about killing anyone. That was also why she wasn't surprised when the image vanished the moment her sword made contact with it, repairing almost instantly.

Torneo frowned, disappointment evident in his eyes. "You would really kill the man who gave you so much? The man who helped fund turning you into the perfection that you are?"

Eve lowered her blades, realizing for whatever reason she was unable to hurt the man and therefore decided to let her guard down slightly. "I'm simply testing the limits of this world. I'd never kill a man. Not even a man as monstrous as you."

Her former captor snickered and brushed her words away. "What do you mean by this world?"

Eve decided not to entertain the man and instead stepped away from him and towards the door that was next to the tube. "I don't have time for this. How do I get out of here?"

Torneo frowned deeper as he watched Eve try to open the door. "You don't have time for a quick chat with your old guardian?"

Seeing the door wouldn't open, Eve scanned the room for another one, but did not look at the man. "No, I don't. And I'm not playing this asinine game. I already know this is Doctor's Tao which means the Apostles are here, which means either everyone else is fighting a battle without me, or they're trapped as well. But either way, I need to help my friends."

The fat man sighed and crossed his arms. "I see spending so much time as a normal human has caused you to speak gibberish. Everything you said was complete and utter nonsense."

Eve brushed past the man as she headed towards another door. "Shut up and tell me how to get out of here. This isn't going to work on me, and I have a feeling you know that."

Despite her age, Eve knew she was one of the most level headed members of the group and that included Chronos. With the expectation of Sephiria, the bio-girl was the most logical of the sweepers and the numbers, so the fact that Kanzaki was attempting to mentally mess with her was absurd.

Honestly, it's insulting. Even more so since I'm sure Doctor knows this would never work on me.

After the trauma she had experienced during her short life, Eve had learned very quickly how to deal with her negative thoughts and inner demons.

And I've done a better job at containing my emotions and internal turmoil than every adult I've ever met. I'm actually more worried about Sven and the others than myself.

"My, you sure have gotten mouthy! I guess this is the doing of that sweeper and his friends."

Eve couldn't help but smirk a little as she placed her hand on the doorknob. "Yeah, actually I guess that's true. Although, I think it's mostly because of Train. But still..."

She glanced over her shoulder at the man. "...I wouldn't have it any other way."

The Nano-girl's amused smirk turned into a proud grin as the image of the man and the room blurred. She knew that meant either she had found the correct way out, or Doctor realized how shortsighted his plan was and was attempting to change her surroundings.

Again, doesn't matter since either way it's just one step closer to getting out of here.

Whether or not the door was going to lead her directly back into the woods or make Kanzaki change his plans to adapt to the girl's meticulously correct perception of the situation, it was clear by the way the room was slowly evaporating that she had made the right choice by not entertaining the man and seeking her own freedom.

It wouldn't be the first time I fought for my freedom.

Without another word or glance at the man, Eve turned the knob and pushed the door open, an illustrious smile still on her face as she stepped into the next room. She was praying that what she saw on the other side was the woods she was once in, but growled in frustration at the alleyway she walked into.

"Seriously? Where is he pulling this crap from? When have I been in a dark alleyway?"

Except for when they were chasing a sweep, Eve had never been in a creepy alleyway before.

And even then, none of those memories were traumatic in the least.

She frowned as she shut the door behind her, ignoring how it disappeared instantly and was replaced by empty air. "Huh… This isn't a city that I recognize…"

Eve stepped further into the alley and noticed it was not closed off on either end like she originally thought. Both ways she looked down the narrow street she could see the city on either side, the vacant streets only adding to her confusion.

Where the hell am I?

Eve activated her Nanomachine immediately and turned her arms into swords once more the moment she heard gunshots in the distance. She turned her body around to face the direction she heard the shots come from and stood still, waiting for the enemy to come to her.

First rule I learned from Sven and Creed is to wait for an attack instead of initiating it yourself. Also to ignore whatever Train did.

Eve's ears perked when she heard the voices of two men coming from one end of the narrow street and her heart skipped a beat at the familiar intonation one of them held.

"Sven?" Eve spoke, letting her guard down slightly as he took several tentative steps forward.

I know I should wait, but if that's really Sven, I need to make sure he's okay.

"Sven?" She asked again, her voice just above a whisper. "Sven? Is that you?"

Her guardian's voice became more frantic, as if he was feeling both terrified and desperate, but helpless to prevent whatever was happening from happening. The other male voice she heard was beginning to sound weaker and weaker, making Eve's heart freeze.

Wait… I think I know what this is.

Eve lowered her arms and relaxed her stance, starting to realize she might not be entering a fight.

But, if it is what I think it is… I might have to save Sven from his inner demons.

