Chapter 6
Miguel was locked up and placed away from Paul so he couldn't heal him. Steena herself was sitting alone away from anyone. Clone Paul was sitting with everyone else by a fire.
"That was not what I expected it to be." Diss said quietly.
"He took Solaris Prime. He TOOK Solaris Prime!" Shaun said shocked.
"I told ya he was a freak." Kid said softly trailing off.
"Well, hopefully we hurt him so much he will recall his pain." Pat mumbled.
"WE?" Clone Paul said laughing. "If anything WE just pushed him over the deep end." Serge nodded. "No offense, but when Paul is like that not even you Pat can stop him. He proved that." Pat nodded. He didn't like it, but he was right. When Paul was almost insane he was so deadly.
"Listen, while we wait for poster boy to come around would anyone like to explain to me why the hell Harle helped us then left?" Pat said bringing up another valid point.
"I dunno," Steena said as she shrugged. She paced back and forth as Patrick sat down next to Diss and Christy. He whispered something to them and they nodded heading off on their own. "Hey where you three going?"
"We have something we need to talk about. Shouldn't take more than ten minutes," Diss said quickly. Everyone watched them going wondering what the heck was going on.
~*~
"It appears we have a huge problem here," Patrick said after they were out of hearing range.
"Yes we do," Diss said softly. They both looked at Christy. She nodded in agreement.
"Obviously one of us is going to be left without someone, and I know it's not me," Christy said softly looking down. Diss looked at Patrick contemplating.
"You go back with her," Diss said after awhile.
"No, you go back with her Diss, I'm not the man she fell in love with," Patrick said quickly in return.
Christy turned to Patrick, " What do you mean by that?" Patrick looked down unable to tell her the truth. He hadn't slept well since it happened and telling her he remembered everything wasn't going to make it better.
Diss ended up making the save, "He's changed since you regained your memory."
"Changed how?" She said turning on him glaring. Patrick shifted under the glare and merely looked up at the sky. No stars to strengthen him now. He was alone, and oddly he was glad for it. He turned and faced her matching her gaze unflinching.
"I remember it all, I remember the invasion, I remember my life before it, and I remember everything after it," He said ticking them off on his fingers. He spoke neutrally, but Christy felt like he had hit her with each finger ticked off.
"Everything?" She breathed. Diss nodded softly in reply for him. Patrick took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair. Christy hugged him tightly. He looked at Diss confused. Diss just motioned to go with it and so Patrick slowly returned the hug.
'I still love you' Christy's voice said clearly.
'I know, but I'm not the man you love anymore,' Patrick returned sending the thought through their bond. She looked him in the eyes after that statement.
'That's bull; I'll love you no matter what you remember. When I said yes to marry you I made that commitment no matter what,' She thought angrily. She then kissed him deeply showing her love for him. He slowly kissed her back his arms wrapping tightly around her.
'Christy, I-'He was abruptly cut off by Christy.
'Oh no you don't, you either agree that we'll figure this out some other way or you shut up now and the other Diss stays here.'
'Christy listen to me! I'm no longer Diss. I'm not Diss, I'm not Eric, and I'm not me! One look at myself tells me this. I have training that Thomas could never have imagined. I am trained to be able to kill or disable someone within seconds. If I wanted to I could have killed Paul with a lot of trouble, but still killed him. I also know what Eric is now,' he said looking down. Christy pushed his chin up so she could look at him.
'Eric can go to hell; if I hear about Eric one more time I'll scream. I don't care; he's nothing more now than a distant memory. He-'
'Is my past. He was who I was. He was who I could easily become again. I'm being tempted to take my past and merge with it become who I was. The Aryans were in awe when I was finally caught. I was made who I was today because they respected the people who fought bravely,' Patrick finished her statement letting it sink in.
'You are above that Diss-'
'Christy stop calling me Diss I'm not him anymore!' She jumped away from him in shock. He had yelled at her yes, but never like this. He finally started speaking again.
"I'm not Diss. I'll never be Diss. The Diss in me died a short while ago. Bury him he's dead! I can never measure up to who I was anymore. I have done too much that would have made you sick to be able to wash it off my hands. I was lined up to kill another person. You want to know why I'm so horrible. I was an Assassin! I was a person that took life in cold blood for profit. I enjoyed it. The smell of burnt gunpowder was like a drug, it gave me a buzz like no other! Do you know what my favorite method of killing them was?" He continued to yell at her scaring her more and more. Diss stepped between them.
"Enough man, you're scaring her!" He said. She clung to him in horror.
Patrick looked down before he went on, "I would light fires, and I would burn the crime scene to eliminate any traces. I would kill them then burn them; sometimes I would just burn them if they pissed me off or just for the hell of it. It seems the Aryans are not above irony. These powers are more of a reminder to them of what I did to try and stop them." He looked up at them as they looked on Diss with determination, Christy in fear. "Now before I hurt anyone I love on accident I'm leaving." And before they could object Patrick walked back to the group.
