Chapter Fifteen


Trigger Warnings For This Chapter: Cursing, Mental Illness Traits, Hallucinations, Delusions, Blood, Murder, Death, and Homophobic Language.


Pinky kept his distance as he watched handfuls of people preparing City Hall for the Snowman's press conference. Pinky hadn't even known there would be a press conference before his new friend told him about it last night. The idea of the Snowman giving a speech and being celebrated would normally have had Pinky agitated, but not when he knew about the plan. A plan that he would get to be a part of! He even helped tweak a few things and suggested something so amazing that he couldn't wait for it to come true. He got to name the plan, too! Operation Brain!

Pinky rolled his eyes with a smirk as he watched a few people hanging a banner with Snowball's name. Then there were people putting up stands advertising Snowball merchandise in the form of buttons and hats. They're wasting their time writing his name on everything. They're gonna know it. Know it all.

Pinky giggled in response to the voice. It's true! As City Hall became more and more decorated, Pinky eventually became bored and decided to leave. He needed to start heading back, anyway. Not back to the bridge, though. Back to where his mysterious friend had taken him last night. The dump. He felt safe there, too. His worries of Larry stumbling on him were near zero there, especially with as many people who would notice him before he could get too close. There were eyes on that place. Clowny-peephole eyes.

As Pinky began making his way over to the dump, a powerful urge hit him. A desire to make some smiles. He paced his breathing and tried to keep his mind on other things. He couldn't make smiles right now. That one detective could be lurking in this particular area.

It distressed his soul as he walked by so many candidates in need of smiling. Pinky was honestly surprised at this intense need to go through with the killings. He hadn't realized his happy pass-time had become an addiction.

Pinky passed the Raisnbread café and clenched his fists. Walking past this place made him feel a mix of emotions. Almost there. Suddenly he crashed down face-first into the concrete. "Ow." Pinky groaned as he pushed himself up off the sidewalk.

"Outta' my way, pink-haired freak." The man who had shoved Pinky walked off, grumbling his frustration.

Pinky smiled, keeping his eyes forward with great effort. "That's okay!" Keep it together. "Have a nice day!"

The man snapped back before he got too much further. "Shut up, faggot!"

Pinky's eyes darted left to right. A gleam from a knife on an outside café table caught his attention. Then he swished his head around, looking for signs of the detective who talked to him last night. It's not like he's here right now. Go for it.

Pinky dashed over to the knife on the table and ran at the man who had shoved him. He ran past him, bumping into the side of the man's arm hard. He looked back and was pleased to see the man chase after him. Getting his victims to chase him was his favorite method of trapping them.

He ran into an opening between two buildings that wasn't technically an alley. It was just big enough for a person to walk through.

The man followed him into the claustrophobic setting. "Get over here!"

Pinky smirked. He stopped and turned around, sprinting full speed towards the man. Like how it went every time he killed, a neck was slashed, and a smile made.

Pinky hovered over the man, breathing harshly until it evened out. He re-pocketed his knife with a head nod and turned to leave. Then froze.

Standing at the end of the small path between the buildings was a man in a hat. Larry... Larry's mouth hung open while a bagel hovered just a few centimeters away from it. His right foot was upright, and his eyes were blown open cartoonishly wide.

They stood, just staring at each other for several minutes.

Go! Now, you clown!

Pinky took off running as fast as his feet would move. He only dared to look back once and regretted it. The detective was gaining fast, and the gun attached to his belt bounced along ominously. Pinky headed for his original destination, the dump, hoping to get some help.

The entrance to the dump became clearer and clearer as he got closer. Just a little more!

"Get back here! Stop!"

Pinky pushed further and rushed past the entrance and down a path lined with mounds of garbage. He screamed out, feeling a tad pathetic. The man had a gun, though! There was a saying about knives and guns that he knew meant bad things for the guy with the knife. "Help! Please!"

Pinky came upon a dead end and turned around, panicked. "Uh, oh. Poit." I can't believe I just did that.

Larry stopped about twenty feet from Pinky and pulled out his gun, aiming it at Pinky. "Hands up! On the ground, now!"

Pinky shakily dropped to his knees, placing his hands in the air.

The man lowered his gun and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. He slowly approached Pinky but was suddenly sprawled out on the ground holding his head as a watering-can rolled away. His gun flew out of his hand as well. The detective made a move to quickly grab it, but his hand was halted by a boot. "Ow! Fuck!"

The detective looked up to see a masked individual towering over him menacingly. He was honestly spooked but attempted to use his authority as a man of the law regardless. "Stop! Release me, now! I'm a detective for the city!"

The masked man only pressed his foot down harder, earning a moan from the detective and a crack from his hand.

The detective attempted to get up but felt fingers around his ankles. The boot lifted, and Larry was dragged away. He twisted so he could see who had grabbed him and gasped. Two more people with clown masks. He noticed movement in the corner of his eyes and saw even more masked people making themselves known. "What the fuck!?"

Pinky was back on his feet with a huge smile. His new friend and the other people he met last night saved him! He watched with happy eyes as the mean detective was dragged off. Pinky ran over as more of a crowd formed.

A few dozen masked men surrounded Larry as he was released inside a circle drawn in the dirt. They cuffed Larry's hands together, unfazed by his struggling. The detective was noticeably shaken and desperately begged to be released. "What's going on?! Please, let me go! I-I won't arrest him! Just let me go, and I won't arrest anyone!"

The masked people didn't speak and began kicking the detective, beating him without mercy.

Pinky peeked through an opening between two people beating on the man and made eye contact. He stuck out his tongue and waved right before the man was kicked in his eye. Pinky heard the dull groans of the detective decrescendo until they were gone completely, leaving only the sound of thuds and cracking.