While Eve was worried about what she was going to be walking in on and worried about whether or not she could be of help to her guardian, a part of her was a little relieved and even happy that she might have found Sven.

If it really is him. I guess it's possible I'm still trapped in my own subconscious. Doctor could use Sven to try to get to me.

Still, she was hopeful that she had somehow managed to not only break out of her own world, but find Sven.

I guess that means we would still be trapped in here, but at least we'd be able to figure out how to break free together.

Eve continued stepping closer and closer to the voice, slowly realizing that whoever Sven was talking to was either seriously injured, or actively dying. However, instead of scaring the bold girl, it only made her more determined to reach the man.

Especially if he's trapped in the memory I think he's trapped in.

She knew she needed to be careful, so she continued moving scrupulously and quietly, just in case she was about to step into a battle.

As Eve finally made her way to the edge of the alley, she pressed her back against the concrete wall and peaked her head around the corner. As her ruby eyes locked onto the scene before her, Eve's heart dropped and her breath caught in her throat.

"Oh no, Sven…"

The green haired man was sitting on the ground with another bleeding man in his lap, confirming what Eve believed was the memory Doctor had trapped him in.

"LLYOD! LLYOD, WAKE UP! OPEN YOUR EYES!"

Eve clutched at her chest as she watched the man sob against what was clearly his dead partner, her feet frozen to the spot as she watched the scene unfold. Logically, she knew it wasn't real and she knew she needed to snap Sven out of it, but emotionally, the image of watching the man she admired most fall apart over his deceased friend shattered her heart and made it impossible for her to move.

"Llyod…" Sven sobbed as he clutched the bloody man to his chest, the red substance soaking his black suit. "Lylod… please don't… please don't leave me…"

He held the man tighter to his chest as his body began to tremble. "Please don't leave me alone with this responsibility…"

Eve knew what responsibility the man was talking about.

His Vision Eye… This is the moment Sven's partner died and gave him the power to see into the future. The power that he's seen has a burden for most of his life.

Over the past few years instead of seeing his power as a curse, he slowly began to embrace it and had even recently perfected it. After seeing what Creed and Train were capable of and knowing what they were up against in regards to the Apostles, Sven decided he didn't want to get left behind and made it his goal to master his gift.

And while he did master it, the memory of how he got it still haunts him.

Eve's eyes widened as she watched the man in Sven's arms transform into a slim, but shapely woman. One she recognized immediately.

"...Nica."

The bio-girl noticed the metamorphosis before Sven did and she knew if she waited any longer, her guardian might completely fall apart when he saw who his partner had turned into.

I know he won't outwardly admit it, but he still loves her. And I know he's not over what she did to us… To him.

Wanting to get to her guardian before he noticed the change, Eve stepped out of the alleyway and towards Sven, making sure she was still on alert, but moving quickly.

"Sven…" Eve's voice was sympathetic as she spoke. "Sven… It's okay, it's no-"

Eve stopped suddenly when she saw Nica's eyes shoot open and lock onto Sven. The bio-girl's heart began beating faster when she saw the woman's arms slowly turn into blades, perfectly mimicking the same ones Eve turned her arms into.

Is Doctor trying to use his memories of me against him as well?!

Eve gasped when she saw Nica slowly raise her arms and wrap them around Sven, the bio-girl's body shaking with fear as she watched the sinister gleam shine dangerously in her eyes.

Shit! If he dies here, chances are he'll die in the real world!

Eve still wasn't sure if she had accidentally stumbled upon Sven's Dreamworld or if she was still stuck in her own, but she wasn't willing to take the risk. Whether or not that was really Sven or just an image meant to torture her, Eve didn't care. She wasn't about to let the man who saved her life and spent his raising her be killed by the woman he loved.

Eve deactivated her Nanomachines and ran towards the sweeper, praying she would get to the man before he noticed what was going on. "SVEN! IT'S NOT REAL!"

Sven lifted his head and shot his eyes in the direction of the girl's voice. "Eve?"

As soon as the green haired man looked up, Nica let out a horrendous, bone chilling, blood curdling scream that made Sven jump and drop her. However, the moment he realized who he had been holding, Sven blinked in confusion and nearly crumbled to his feet.

The woman did not stop screaming when Sven dropped her, nor did her arms turn back to normal. Even when the sweeper stepped away, she did not stop and all he could do was stare down at her in disbelief, completely forgetting what had caused him to drop her in the first place.

"Nica…?" Sven asked quietly when her wailing died down. "Nica… Nica, what happened? What's wrong?"

Eve continued running towards her guardian as he knelt back on the ground, scooping the woman in his arms once more. "Nica, it's okay. It's okay, I'm here…"

Eve cursed quietly as she activated her blade arms again, sprinting towards the man she now was positive was real and the woman she knew was fake.