"We're in deep shit." Diss said softly. Christy merely nodded.
~*~
Paul slowly opened his eyes. He looked around and flinched in pain each time he moved a muscle.
"Ow." He said quietly. He forced himself to look to his left to see Steena sleeping next to him peacefully. He looked to his right to see Miguel tied up with a gag. He felt something sharp and small crawl on his chest. He looked at it and saw two black beady eyes before him.
"Hi Henry." Paul managed to get out. His squirrel cuddled next to him closing its eyes getting ready to sleep. Paul managed to pull himself up when he saw a hand. Paul followed the hand up to see Patrick before him.
"Come on. We need to talk." Patrick said calmly. Paul took the hand and he ached as his body was hoisted into the air.
"So what's up Diss?" Paul asked. Pat shook his head.
"My name isn't Diss anymore. I want you to call me Pat okay?" Paul shook his head. "Well, don't call me Diss. My clone you can call Diss, he's wearing the black shirt."
"Okay Boss." Paul said grinning. Patrick grumbled and glared at Paul. "What, it's not Diss is it?" Pat just shook his head and mumbled. He led Paul outside the Tower Of Geddon and sat on a rock.
"I remember it all." Pat said plainly. "Before the Aryans." Paul nodded already knowing what was up ahead.
"Want to know how I dealt with it huh?" Patrick shook his head.
"Well, first, don't push anyone away. Hold em tighter. And two.you had one of those miserable pasts don't you?" Patrick nodded grimly.
"I was an assassin. Hired to kill. I burned people and the scene to hide my tracks. I don't like getting into details." Paul nodded.
"The worst thing I did in my life before the Aryans was stole from the nearby 7-Eleven, does that count?" Pat laughed slightly.
"Nope, not unless you killed someone and got away with it."
"Listen Pat, this is how it goes. In life, there are those who kill, and those who oppose to kill. Those are two sides of a coin. Killing can also be if taken as needed, or wanted. You did both. Sulking in the past about something no one will remember because of the Aryans won't do you or anyone any good. Life slaps you in the face with a hard cold glove of reality. Now it's up to you if you pick up the gauntlet and slap Life back." Patrick looked at his friend in a new way. Instead of his odd logic like he expected he heard actual wisdom.
"How did you get that conclusion?" Pat asked after awhile.
"When I killed the first person in my life I realized that I had become something I knew somehow I wasn't. That's when I got my slap in the face. It took me awhile to slap Life back. Now you choose. Get even with life, or get trampled." With that Paul got up slowly and left Patrick all by himself.
~*~
Paul walked back up to the area he was last at. He went up to Steena and kissed her gently on the cheek before moving onto Miguel.
"Sup?" Paul asked.
"MFFF UGH MUMUMUFFF" Miguel replied through his gag.
"Sounds interesting." Paul replied grinning. He undid Miguel's gag and untied him.
"So, we gonna ditch these people?" Miguel asked.
"Nope. These are my friends and family." Paul said quietly. Miguel nodded. Henry perked up and went next to Steena cuddling up with her. Steena unknowingly kissed Henry's head and held him to her.
"It's sad when your squirrel gets more action then you." Miguel said amusingly.
"Yeah, must do something about it." Paul said surging up to a minimal and blasting Steena. The blow was enough to jolt her awake. She looked down and saw Henry then screamed like she never screamed before.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!" She said after she awoke everyone else. Henry was frightened and ran behind Paul and up his back to jump onto Miguel's hat.
"What's wrong sweetie? You don't like squirrels." Paul said laughing. Steena was too angry to notice her boyfriend was alive from her brutal beating.
"You want another beating like before?" Steena said with a passion of anger. Paul just walked up to her and hugged her.
"I missed you." He said softly.
"I missed you also." Steena said holding him tight. "Don't ever make me do something like that again." Paul nodded kissing her softly.
"Where's Pat?" Clone Shaun asked. Shaun rubbed his head and looked at Paul.
"PAUL!" Shaun yelled.
"AHHHH! THERE ARE TWO OF THEM!" Paul yelled. Clone Paul walked up to Paul.
"So you're the crazy Paul." He said quietly. Paul looked at his clone and nearly fell back. Steena held him close as she whispered to him,
"It's okay, just calm down." Paul regrouped. Steena still held him as Clone Paul took a step closer.
"What number am I thinking of?" Clone Paul asked. Paul thought for a second.
"20, no, 28, no now 64, no, now 21. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!" Paul yelled. Clone Paul took a step back.
"There really is a strange connection." Clone Paul said in wonder.
"No, you were mouthing the words!" Paul shouted back. Christy sighed going back to sleep.
"This is going to be one long fun filled adventure."
~*~
Patrick continued to walk out of the sea. It was time to slap life back, and he knew how. He drew his staff preparing for the worst as he walked with a new spring in his steps. He was going to carry out rule one with no problems. He may not like it, but he was going to assassinate one last time. He sighed looking down at his feet as he continued walking. They would have probably objected to that. But then again they were ready to go for his throat. The entire reason the group was like that was that he had failed miserably as a leader. Diss could lead them, but he wouldn't anymore. He couldn't take responsibility for lives when he had twice put his personal interests before the needs of the group.