Pinky turned his attention back to his new friend. "Oh, thank you! I was worried he was gonna take me away!" Pinky leaned in and whispered. "He saw me makin' smiles. Narf!" He had told all the masked people who he was last night. They were delighted upon hearing it was him that had done the smiley-faced killings. They even cheered when they found out it was him! Apparently, he had offed several people not well-liked by the masked people. Whoever these people were, they liked Pinky and the things he did a lot.

Pink waved for his new friend to follow and walked off a little way to a small collection of things he had selected from the dump earlier this morning. He sat down and motioned for the other to do the same. "I'm making a present for Brain." He pointed to the project he had started on. "Can you help me finish it? I'm not too bright, and I need it finished before tonight, 'cause, well… you know."

The man shrugged and sat down, grabbing a piece of a bronze plate.

Pinky beamed. This man had led him here last night to meet with all the other masked people to make tonight's plan. Pinky had been shocked at how many clown-masked people were in support of him. He was pretty sure they had misunderstood and misinterpreted a few things he said on the Murphy Show, like their interpretation of there being a battle on the rich vs. the poor, but he thinks they got the central part of his message. They were helping him free Brain!

Having the support of so many people truly touched Pinky. He wouldn't have had any idea that this many people would like him had he not made his TV appearance. Brain would be so happy about all of this; he was certain of it.

Pinky looked over at his new friend. "Say, if you don't mind me asking, troz, what's your name? I know it kind of defeats the purpose of the mask, but I'd love to know."

The man paused what he was doing. After a solid minute had passed, he continued working with his piece of metal. "My name's Carther. You can call me Happy, though. It's what my mother used to call me."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Brain yawned and rolled his eyes when Deja walked in. It seemed it was going to be a relatively quick visit at the moment, considering she didn't bring her chair this time.

The woman cleared her throat. "Hello, Mr. Brain. I'm going to make this quick. Today you were scheduled to talk with detective Larry. Unfortunately, he appears to have gone missing for the evening. So, your meeting with him is canceled until further notice. That's all."

Brain smirked. "My lover must have gotten to him. It's the only explanation. Your time, too, is coming."

Deja opened her mouth to say something but decided against it. She had her meeting with him later and decided she'd talk more about his delusion then. She left almost as quickly as when she came in.

Brain smiled and let out a few chuckles. Tonight's the night! I'm going to be free! Pinky's coming!

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Pinky added the final touches to his present for Brain and held it up proudly. "Naaaarf! Oh, I hope he loves it! Do you think he'll like it, Happy?" The man nodded and pointed up at the sky. The light from the sun had dulled as it began its descent. Evening. It was time to get started.

Pinky held his gift to Brain under his arm and walked over to a little shed in the middle of the dump with Happy. A large crowd of masked people had gathered around it, waiting. Pinky's friend made quick work of running up and onto the shed. When Pinky looked up, the man pointed at Pinky, then waved him over. The crowd turned their heads and then parted, making a path for Pinky.

Pinky blushed and walked the path up to the shed and climbed the latter that was up against it. They love you, clown.

Once on the roof, Pinky looked to his friend for guidance. He wasn't sure what to do. Last night they had made up a plan regarding Snowball's speech at City Hall for tonight, so he had no idea what else there was to say.

Happy nodded and took the lead. He talked at a comfortable voice level, the silence carrying his words. "Hello, everyone. Yesterday we discussed what we are going to be doing tonight. I wanted to reiterate a few things before we go." He turned to Pinky. "And when we do go, it'll be on Pinky's word."

The crowd clapped and nodded their heads; a few of them held up 'Free Brain' signs and 'Pinky is Us' signs.

"A-team, raise your hands." A group of twenty people raised their hands. Their masks had neutral faces on them. "Good. Remember, you're on the general guards for the crowd. ….B-team, raise your hands." Another group of twenty raised their hands. Their masks had shocked expressions on them.

All the teams, A-F, were accounted for and had their assignments reiterated. Pinky was a part of the F-team. In fact, he was the only one on the F team. His goal was a singular person's capture, and Pinky was honestly a bit nervous.

Happy faced Pinky. "Now, a word from the man who helped make this plan. The man who inspired us all when he spoke on the Murphy Show. Pinky Wigerman!" The crowd cheered.

Pinky took a deep breath. A pep-talk. Okay. He could do that. "Thank you, everyone! Tonight is gonna' be in tents!" Suddenly, Pinky felt very unusual. He wobbled and caught himself before he fell. He looked into the crowd and saw his non-people. The creepy lady and the ghost man. Then, all at once, several voices in his head started shouting.

Clown!

You're crazy!

Kill?

Follow the leader!

Run!

Scream before it's canceled!

...

Pinky almost did scream until he felt hands on his underarms helping him to his feet. He looked at Happy, who had his head tilted in concern. Then he looked at the crowd, who also seemed concerned. Pinky blushed. "S-sorry, everyone! Poit. I guess I meant it when I said it was going to be an in tents night!"

Happy prodded slightly. "Are you going to be okay?"

Pinky shook the voices from his head and blinked away the non-people. Pinky did feel a little uneasy now, but he couldn't back down. He had to do this. For Brain. He straightened his posture and spoke assertively. "I'll be just fine! Just a little foggy! Narf-Zort!" He pumped a fist into the air. "Nothing is gonna' stop tonight! We're going to do this, and we're going to do it perfectly! We all know what our roles are! Narf!"

The crowd was quick to brush away their concerns and cheered loudly.

Pinky stuck his other fist in the air. Seeing the crowd so ready to go filled him with an excitement that outweighed his uneasiness. "Operation Brain, Let's go!"–-Let's go!