Did he already forget I'm here? Did this world somehow mess with his short term memory?

Considering what Doctor's Tao was, it made sense that the scientist was able to not only mess with their long term memories and subconscious, but with her short term as well.

Damnit! I need to get to him before whatever that thing is kills him!

"SVEN, STOP! LISTEN TO ME! SHE'S NOT REAL!"

Again, Sven looked up at the girl, seemingly remembering what caused him to drop Nica in the first place and widened his eyes. "Eve?!"

"Sven…" The woman in his arms whispered, her voice weak, but kind as she spoke. "Sven… Please… Please, I need help… It… It hurts…"

Sven blinked again and looked back down at Nica, his eyes brimming with tears as he stared at the blood that caked her body. "What hurts? Tell me what hurts."

Nica smiled as she turned one of her arms back to normal and placed it delicately over her heart, the other remaining a sharp blade as it reached around his back, the tip of it shining portentously in the moonlight.

Eve watched as the woman tapped her heart and brought the blade closer to Sven's back. "Right here… It hurts right here…"

She reached her hand out and clung to Sven's chest, burying her tear covered face into his shirt as she spoke in a shaky voice. "Why did you do this to me, Sven?"

Sven blinked at the woman. "Wha… What did I do?"

The woman sobbed again as she brought the blade closer to his body. "...You broke my heart."

Just as Nica was about to embed the blade into the sweeper's flesh, Eve shoved her Nano-created sword straight through the woman's heart, preventing the creature from ending her guardian's life.

She's not real. This isn't real. Don't let any of this get to you.

As much as the girl was sure she was trapped in Doctor's Tao, it was still difficult to shove a sword through another human's body. It was different and almost effortless with Torneo since she held no emotional connection to that man and since he was her demon, it was far easier for her to understand he wasn't real.

But this nightmare clearly belongs to Sven, and I don't know how he'll react.

Eve held her breath and waited to see what would happen, praying it would be the same as before, urging the world she knew she had no control over to expel the woman from Sven's subconscious the moment her arm made contact.

Please let her react the same way that other dream creature did…

The being's body froze just for a quick moment, then became transparent and promptly dissipated into the air, just as Eve's demon had. She opened her mouth as if she was going to scream again, but instead let out a barely audible gasp which was rapidly silenced as soon as her figure vanished, quite literally, into thin air.

Eve breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the woman disappear and fell on the ground, feeling emotionally drained from the whole ordeal. "Thank God…"

Sven stared at the empty air in his arms where the woman once was, blinking a few perplexed, pained tears from his eyes and he opened and closed his mouth. "I… I don't understand… What the hell just happened?"

Eve stared at Sven, sympathetic towards his clearly broken heart at watching the woman he loved disappear.

It's like he's watching her fade away for the second time… And I guess that's not all that far from the truth.

"Sven…" Eve said as she sat up on her knees, deactivating her Nanomachines as she spoke. "Sven… It's not real. We're in Doctor's Dreamworld. None of what you're seeing is real."

Sven turned to the small girl, tears still brimming his eyes as he spoke. "What…?"

Eve sighed and reached out to squeeze the man's arm. "Don't you remember we were sitting in the tree waiting watching Creed and Train meet up with E?"

Sven blinked again, realization suddenly dawning on his face as his mouth opened. "Wait… Wait, WHAT?! WE'RE IN DOCTOR'S DREAMWORLD?!"

Eve nodded and took her arm away, glad to see the man was returning to himself. "Yes, that's what I believe has happened."

Sven looked around himself, suddenly noticing the small inconsistencies in the city that did not quite match up with his memory. As if it was merely a poorly made copy. He didn't understand how Kanzaki's Tao worked at all, but he also didn't know how else to explain what happened, especially since he clearly remembered hiding in a tree with Eve.

Sven shook his head and rubbed his eyes, attempting to cover up how distraught he was over the entire fictitious scene that just ended. "How embarrassing…"

Eve frowned and sat back on her legs. "It's not embarrassing, Sven. I think he got all of us."

Sven sighed and pulled his hands away from his face. "How do you know that? And how were you able to figure out that we were captured by his Tao?"

Eve shrugged and looked around the phony city. "I'd say it was a hunch, but the truth is I had no other explanation for what happened. I know we don't know a lot about how his Tao works, but what else could this be?"

Sven nodded and ran his fingers through his hair. "...Makes sense, I guess." He glanced down at the girl, giving her a skeptical look as he spoke. "...How do I know you're not just an illusion?"

Eve pouted at her guardian, but agreed that his concerns were valid. "I guess there's really no way to tell. Then again, I could ask the same thing of you."