"You could poke someone's eye out with that thing," Came the familiar voice.
"Not right now Thomas," Patrick said walking by his former mentor.
"Dedicated aren't we?" He replied walking next to him.
"Thomas not now," Patrick said putting anger and silent threats into his voice.
"My pupil, how can you expect to learn when you close yourself off like that?"
Patrick turned to him, "Your pupil? I haven't been your pupil for three years. Three years ago my life changed and you weren't there anymore. Three years ago I had to carry your burden. Three years ago I had to fight with the Masters about what I would be wielding. Three years ago I lost Samantha for the first time. THREE YEARS AGO YOU ABANDONED ME!"
Thomas put his hands up, "Calm down Patrick. Yelling at me isn't going to change the past in any way."
"Yeah well its sure making me feel better."
"I always said you had too much anger for your own good."
"Its hard not to when your life is ripped away from you last minute. Because of my beloved brother I had to change everything. You realize the masters threw me out of the temple after they finished my training?"
"So they did to you what they kept trying to do to me.figures."
Patrick snorted, "Listen Thomas now's not a good time. If you would just stay away from me I might be able to do what I'm about to do without any problems."
"What's your plan?"
"Last time I was in this world it took the Dead Sea a week to become the Sea of Eden. I'm going to hang out in Termina till then. By the end of that time I'll steal a boat and finish off THE MAN once and for all!" Patrick said. It was like he had removed himself of all emotions. He started walking forward again when he felt Thomas' hand on his shoulder.
"Wait up a second, you still haven't gotten my advice."
"'When faced with the choice of fulfilling a dream and saving a friend choose what you hold dearest.' I've gotten it loud and clear."
"Then you have gotten to the crossroads. It's your choice. You can fulfill a dream or you can save a friend. Its your choice now."
"Thomas since when wasn't it my choice? Realistically I've always had that choice. Up until now I thought I could put my friends before my interests. But obviously I kept screwing that up. Now leave me alone. I'm doing this like I always should have. By. My. Self. No distractions, no friends, no problems," Patrick growled walking still further. They had reached the highway now and he was nearly out of the god-forsaken place.
"Patrick, wait a second," Thomas said after awhile.
"What? Are you trying to guilt me out of my decision? Are you going to try and verbally rip me a new one ethically? I've gone over it repeatedly. They threw the first punch; they constantly are putting me on the defensive. I'm sick of it! I'm sick of sitting there and watching my friends turn on me because I can't lead them effectively anymore. I'm sick of watching them suffer because some cosmic force thought it would be a riot to tear me from the world I once knew. I'm sick of all of this. I was so used to having that symbiote help guide me that I'm LOST WITHOUT IT! I'M SICK OF EVERYTHING. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE NOW BEFORE I ATTACK YOU COPOREAL OR NOT!" Patrick said leaving the Dead Sea. He climbed into one of the two boats and set sail for the main island. He was just tired of everything. After making sure the boat wouldn't crash he went to sleep in the boat dreaming of nightmares that had long plagued him.
~*~
"So, shall we get going?" Christy said cheerfully.
"It's social." Steena mumbled to Paul.
"Let's kill it." Paul mumbled back. Christy shook her head walking up to Both Shaun's. While one snored the other finished with 'Orlah, Orlah, Orlah'. Christy peered into Shaun's mind with her powers and saw the image of the low cut green dress. She left Shaun's mind and looked at Paul. She walked up to him and loosened herself up. Paul's eyes shot open and he glared at Christy. Christy took three steps back grabbing her head.
"Don't ever try to read my mind." Paul said evilly. Clone Paul woke up and saw Henry cuddled on his chest. Miguel was walking up to everyone with a big pot.
"Oatmeal better be everyone's taste right now." Miguel said tiredly.
"Where we going next?" Clone Shaun asked.
"I recommend Termina." Shaun said. Miguel and Paul looked at each other.
"What's wrong?" Steena asked wrapping her arms around Paul's waist leaning her head on Paul's shoulder looking at Miguel.
"A promise is a promise." Miguel said quietly. "I can't break that promise." Paul nodded.
"And who would know you broke it. Wazuki told you to stay behind, because he thought he would come back." Paul said quietly.
"I can't break that promise." Paul nodded.
"And who would know you broke it. Wazuki told you to stay behind, because he thought he would come back for you. You've been waiting for ten years now"
Serge woke up realizing the conversation was about his father. "I am positive he wouldn't wish for you to stay in hell forever." Miguel looked at Serge. Serge nodded agreeing.
"I might need my sunglasses. I haven't seen sunlight in." Miguel didn't finish. The mere fact he was leaving his home was a huge shock to him.
