Chapter 18: All work And No play

It had been a week since the poker game, truthfully it had been a boring or peaceful week depending on who you asked. Hunter enjoyed the week of relaxation, but Alex would have liked to do something other than have to watch his mouth and listen to Shiro ask about when Ganta would be back. He would have dropped her off with Minatsuki but things were awkward between them after the kiss. Thankfully after a short wait Ganta was out and Shiro had moved on to pestering Him non-stop. Now Alex loved his little sister and if he really had to he would put up with her hyperactivity and hatred of smoking and swearing for the rest of time. But the thing is he didn't so right now he was going to sit down and enjoy the nicotine from his cancer stick. Or that was the plan until he heard a knock at his door. Standing back up he shoved the cigarette pack into his pocket and opened the door. On the other side was Hunter who Alex hadn't expected to see but was fine with the surprise visit.

"What's up Hunter?"

"Oh not much, me, Haru, and Rin are just grabbing some drinks. You in?" Alex thought for a moment then decided it would probably be fun.

"Ah what the hell, I'm not doing anything else count me in."

Jason sat at his computer watching a recording of the Forgeries in action, and while watching Deadmen explode into mush he came to the conclusion that Tamaki was somehow getting off to this. What other excuse was there for his seemingly endless enjoyment of death and suffering? Now Jason was no stranger to these things himself but that didn't mean he enjoyed it, every life he took served a purpose no matter how evil his actions seemed or undeniably were they served a purpose that was for the grater good. He knew he would pay for the things he did, whether it was hell, imprisonment, or even good old fashioned Karma would punish him for his actions. He was fine with that though in truth he was fine with that but first he needed to stop Alex... or rather what he is capable of. He sighed thinking about it, all things considered it was for the best that Alex didn't remember his past, not only was this new Alex less dangerous but he seemed to be able to stay in control against Zeus. Zeus had been an issue ever since it manifested taking control of his brother and influencing him to... That wasn't important, he needed to focus on something else. Like the intruder who was sneaking up on him.

"Take one more step and you won't make it out of this room alive." as if to test him the intruder took a single step closer and stopped. Jason turned his head to see a young man with messy green hair, pale skin and golden eyes. He wore a loose fitting white jacket that was zipped from his chest to just above his belly button, white shorts being held up by a yellow belt, and white shoes with red cuffs. Even though Jason had never seen this person before in his life the young man had a familiar presence that bothered Jason "Who are you?" The young man laughed and bent forward with a smirk.

"Are you saying you don't remember me Jason? I'm hurt." Jason wracked his brain looking for answers but came up with nothing as the man sighed. "Well in that case allow me to reintroduce myself, my name is now Toto, but you might recognize me as The Mockingbird." Jason's eyes widened at the revelation.

"Hagire?" Jason didn't know what he had expected Mockingbird to have looked like but this certainly wasn't it. A smile spread across the man's face as he stood up straight and nodded.

"In the flesh."

"It's good to see you're back in action, are there any updates to the plan?"

"No, I'm going to integrate myself into the deadman population and you will try and keep the new director from getting us all killed." Jason had to keep himself from groaning, he hated taking orders from Tamaki, mostly because they almost always consisted of doing nothing or helping out with many forms of busy work. But then there were the strange orders. For example his first job had been to have his blood taken, but this wasn't some random physical, it was a mandate from Tamaki himself.

"Why did you put that madman in power anyway? He's a psychopath." Hagire thought for a moment about how to best explain it to Jason.

"Give a pawn power and they just become more useful. Give the Queen power and she becomes an obstacle." Jason thought that made enough sense. He still didn't like it though.

Hunter took a drink from his Tequila and made a face. That tasted bad, like bad, like he had no idea how did his mom liked this let alone drank it?

"Not a fan?" Hunter looked to see Haru with an amused look on his face.

"Not sure what he expected" Alex said raising a glass of Rum "Tequila tastes like shit." Hunter got a little defensive at this saying.

"You're the one who talked me into getting liquor."

"Yeah, but I didn't expect you to pick the worst one." Haru chuckled at this saying.

"Well, everyone has different tastes when it comes to drinks." He then glanced at the drink. "But truth be told I was never a fan." Just then Rin stood up and loudly proclaimed

"Yeah Screw Tequila!" Everyone chuckled at Rin who was already getting tipsy from her second glass of strawberry Vodka.

"It's not that bad, honestly I think it's pretty good when mixed with Lemonade." Everyone in the room turned to see none other than Tamaki Standing in the doorway. All four deadmen activated their branches and got ready to tear the man apart as he held his hands up and laughed. "Oh come now you're not going to kill me are you? And after the favor I just did you all."

"Favor?" Rin asked watching the fox-faced man closely

"You haven't heard?" "Well let me fill you in, our dirty little secret got out." This caused even more confusion amongst the group which just amused Tamaki. "The existence of Deadmen has been leaked into the public."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad this shitshow blew up in your face but what does this have to do with us?"

"Use your head dear boy, if everyone knows about you then there's no reason to keep you secret."

"You don't mean..."