Sven looked the girl up and down, trying to listen to his heart for answers. "What could we do to prove to each other we're the real deal?"

Eve sighed. "I mean, nothing really…" She looked up at the sky, frowning deeply as she spoke. "He already had me wake up in that place in an attempt to torture me. It would make sense for him to use you once he realized that didn't work…"

Sven grimaced at the girl's words, knowing immediately what place she was talking about and hating that his ward had to relive her past traumas.

Traumas that are arguably worse than anything anyone else in our group has faced...

As he stared down at the petite girl, he mentally acknowledged how grown up she looked. Over the last several months, she had shot up at least another foot and was now standing at his shoulders. While he did not appreciate how quickly she started to grow, it was something he was beginning to accept as inevitable, and knew he had to get over it.

If this was my nightmare version of Eve, she wouldn't be talking to me like this, and I think she'd be younger.

Despite how much he loathed the fact that Eve was no longer their 'Lil Princess, growing up wasn't his biggest fear for the girl. His biggest fear was watching her life be threatened or ended by their job with him unable to do anything to protect her.

If Doctor is trying to show us our deepest, darkest fears, Eve wouldn't be nearly an adult and talking to me about this being in a dream. She would be the child I bought ice cream all those years ago being killed during one of our sweeps.

Feeling more confident about the situation, Sven smiled and reached out to rub his fingers affectionately through Eve's hair. "It's really you. I can tell."

Eve pouted at being handled like a child, but smiled subtly when she looked at the ground. "And I can tell it's really you… Because this isn't how you would act if you were my nightmares."

Sven chuckled and took his hand away, then slowly stood up. "Well then, now that we know everything except each other is not real, how do we get out of here?"

Eve frowned and stood up with her guardian, scanning the area as she spoke. "I thought I was getting out of here when I walked through a door, but it only led me to your Dreamworld."

The green haired man frowned. "That's… odd, don't you think?"

Eve shrugged. "I really have no idea since I don't know how his Tao works. But, the fact that I was able to easily escape my world and enter yours, I think that means it's possible to enter the Dreamworld of whoever is closest to you."

Sven nodded as he picked up his Attache Case, checking to make sure it was real. "I suppose that's good since we were all grouped together. But, I guess that means we're relying on luck to help everyone else find each other like we did."

Eve nodded, then smirked. "Good thing Lady Luck loves Train almost as much as Creed does."

Sven snickered. "True… But that damn cat isn't the brightest."

Eve sighed and took a step closer to the man, but kept her eyes on her surroundings. "I can't believe I'm the one saying this, but don't give him such little credit. Especially with him being so physically close to Creed, I'm confident they'll be able to find each other."

Sven smiled slightly. "They always do…"

Eve heard what Sven said, but did not acknowledge his words in order to get them back to the topic at hand. "Then there's Sephiria and the other numbers. I wouldn't be surprised if she's already broken out of it. That is, if she was trapped in it in the first place. I couldn't see her, so I'd be surprised if Doctor could."

Sven blinked in realization. "That's right, he can only trap people that he can see, right?"

Eve nodded, her eyes glancing to the side when she saw small movements coming from the alley she entered through. "That's right. Which means we may have to use that girl after all."

Sven sighed and fixed his hat. "If we can trust her…"

Eve opened her mouth to respond, then shut it quickly when she heard quickly approaching footsteps. She activated her Nanomachines and turned towards the sound, changing her position into a fighting stance as she watched multiple figures advance towards them.

"Something's coming…"

Sven already had his weapon ready and aimed in the direction of the sound, placing his hand over his eyepatch just in case he needed to use his secret weapon. While he wasn't sure if it would work in that world, he was willing to give it a shot on the off chance that it did.

"I hear it… And it sounds like more than one thing, if you ask me."

Eve narrowed her eyes. "It is… And since we're in your world and I just so happened to join you, I have a feeling I know what it is."

Sven widened his eyes when the figures finally stepped out of the shadows and revealed who they were. One by one stepped out their most difficult sweeps, either the ones that got away and taunted his dreams every night, or the ones that caused far more trouble than they were worth.

The green haired man smirked as he fixed his hat. "Seems like a cop out for the doc if you ask me. These guys were annoying, not terrifying."

He took a step forward so he was standing next to Eve. "Isn't he supposed to be a genius?"

Eve smirked as well, inwardly overjoyed that Sven was choosing to stand unitedly beside her instead of protectively in front of her. A complete change from how their positions in battle used to be.

"Cut him some slack, Sven. If he's got all of us trapped in his world, he might be stretching himself thin. It probably takes a lot of effort to catch so many stubborn people in this world."

Sven shrugged. "Guess so. Still, I have to say, I'm a little disappointed. I was expecting more."