"If you fall along the way you still got me to help you up." Paul said sarcastically, but in a caring tone. Miguel got up and left into a tent. Paul followed behind him.
"It iz zo strange to zee zat man leave zis desolate place. He waz ze guardian of ze Dead Sea. Now who will watch over ze futures zat never were?' Harle said walking up to the group.
"It's loony time." Kid said. Harle ignored Kid's comment and entered the tent containing Paul and Miguel.
"Hello boyz." Harle said cheerfully. "Any'ting on ze agenda. Zearching for lost items like zis chain to your locket zat a cetain squirrel hid from ze man zat lives in Chronopolis? Leaving ze Dead Sea for ze first time in years perhaps?" Miguel and Paul just remained quiet as Paul took the locket from Harle.
"Thanks Harle." Paul said. "Now I ask you one last thing." Miguel nodded.
"You want me to protect ze Dead Sea for Miguel. Not a problem." Harle said waving her hand loosely in the air.
"Thank You." Miguel said. Harle nodded bowing to Paul.
"Adieu my friend. Adieu." And with that Harle left.
~*~
"Where's psycho lady?" Kid asked as Miguel left with his knapsack.
"Guarding the Dead Sea. Now lets go." Paul said walking next to Steena. Paul snapped his fingers twice and Henry ran up Paul's leg, up his back, jumped off his shoulder onto Miguel's shoulder and onto his hat.
"We're not keeping that squirrel." Steena said sternly.
"Why not. He helped me out here." Paul replied. Steena sighed.
"The first time I see that squirrel on my body it's going." Steena mumbled.
"First Rachel now you Steena." Paul said very quietly.
"What does that mean?" Steena said carefully.
"It means what I meant it be. Rachel hated animals, and now you do." Paul said tiredly.
"I don't hate animals, it's just that.a squirrel for a pet is not what you would call normal." Steena said on the fly.
"Steena," Paul said in a deep tone stopping her so she would look at him. "Am I normal?" Steena sighed.
"No, I suppose not. Listen, I don't want to fight.I just got you back." Paul held her close to him and whispered his apology. "I'll tell you what. If things don't work with the squirrel we'll give it to Miguel okay?" Paul nodded agreeing to it. They reached the area where the boats were and Shaun was the first to point out the big difference.
"There's one boat."
"Pat left on his own I guess." Christy said sadly.
"Well he did need time off." Diss said coolly.
"I am not getting on that boat." Paul said sternly.
"WHEE!!!!" Miguel shouted as he jumped into the water. "I forgot how much I loved water." After letting Miguel wade around in the water they all slowly got into the boats.
~*~
"I DON'T ENJOY THIS!" Paul shouted almost falling in. Steena and his clone grabbed Paul's shoulders and pulled him back in. Miguel was enjoying the scenery and company as he was having an intelligent conversation with Shaun. Christy was the first to spot land and Paul breathed a sigh of relief.
"How come you're so paranoid about water? I know we don't know how to swim, but this is pathetic." Clone Paul said. Paul replied quickly.
"Do you think hamsters migrate south for the winter?"
"No."
"Do you think they can swim?"
".No."
"Do you still love Rachel?"
"Yes." Both looked at each other.
"You claim to be my clone, but we are nothing alike. I loathe Rachel." Paul said irritably.
"It's just the dog. Besides, I miss her, instead of being unfaithful and dating other woman I am trying to go back to her." Clone Paul said harshly. Paul snapped.
"STOP LIVING IN THE DAMN PAST! WE BROKE UP! IT'S OVER! GONE!" Clone Paul hid behind Christy who took interest in the conversation.
"Paul, you need to go easy on yourself. He just doesn't know." The boats landed on the beach and everyone disembarked. The boat had to remain in the water, so Paul hurled Diss over his shoulder and carried him across the distance. Serge and Kid knew exactly where they were.
"We're about a 15 minute walk from Termina. Let's get going." Serge said in a dictatorship like tone. Both Paul's traveled up the road separate from each other.
~*~
"This is working A LOT weirder than we anticipated." The man said coldly.
"Pat denies himself Christy and Diss, Irrational Paul isolates himself from himself. Clone Shaun secretly thinks he is the real Shaun, and Shaun wants to take a nap cause his feet hurt." Lynx said looking through the binoculars.
"This doesn't work for us because?" Lynx said stupidly.
"It works for us. Just that I thought both Paul's would be exactly like each other. Sure irrational Paul would be weirder, but, this is insane." The man said trailing off.
"Well, in the sports tonight, Termina police arrested Patrick not less than three hours ago."
"Well at least we know plan B is working." The man muttered. "Stop grabbing my leg." Lynx looked at him like he was crazy.
"What the hell are you talking about?" The man looked down to see a snake wrapping around his leg.
"AHHHH!" The man screamed as he fell out of the tree. He grabbed Lynx and they both scraped against the branches of the tree. The snake slithered away as Lynx rubbed his head.
"Ow." They both got up and walked away. Catherine giggled from behind a bush.
Miguel was locked up and placed away from Paul so he couldn't heal him. Steena herself was sitting alone away from anyone. Clone Paul was sitting with everyone else by a fire.
"That was not what I expected it to be." Diss said quietly.
"He took Solaris Prime. He TOOK Solaris Prime!" Shaun said shocked.
"I told ya he was a freak." Kid said softly trailing off.
"Well, hopefully we hurt him so much he will recall his pain." Pat mumbled.
"WE?" Clone Paul said laughing. "If anything WE just pushed him over the deep end." Serge nodded. "No offense, but when Paul is like that not even you Pat can stop him. He proved that." Pat nodded. He didn't like it, but he was right. When Paul was almost insane he was so deadly.
"Listen, while we wait for poster boy to come around would anyone like to explain to me why the hell Harle helped us then left?" Pat said bringing up another valid point.
"I dunno," Steena said as she shrugged. She paced back and forth as Patrick sat down next to Diss and Christy. He whispered something to them and they nodded heading off on their own. "Hey where you three going?"
"We have something we need to talk about. Shouldn't take more than ten minutes," Diss said quickly. Everyone watched them going wondering what the heck was going on.
~*~
"It appears we have a huge problem here," Patrick said after they were out of hearing range.
"Yes we do," Diss said softly. They both looked at Christy. She nodded in agreement.
"Obviously one of us is going to be left without someone, and I know it's not me," Christy said softly looking down. Diss looked at Patrick contemplating.
"You go back with her," Diss said after awhile.
"No, you go back with her Diss, I'm not the man she fell in love with," Patrick said quickly in return.
Christy turned to Patrick, " What do you mean by that?" Patrick looked down unable to tell her the truth. He hadn't slept well since it happened and telling her he remembered everything wasn't going to make it better.
Diss ended up making the save, "He's changed since you regained your memory."
"Changed how?" She said turning on him glaring. Patrick shifted under the glare and merely looked up at the sky. No stars to strengthen him now. He was alone, and oddly he was glad for it. He turned and faced her matching her gaze unflinching.
"I remember it all, I remember the invasion, I remember my life before it, and I remember everything after it," He said ticking them off on his fingers. He spoke neutrally, but Christy felt like he had hit her with each finger ticked off.
"Everything?" She breathed. Diss nodded softly in reply for him. Patrick took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair. Christy hugged him tightly. He looked at Diss confused. Diss just motioned to go with it and so Patrick slowly returned the hug.
'I still love you' Christy's voice said clearly.
'I know, but I'm not the man you love anymore,' Patrick returned sending the thought through their bond. She looked him in the eyes after that statement.
'That's bull; I'll love you no matter what you remember. When I said yes to marry you I made that commitment no matter what,' She thought angrily. She then kissed him deeply showing her love for him. He slowly kissed her back his arms wrapping tightly around her.
'Christy, I-'He was abruptly cut off by Christy.
'Oh no you don't, you either agree that we'll figure this out some other way or you shut up now and the other Diss stays here.'
'Christy listen to me! I'm no longer Diss. I'm not Diss, I'm not Eric, and I'm not me! One look at myself tells me this. I have training that Thomas could never have imagined. I am trained to be able to kill or disable someone within seconds. If I wanted to I could have killed Paul with a lot of trouble, but still killed him. I also know what Eric is now,' he said looking down. Christy pushed his chin up so she could look at him.
'Eric can go to hell; if I hear about Eric one more time I'll scream. I don't care; he's nothing more now than a distant memory. He-'
'Is my past. He was who I was. He was who I could easily become again. I'm being tempted to take my past and merge with it become who I was. The Aryans were in awe when I was finally caught. I was made who I was today because they respected the people who fought bravely,' Patrick finished her statement letting it sink in.
'You are above that Diss-'
'Christy stop calling me Diss I'm not him anymore!' She jumped away from him in shock. He had yelled at her yes, but never like this. He finally started speaking again.
"I'm not Diss. I'll never be Diss. The Diss in me died a short while ago. Bury him he's dead! I can never measure up to who I was anymore. I have done too much that would have made you sick to be able to wash it off my hands. I was lined up to kill another person. You want to know why I'm so horrible. I was an Assassin! I was a person that took life in cold blood for profit. I enjoyed it. The smell of burnt gunpowder was like a drug, it gave me a buzz like no other! Do you know what my favorite method of killing them was?" He continued to yell at her scaring her more and more. Diss stepped between them.
"Enough man, you're scaring her!" He said. She clung to him in horror.
Patrick looked down before he went on, "I would light fires, and I would burn the crime scene to eliminate any traces. I would kill them then burn them; sometimes I would just burn them if they pissed me off or just for the hell of it. It seems the Aryans are not above irony. These powers are more of a reminder to them of what I did to try and stop them." He looked up at them as they looked on Diss with determination, Christy in fear. "Now before I hurt anyone I love on accident I'm leaving." And before they could object Patrick walked back to the group.