Eve watched as the figures moved closer, recognizing every one of them and was more than prepared for a fight. "Don't worry, I'm sure there's more to come once we get out of here."

Sven nodded and lifted his case, blocking several bullets as Eve created a shield with her arm to block several more. "Then let's get this over with so we can catch up with everyone else!"

---

Sephiria watched as her child self clung tightly to her brother's small, broken form, her young, recalcitrant eyes matching the trademark steeliness her adult self always held.

Even back then, I was stubborn and bullheaded. It always got me in trouble, and this night was no different.

Along with the fact that Train reminded her of her little brother, another reason Sephiria always looked after him was because his obstinacy reminded him a little of herself, and she knew what that level of willfulness was rewarded with.

"Mommy… Daddy…"

Sephiria kept her eyes forward as her brother cried out for their parents, making sure not to watch the scene that had embedded itself in her head.

So stupid this is getting to me even a little. I need to find a way out of here.

The man with the knife laughed as he balanced it on his fingers and leaned against the chair. "Sorry to tell you, Little Guy, but Mommy and Daddy won't be coming to help you any time soon."

The man in the chair chuckled, his eyes locked onto the children as he spoke. "At least the woman provided a bit of fun before we took care of her debt."

The guards around him began to laugh, but the one who attacked Sephiria and her brother dared to speak. "Are you going to use her daughter to collect the rest of it?"

Again, all the men in the room laughed save for the man in the chair and the one who murdered their parents. The leader of the gang growled quietly and slammed both his fists on the arms of the chair, silencing even the smallest of chuckles his workers emitted.

He waited a few minutes for it to be completely quiet, then spoke in a low voice. "Everyone leave."

The guards stood there for a moment, then slowly began to exit the room. The only one who did not move was the man with the knife, but it was clear the command was not meant for him.

However, just as Sephiria's assaulter and the one who had been smoking were about to leave, the man known simply as 'Boss' put his hand up and gestured for them to come back. "You two stay."

The men exchanged a look, then stepped back into the room, and took a spot on either side of him, placing their arms behind their back as they kept their eyes forward.

Back then, I didn't understand why he had those men stay. However, now I understand. He did it to teach them a lesson. To put them in their place by showing them the power he had.

Sephiria's choice in career gave her the insight to the man's logic, but as a child, she was totally confused. However, looking back, she could easily see that the men standing on either side of him were his more insubordinate members, and he wanted them to understand what would happen if they continued breaking rules.

...And he used two children to make that point.

"So… Why do you think you're here?"

The child Sephiria narrowed her eyes at the man, her voice speaking words of maturity beyond her years. "My parents sold us."

Theo blinked up at his big sister, tears falling down his face as he spoke. "What does that mean?"

Sephiria looked down at her brother, opening her mouth to speak only to have it quickly shut when the man in the chair laughed. "Oooh, just look at how sweet and innocent that one is! It's a shame we had to beat so much sense into him just now."

The man leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms against his large chest. "Well, he'll learn over time… We just need to break him a little."

Sephiria did not speak, making sure her eyes did all the talking for her, once again matching the look her adult self was giving the organization's boss.

The man smirked down at the girl as he rested his head back into the chair. "Your eyes show more life experience than any of my guards' do combined. You've been through a lot, haven't you, Child?"

Again, the young Sephiria did not speak and the adult woman began scanning the room for exits.

The door he came from had only blackness behind it, which leads me to believe that is not the way out. And there are no windows or other doors. This room is completely sealed off.

Noticing how closed the room was, the swordsman was beginning to piece together what she had to do to get out of there.

There isn't going to be a fight. Everything that's going to happen here is psychological. Which most likely means in order to get out of here, I have to face and defeat my inner demons to break Doctor's world.

Seeing the child was not going to answer, the boss rolled his eyes and made a frustrated noise. "If you would just stop being obstinate for five seconds and hear me out, you'd understand what I'm asking of you isn't absurd."

Again, Sephiria said nothing. Merely stared poisonous daggers at the man, inwardly praying she'd somehow manage to kill the man with her eyes.

The man with the knife rolled his eyes, stepped away from the chair, and towards the children. "This is pointless. Let me just kill them and be done with this whole useless family."

Sephiria did not take her eyes off the man in the chair as her parents' murderer got closer, not feeling even an ounce of fear as he gripped firmly to the knife.

The boss smirked as he watched the deadly look in Sephiria's eyes, then snapped his finger to get the killer to stop. "Stop! She is not to be touched."

The man froze and stared down at the girl for several moments. Seeing that Sephiria was not going to take her eyes off the hefty man behind him, he growled a curse under his breath and turned back around, walking back to the chair.