"We're in deep shit." Diss said softly. Christy merely nodded.
~*~
Paul slowly opened his eyes. He looked around and flinched in pain each time he moved a muscle.
"Ow." He said quietly. He forced himself to look to his left to see Steena sleeping next to him peacefully. He looked to his right to see Miguel tied up with a gag. He felt something sharp and small crawl on his chest. He looked at it and saw two black beady eyes before him.
"Hi Henry." Paul managed to get out. His squirrel cuddled next to him closing its eyes getting ready to sleep. Paul managed to pull himself up when he saw a hand. Paul followed the hand up to see Patrick before him.
"Come on. We need to talk." Patrick said calmly. Paul took the hand and he ached as his body was hoisted into the air.
"So what's up Diss?" Paul asked. Pat shook his head.
"My name isn't Diss anymore. I want you to call me Pat okay?" Paul shook his head. "Well, don't call me Diss. My clone you can call Diss, he's wearing the black shirt."
"Okay Boss." Paul said grinning. Patrick grumbled and glared at Paul. "What, it's not Diss is it?" Pat just shook his head and mumbled. He led Paul outside the Tower Of Geddon and sat on a rock.
"I remember it all." Pat said plainly. "Before the Aryans." Paul nodded already knowing what was up ahead.
"Want to know how I dealt with it huh?" Patrick shook his head.
"Well, first, don't push anyone away. Hold em tighter. And two.you had one of those miserable pasts don't you?" Patrick nodded grimly.
"I was an assassin. Hired to kill. I burned people and the scene to hide my tracks. I don't like getting into details." Paul nodded.
"The worst thing I did in my life before the Aryans was stole from the nearby 7-Eleven, does that count?" Pat laughed slightly.
"Nope, not unless you killed someone and got away with it."
"Listen Pat, this is how it goes. In life, there are those who kill, and those who oppose to kill. Those are two sides of a coin. Killing can also be if taken as needed, or wanted. You did both. Sulking in the past about something no one will remember because of the Aryans won't do you or anyone any good. Life slaps you in the face with a hard cold glove of reality. Now it's up to you if you pick up the gauntlet and slap Life back." Patrick looked at his friend in a new way. Instead of his odd logic like he expected he heard actual wisdom.
"How did you get that conclusion?" Pat asked after awhile.
"When I killed the first person in my life I realized that I had become something I knew somehow I wasn't. That's when I got my slap in the face. It took me awhile to slap Life back. Now you choose. Get even with life, or get trampled." With that Paul got up slowly and left Patrick all by himself.
~*~
Paul walked back up to the area he was last at. He went up to Steena and kissed her gently on the cheek before moving onto Miguel.
"Sup?" Paul asked.
"MFFF UGH MUMUMUFFF" Miguel replied through his gag.
"Sounds interesting." Paul replied grinning. He undid Miguel's gag and untied him.
"So, we gonna ditch these people?" Miguel asked.
"Nope. These are my friends and family." Paul said quietly. Miguel nodded. Henry perked up and went next to Steena cuddling up with her. Steena unknowingly kissed Henry's head and held him to her.
"It's sad when your squirrel gets more action then you." Miguel said amusingly.
"Yeah, must do something about it." Paul said surging up to a minimal and blasting Steena. The blow was enough to jolt her awake. She looked down and saw Henry then screamed like she never screamed before.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!" She said after she awoke everyone else. Henry was frightened and ran behind Paul and up his back to jump onto Miguel's hat.
"What's wrong sweetie? You don't like squirrels." Paul said laughing. Steena was too angry to notice her boyfriend was alive from her brutal beating.
"You want another beating like before?" Steena said with a passion of anger. Paul just walked up to her and hugged her.
"I missed you." He said softly.
"I missed you also." Steena said holding him tight. "Don't ever make me do something like that again." Paul nodded kissing her softly.
"Where's Pat?" Clone Shaun asked. Shaun rubbed his head and looked at Paul.
"PAUL!" Shaun yelled.
"AHHHH! THERE ARE TWO OF THEM!" Paul yelled. Clone Paul walked up to Paul.
"So you're the crazy Paul." He said quietly. Paul looked at his clone and nearly fell back. Steena held him close as she whispered to him,
"It's okay, just calm down." Paul regrouped. Steena still held him as Clone Paul took a step closer.
"What number am I thinking of?" Clone Paul asked. Paul thought for a second.
"20, no, 28, no now 64, no, now 21. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!" Paul yelled. Clone Paul took a step back.
"There really is a strange connection." Clone Paul said in wonder.
"No, you were mouthing the words!" Paul shouted back. Christy sighed going back to sleep.
"This is going to be one long fun filled adventure."
~*~
Patrick continued to walk out of the sea. It was time to slap life back, and he knew how. He drew his staff preparing for the worst as he walked with a new spring in his steps. He was going to carry out rule one with no problems. He may not like it, but he was going to assassinate one last time. He sighed looking down at his feet as he continued walking. They would have probably objected to that. But then again they were ready to go for his throat. The entire reason the group was like that was that he had failed miserably as a leader. Diss could lead them, but he wouldn't anymore. He couldn't take responsibility for lives when he had twice put his personal interests before the needs of the group.