As soon as the thin man was leaning against the chair once more, the fat man spoke again. "That look in your eyes… It's fascinating."

He leaned forward a little, resting his elbows on his knees as he spoke. "They're not quite the look of a killer, yet the intent is there. It's obvious if you could kill me you would, but at the same time, you seem to be in complete control of your emotions."

He leaned back again, folding his hands on his laps. "...I'd very much like to control that look."

Sephiria squeezed her brother closer to her chest, then spat out a large wad of saliva at the man. The chair was too far away from her to hit him, but the very fact she had the nerves to so much as think about spitting on him was enough to get the point across.

Sephiria allowed the fury in her eyes to shine bright as she spoke with venom in her voice. "Fuck. You."

As soon as she said those words, the guards on either side of the chair stormed towards her, both of them pulling out the guns they had attached to their hips. As they stepped closer, they raised their pistols in the air, glaring down at the girl who refused to acknowledge their presence.

However, just as they were about to spill her blood, their boss punched his chair again. "ENOUGH! I SAID SHE IS NOT TO BE TOUCHED!"

The men stopped and froze, then slipped their guns back into their holsters as they stepped away from the girl, disappointment evident in their eyes.

Number One rolled her eyes and glanced to the side again, looking uselessly for another exit.

How much longer do I have to endure this? Is he really going to make me play through the whole memory?

Once the men were back on either side of the chair, their boss relaxed, then smiled almost kindly at Sephiria. "So, what do you say? Would you like to come work for us, Little Lady?"

The guard to his left blinked, then turned to his boss. "Sir… She's just a child."

The man brushed the guard's words away. "Do you think I'm stupid? I know she's a child, but the younger we train them, the stronger and more obedient they'll be in the future."

The other guard frowned, aware he might get punished for what he was about to say, but unable to hold thoughts back. "You think she'll listen even after we killed her parents?"

The boss growled and pounded his fist on the arm of the chair again. "SHUT UP AND STOP QUESTIONING ME!"

The men quickly silenced themselves as the man with the dagger chuckled. "Morons…"

The large man slowly turned back to Sephiria, his irritated smile turning into a warm one as he spoke. "We can give you the life your miserable parents never did. All you have to do is follow orders, and you'll never have another care in the world."

Sephiria kept her mouth shut, clinging to her brother's broken body as she bit her lower lip. Seeing she was not going to respond, the man snapped his fingers again, alerting the assassin next to him to step forward once again.

The man smirked and licked his lips as he spun the knife in his hand once before gripping the handle again. However, Sephiria still did not move, even when the man was only a few feet away from her. She even ignored it when the killer grabbed her hair and pulled it, choosing to bite down on her lip even harder instead of making eye contact with the executioner.

The boss widened his smirk, as if he was proud of the girl for not flinching. "Will you at least consider my generous offer?" He leaned his fat cheek on his fist as he finished his sentence. "You may want to think before you say no. The consequences could be dire…"

Sephiria's adult self couldn't help but chuckle a little when she thought about what her younger self was about to say.

The girl let out a sarcastic laugh as he spoke. "What is this? Some kind of old timey horror movie? Who refers to situations as 'dire' anymore?"

Number One smirked at her comment, reminding her all too much of something Train would say.

And the consequences for this situation certainly were dire… Another reason I scold that smartass cat so much for his smart ass remarks.

The man in the chair narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth, then snapped his fingers again to give the assassin another silent comment.

The assassin's smirk widened and he pulled the girl's head back by ripping at her hair. As soon as her throat was exposed, he placed the blade against her supple skin and applied a feeble amount of pressure, waiting for the next command.

Sephiria kept her stern eyes on the man in the chair as her brother cried out in agony, obviously fearful of what was about to happen. The moment the boy's pathetic whimpers resonated against the walls, the fat man took note of the hesitant look in Sephiria's eyes and snickered.

"Wait!" He commanded, sitting up in his chair as he lifted his hand up.

The assassin looked away from Sephiria and at his boss, waiting for his next order.

Sephiria locked eyes with the obese man and shuddered violently as she clung tighter to her brother. She could read in his eyes what he was thinking, and she was desperate to make it stop.

"No…" She whispered as she held Theo against her chest. "No… No, please don't! Leave him alone! He's just a child!"

The assassin laughed and let go of Sephiria's hair, seemingly understanding what his leader wanted him to do. "Hate to tell you this, Kid, but you're a child as well."

He reached over and ripped the boy out of the girl's small, weak hands, effortlessly lifting him into the air and away from the safety of Sephiria's embrace. "But don't worry, it'll be over soon. Well, for your brother at least."

Sephira threw herself in the air, flailing her arms futilely at the man as she screamed. "NO! LET HIM GO! HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

The assassin growled in annoyance as one of her arms hit him in the face, then pushed her harshly to the ground. "God damn you're annoying!"