"You could poke someone's eye out with that thing," Came the familiar voice.
"Not right now Thomas," Patrick said walking by his former mentor.
"Dedicated aren't we?" He replied walking next to him.
"Thomas not now," Patrick said putting anger and silent threats into his voice.
"My pupil, how can you expect to learn when you close yourself off like that?"
Patrick turned to him, "Your pupil? I haven't been your pupil for three years. Three years ago my life changed and you weren't there anymore. Three years ago I had to carry your burden. Three years ago I had to fight with the Masters about what I would be wielding. Three years ago I lost Samantha for the first time. THREE YEARS AGO YOU ABANDONED ME!"
Thomas put his hands up, "Calm down Patrick. Yelling at me isn't going to change the past in any way."
"Yeah well its sure making me feel better."
"I always said you had too much anger for your own good."
"Its hard not to when your life is ripped away from you last minute. Because of my beloved brother I had to change everything. You realize the masters threw me out of the temple after they finished my training?"
"So they did to you what they kept trying to do to me.figures."
Patrick snorted, "Listen Thomas now's not a good time. If you would just stay away from me I might be able to do what I'm about to do without any problems."
"What's your plan?"
"Last time I was in this world it took the Dead Sea a week to become the Sea of Eden. I'm going to hang out in Termina till then. By the end of that time I'll steal a boat and finish off THE MAN once and for all!" Patrick said. It was like he had removed himself of all emotions. He started walking forward again when he felt Thomas' hand on his shoulder.
"Wait up a second, you still haven't gotten my advice."
"'When faced with the choice of fulfilling a dream and saving a friend choose what you hold dearest.' I've gotten it loud and clear."
"Then you have gotten to the crossroads. It's your choice. You can fulfill a dream or you can save a friend. Its your choice now."
"Thomas since when wasn't it my choice? Realistically I've always had that choice. Up until now I thought I could put my friends before my interests. But obviously I kept screwing that up. Now leave me alone. I'm doing this like I always should have. By. My. Self. No distractions, no friends, no problems," Patrick growled walking still further. They had reached the highway now and he was nearly out of the god-forsaken place.
"Patrick, wait a second," Thomas said after awhile.
"What? Are you trying to guilt me out of my decision? Are you going to try and verbally rip me a new one ethically? I've gone over it repeatedly. They threw the first punch; they constantly are putting me on the defensive. I'm sick of it! I'm sick of sitting there and watching my friends turn on me because I can't lead them effectively anymore. I'm sick of watching them suffer because some cosmic force thought it would be a riot to tear me from the world I once knew. I'm sick of all of this. I was so used to having that symbiote help guide me that I'm LOST WITHOUT IT! I'M SICK OF EVERYTHING. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE NOW BEFORE I ATTACK YOU COPOREAL OR NOT!" Patrick said leaving the Dead Sea. He climbed into one of the two boats and set sail for the main island. He was just tired of everything. After making sure the boat wouldn't crash he went to sleep in the boat dreaming of nightmares that had long plagued him.
~*~
"So, shall we get going?" Christy said cheerfully.
"It's social." Steena mumbled to Paul.
"Let's kill it." Paul mumbled back. Christy shook her head walking up to Both Shaun's. While one snored the other finished with 'Orlah, Orlah, Orlah'. Christy peered into Shaun's mind with her powers and saw the image of the low cut green dress. She left Shaun's mind and looked at Paul. She walked up to him and loosened herself up. Paul's eyes shot open and he glared at Christy. Christy took three steps back grabbing her head.
"Don't ever try to read my mind." Paul said evilly. Clone Paul woke up and saw Henry cuddled on his chest. Miguel was walking up to everyone with a big pot.
"Oatmeal better be everyone's taste right now." Miguel said tiredly.
"Where we going next?" Clone Shaun asked.
"I recommend Termina." Shaun said. Miguel and Paul looked at each other.
"What's wrong?" Steena asked wrapping her arms around Paul's waist leaning her head on Paul's shoulder looking at Miguel.
"A promise is a promise." Miguel said quietly. "I can't break that promise." Paul nodded.
"And who would know you broke it. Wazuki told you to stay behind, because he thought he would come back." Paul said quietly.
"I can't break that promise." Paul nodded.
"And who would know you broke it. Wazuki told you to stay behind, because he thought he would come back for you. You've been waiting for ten years now"
Serge woke up realizing the conversation was about his father. "I am positive he wouldn't wish for you to stay in hell forever." Miguel looked at Serge. Serge nodded agreeing.
"I might need my sunglasses. I haven't seen sunlight in." Miguel didn't finish. The mere fact he was leaving his home was a huge shock to him.