Sephiria fell harshly against the floor, bashing her head against the hard tiles when she landed. However, she wasn't going to let that stop her from getting to her only family. She was on her feet again in an instant, kicking and punching every part of the man she could get a reach.

"NO! LET HIM GO!"

Again, the man growled and shoved her aside, wrapping his arm around the boy's waist and placing the knife against his throat. Without hesitation, he swiftly slit the child's throat, as if killing the boy was nothing more than killing a fly.

As the young blood soaked his matured blade, he heedlessly dropped the twitching body, the youngling unable to even scream behind the heinous act that was just enacted on him.

As soon as his body hit the ground, Sephiria scrambled over to him, pressing her hands against his throat in an attempt to get the blood back into his body. She even tried to scoop piles of blood into her hands and placed them on her brother's body, as if he was a sponge that would reabsorb his lifeforce.

"No, no, no, no!" Sephiria repeated over and over again, her body trembling as she called out to her brother. "No! Theo, please!"

She pressed down harshly on his throat, her vision beginning to blur from tears as she begged for her brother to wake up. "Please, open your eyes!"

She let out a pathetic, shaky sob as her body vibrated wildy. "Please, Theo! Please!"

Sephiria choked on a sob, coldness taking over as she continued to plead with the dying boy. "I can't do this without you..."

She leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together as she spoke. "Please , Theo… Please don't leave me…"

The man in the chair made a pleased sound, but Sephiria did not look at him. Her eyes were fixated onto the figure of her dead brother, unable to process anything outside of the bleeding, lifeless corpse.

"There's no need to mourn his death. He set himself up for failure when he made the initial mistake to attack my guards. And maybe if he wasn't so weak, he could have fought for his life. If he was stronger, he wouldn't have died."

Sephiria heard nothing except an incessant ringing in her ears.

"If you do as I say, you could become strong and you won't meet the same fate he did..."

Again, Sephiria did not respond to the man. Even the grown version of Number One was too focused on her blood stained sibling to respond.

"So…" The vindictive, plump man said, leaning forward as he watched whatever light was left in Sephiria's eyes fade away. "...Will you make up for your brother's mistakes by doing as I say? Will you honor his life by working for me and become stronger? Or will your life end here and now just as his did?"

As if living in the moment all over again, Sephiria's eyes landed on the knife resting in front of her and suddenly that was all she could see. Number One gripped the hilt of Christ at the same time her child self gripped the dagger on the ground and for a moment, the swordswoman forgot that everything she was witnessing wasn't real.

---

Creed felt his body beginning to shake, the hilt of his swords vibrating in his trembling hand as he stuttered his response. "I-I… A-An… A-Anastasia…?"

His teacher's lips coiled back into a malignant smirk. "In the flesh. Were you expecting someone else?"

Creed shook his head and shut his eyes, trying to ignore the smoke that continued to swallow him. "No… No, you're not her… You're someone else… Something else…"

That's not Anastasia's voice and those aren't Anastasia's eyes.

Listening to the woman's laugh and staring into her eyes, Creed definitely recognized them both, but he knew right away that they did not belong to his deceased mentor. They were most certainly the eyes and the tongue of his mother.

It's like Doctor is playing with my memories like a buffet. He's picking and choosing what he thinks will torture me the most and putting them together.

Creed squeezed his eyes tighter as he tried to block out the constant cackle of his mother's voice that was leaving his dead teacher's throat. His heart would not allow him to look at the woman he admired more than anyone else speak with the woman who had been his tormenter for so many years.

His mother's snickering slowly stopped as the being who cloaked itself as Anastasia spoke. "Is that so? And what exactly do you think I am?"

Creed growled and forced his eyes open, tears brimming in them from both the smoke and the torture Doctor was putting him through. "I've already made it clear I know who's doing this to me! I don't care who you're trying to pass yourself off as, I know you're merely a puppet."

He gritted his teeth and scowled at the phantom. "And I don't want to speak to a puppet… I want to speak to its master…"

The specter that would be Anastasia laughed even louder as the smoke rose to her chest. "Oh, that's just like you! Always demanding things that are beyond the realm of possibility… Well, beyond possibility for you at least. Just like how the Black Cat was unobtainable for you unless you killed the one he truly loved."

Creed rolled his eyes and stifled a cough, the smoke now just below his pecks. "Oh please, are you seriously trying that old trick? Train's made it perfectly clear to me he never had romantic feelings for anyone before me and he and I have put to bed the tragedy that brought us together."

"Have you? Or are you just too cowardly to admit the truth?"

That sentence came from a new voice behind Creed and he froze. It was a voice that played in his nightmares over and over again. An intrinsically melodic voice that haunted his nights with its agonizing screams and pitiful cries, begging him for answers as to why its short life needed to end while death steadily devoured the owner's soul.

However, it was also the voice that enchanted his dreams. It was the voice that would appear with words of comfort just as Creed was beginning to have a complete breakdown. A voice that frequently reminded him that he was absolved of his sins, that she placed no blame on him, and harbored no ill will.

The voice that would sing her song of the world. The song Creed had taught his beloved to help soothe the cat's aching heart, the song that both he and Train had learned to turn to for strength.

Hearing that voice both tormented and comforted Creed, but the former feeling was slowly eclipsing the latter, and he could tell that the creature behind the voice did not have friendly intentions.

Saya snickered, the uncharacteristically dark sound making Creed's hair stand on end. "I think your silence is enough of an admittance of guilt..."

The silverette refused to look back at her for fear of what he might see. However, he heard her pause for a moment, then laugh again as she finished her thoughts.

"Actually, no, it's not. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to hear you say out loud what you did to me, and admit the truth of how your forced relationship with Train-kun came to be."

Creed lowered his sword arm, realizing the battle he was about to have wasn't going to be a physical one. "...You're not real."

The being that disguised itself as Saya laughed yet again, the grisly noise grating at Creed's ears. "Oh, I'm real alright! At least real enough to you. I wouldn't be here speaking to you like this if there wasn't a part of you that didn't think I was real."

That was when Creed realized how far into his subconscious Doctor had delved into. The reason Anastasia was speaking with his mother's voice and looking at him with his mother's eyes was because deep down, Creed always expected his mentor to reject him like his mother did. She was acting like his wretched birth giver because when she was alive, Creed was terrified she would turn on him like his mother did.

...And that means the Saya that is standing behind me is the Saya of my nightmares. The one that afflicts my dreams with bloody sights and horrendous words.

Creed knew he had moved on from his miserable past, but in that moment he realized he had not completely removed the feelings of guilt he had about killing Saya, nor had he erased his fears that Anastasia never truly loved him.

Maybe there's a part of me that hasn't really moved on… Maybe I've simply... decided to live my life with the understanding that I would always struggle with my inner demons, but never truly move on from them. Maybe I've only learned not to let them control me…

Creed silently cursed himself and cast his eyes to the ground. "...And now, it appears as though Doctor has decided to bring them to life..."

Anastasia laughed with his mother's voice. "Glad to see you're all caught up! Guess I shouldn't be surprised that a useless piece of trash like you took so long to piece together what was going on."

Creed opened his eyes but kept them on the ground, not feeling strong enough to face his dead teacher. "If you were paying attention, you would have realized that I figured it out a while ago. I even figured out what the end game was. I merely didn't understand how he planned on going about it."

Creed clenched his fists as he stared at the smoke, noticing how it was almost up to his shoulders. "I have to admit… It's a pretty good plan…"

It was Saya's turn to laugh, and the sweet giggle was somehow more disconcerting than the evil cackles his mentor continued to let out. "So, what are you going to do, Creed Diskenth? Are you going to admit the only reason Train-kun loves you is because you killed me? That he would have never even looked your way if I was still in the picture? That I was his true soulmate, and you were just the leftovers he got stuck with?"

Anastasia snickered at the sweeper girl's comment, then added salt to Creed's gaping wounds. "Or, are you going to finally admit that you are nothing? That you are simply pure garbage? That you are completely and utterly useless and nothing but a burden to the world and everyone in it? Especially to your beloved Black Cat."

She stopped speaking momentarily, and Creed could tell she was smirking. "To someone as incredible as Train Heartnet, you are nothing but a speck of dust in the wind. No, less than that. You are a nonentity compared to him. A strain on his existence and an unfortunate tribulation he has been forced to deal with since the day you sunk your gluttonous claws into him."

Creed was silent as the women took turns berating him, numbness taking over as his dark doubts casually dominated his every judicious thought. Similar to how the smoke continued to swell and engulfed his body, his atramentous logic had encompassed all of his senses, leaving him, yet again, an empty husk.

"Train…" Creed unknowingly whispered. "Train… Where are you…?"

A single tear fell from his eye as the smoke ballooned up to just below his chin. "I need you, Train…"

---

For those who don't remember, Lloyd was Sven's partner before he met Train, Eve, or any of them. It was years before the whole Black Cat universe took place. Llyod had the Vision Eye and gave his power to Sven before he died. I don't know if the anime went over that at all, so again if that's new to you, that might be why (the anime left out a lot).

Sephiria's background is completely made up by me. They never delved enough into her character to go over her background story, so I just decided to have fun with it.