"If you fall along the way you still got me to help you up." Paul said sarcastically, but in a caring tone. Miguel got up and left into a tent. Paul followed behind him.
"It iz zo strange to zee zat man leave zis desolate place. He waz ze guardian of ze Dead Sea. Now who will watch over ze futures zat never were?' Harle said walking up to the group.
"It's loony time." Kid said. Harle ignored Kid's comment and entered the tent containing Paul and Miguel.
"Hello boyz." Harle said cheerfully. "Any'ting on ze agenda. Zearching for lost items like zis chain to your locket zat a cetain squirrel hid from ze man zat lives in Chronopolis? Leaving ze Dead Sea for ze first time in years perhaps?" Miguel and Paul just remained quiet as Paul took the locket from Harle.
"Thanks Harle." Paul said. "Now I ask you one last thing." Miguel nodded.
"You want me to protect ze Dead Sea for Miguel. Not a problem." Harle said waving her hand loosely in the air.
"Thank You." Miguel said. Harle nodded bowing to Paul.
"Adieu my friend. Adieu." And with that Harle left.
~*~
"Where's psycho lady?" Kid asked as Miguel left with his knapsack.
"Guarding the Dead Sea. Now lets go." Paul said walking next to Steena. Paul snapped his fingers twice and Henry ran up Paul's leg, up his back, jumped off his shoulder onto Miguel's shoulder and onto his hat.
"We're not keeping that squirrel." Steena said sternly.
"Why not. He helped me out here." Paul replied. Steena sighed.
"The first time I see that squirrel on my body it's going." Steena mumbled.
"First Rachel now you Steena." Paul said very quietly.
"What does that mean?" Steena said carefully.
"It means what I meant it be. Rachel hated animals, and now you do." Paul said tiredly.
"I don't hate animals, it's just that.a squirrel for a pet is not what you would call normal." Steena said on the fly.
"Steena," Paul said in a deep tone stopping her so she would look at him. "Am I normal?" Steena sighed.
"No, I suppose not. Listen, I don't want to fight.I just got you back." Paul held her close to him and whispered his apology. "I'll tell you what. If things don't work with the squirrel we'll give it to Miguel okay?" Paul nodded agreeing to it. They reached the area where the boats were and Shaun was the first to point out the big difference.
"There's one boat."
"Pat left on his own I guess." Christy said sadly.
"Well he did need time off." Diss said coolly.
"I am not getting on that boat." Paul said sternly.
"WHEE!!!!" Miguel shouted as he jumped into the water. "I forgot how much I loved water." After letting Miguel wade around in the water they all slowly got into the boats.
~*~
"I DON'T ENJOY THIS!" Paul shouted almost falling in. Steena and his clone grabbed Paul's shoulders and pulled him back in. Miguel was enjoying the scenery and company as he was having an intelligent conversation with Shaun. Christy was the first to spot land and Paul breathed a sigh of relief.
"How come you're so paranoid about water? I know we don't know how to swim, but this is pathetic." Clone Paul said. Paul replied quickly.
"Do you think hamsters migrate south for the winter?"
"No."
"Do you think they can swim?"
".No."
"Do you still love Rachel?"
"Yes." Both looked at each other.
"You claim to be my clone, but we are nothing alike. I loathe Rachel." Paul said irritably.
"It's just the dog. Besides, I miss her, instead of being unfaithful and dating other woman I am trying to go back to her." Clone Paul said harshly. Paul snapped.
"STOP LIVING IN THE DAMN PAST! WE BROKE UP! IT'S OVER! GONE!" Clone Paul hid behind Christy who took interest in the conversation.
"Paul, you need to go easy on yourself. He just doesn't know." The boats landed on the beach and everyone disembarked. The boat had to remain in the water, so Paul hurled Diss over his shoulder and carried him across the distance. Serge and Kid knew exactly where they were.
"We're about a 15 minute walk from Termina. Let's get going." Serge said in a dictatorship like tone. Both Paul's traveled up the road separate from each other.
~*~
"This is working A LOT weirder than we anticipated." The man said coldly.
"Pat denies himself Christy and Diss, Irrational Paul isolates himself from himself. Clone Shaun secretly thinks he is the real Shaun, and Shaun wants to take a nap cause his feet hurt." Lynx said looking through the binoculars.
"This doesn't work for us because?" Lynx said stupidly.
"It works for us. Just that I thought both Paul's would be exactly like each other. Sure irrational Paul would be weirder, but, this is insane." The man said trailing off.
"Well, in the sports tonight, Termina police arrested Patrick not less than three hours ago."
"Well at least we know plan B is working." The man muttered. "Stop grabbing my leg." Lynx looked at him like he was crazy.
"What the hell are you talking about?" The man looked down to see a snake wrapping around his leg.
"AHHHH!" The man screamed as he fell out of the tree. He grabbed Lynx and they both scraped against the branches of the tree. The snake slithered away as Lynx rubbed his head.
"Ow." They both got up and walked away. Catherine giggled from behind a bush.