"That's right, You're allowed out of G-block." Their collective look of shock earned a laugh from Tamaki as he walked out.

Alex swung narrowly missing Hunters face as the younger teen ducked under his hand. Hunter retaliated by grabbing Alex around the waist and trying to tackle him to the ground. Alex spread his legs to keep balance, this kept him on his feet as he was pushed back. Alex raised his fist before slamming it down on Hunters back. Hunter grunted with every impact as Alex repeated his attack, taking a different approach he lifted Alex off his his feet and was about to throw him to the ground. Alex reacted quickly and kicked Hunters leg out from under him. Hunter fell to a knee and prepared to counter attack when Alex's elbow hit his shoulder stunning him giving Alex just enough time to Punch Hunter square in the face knocking him on his back. Hunter tried to get up but was held down by Alex's boot in his chest. He then looked down at his friend with a smirk.

"So that's three to nothing right?" Hunter glared up at Alex as the older teen extended his hand out to help him up. Hunter accepted the help but sill complained as he stood.

"Damn man, that hurt." Alex shrugged in indifference which understandably annoyed Hunter. "You could at least pull some punches." Alex rolled his eyes.

"You aren't going to be a better fighter if you don't get experience from a real fight."

"And you think im going to get it by you beating the crap out of me?"

"How do you think I learned how to fight?"

"Well, maybe that worked for you but I'm different."

"You mean you don't know how to take a hit?"

"Oh and you can?"

"Damn straight." Hunter crossed his arms "Go on hit me." But Hunter just narrowed his eyes.

"Why aren't we outside? Everyone else is out there enjoying the Sun but we're still in G-Block sparing."

"Because that Fox-Faced bastard is up to something, He wouldn't just let us into the main prison if he didn't have something up his sleeve and you and I both need to be ready for when he does whatever he's planning." Hunter had to concede that what Alex was saying made sense. But still would five minutes in the light of day really hurt them that much?

"I'm boooored! Someone play with me!" The boys turned to Shiro who was twirling one of the fifty pound weights on a finger. Hunter and Alex weren't the only people in the gym, Ganta and Senji had also been training and Shiro was left alone to try and entertain herself.

"Play?" Alex asked. There was nothing to play at the moment, besides they were busy.

"Yeah like you and Hunter or Ganta and Senji!" Then it clicked, she wanted to fight.

"You want to spar with us?" Hunter turned to Alex and gave him a look meant to ask if he was retarded.

"Us? No way man, this is your suicide mission." It took Alex everything he had not to call Hunter a pussy. He sighed and turned to his sister.

"You really wanna spar with me?" Shiro jumped up and nodded frantically with a wide smile on her face. Alex chuckled and rose his fists and got into a boxing stance "Alright then Shiro, lets go!" Without any hesitation Shiro sprang into action. Alex dodged the kicks Shiro threw his way, but they were all close calls and he was quickly backed into a wall were she jumped up and tried to knee him in the sternum. He raised his arms forming an x with his arms and creating a shield which audibly cracked as her knee connected with it. He then pushed against her knocking her onto her back. He barely had time to react as she spun her legs kicking his feet out from under him sending him and his blood onto the ground with her. Shiro swiftly got to her feet and moved over him before bringing her foot down on his face. his head was pushed to the side and hit the floor, as Alex tried to turn his head Shiro spun around and used her heel to kick him in the same place. As he was once again stunned she hopped on him and started landing punch after punch on his face. Alex gathered some blood in his hand before shoving it into her gut and sending out a blast that sent her flying into the adjacent wall. As he stood he saw she was already running at him. He barely ducked under the punch she threw, moving behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up and suplexed her into the ground head first. Alex breathed heavily as he raised to one knee, Shiro however didn't miss a beat as she was back on her feet. She then jumped up and drop kicked him in the chest. Alex was once again on his back but this time he rolled back putting himself into a kneeling position. He narrowed his eyes at the Albino teen, okay holding back was going to get him killed time to fight properly. Bringing his blood to his hands forming gauntlets that looked like they were from some sort of exoskeleton. He wasted no time rushing over to his younger sibling throwing a hook which she easily dodged and grabbed him by his waist trying to push him back. He raised his arms up and brought then down on her shoulder blades. She dropped almost to the ground as he lifted his knee into her chin sending her back up. Stunned she was helpless as he grabbed her neck protect her and sent a uppercut into her gut knocking the wind out of her, then a hook into her ribs resulting in a wet snapping noise, then a jab to her face bending her nose to the side spilling blood. He stopped and let go Eyes wide in horror at the realization that he had gone to far.

"Oh god Shiro im so sorry are yo-" He was the cut off with a high kick he was barely able to block with both hands. Shiro then jumped up and brought her free leg to his jaw sending him staggering as he struggled to stay standing he raised his hand up to his face. He knew his limits, he might have been able to win if he hadn't gone easy on her at first, but even then he wasn't so sure, he had broken her nose and ribs and she wasn't even fazed, hell, she was already healing. His only real advantage's were his better skills as a fighter and branch of sin but really that wasn't enough considering she was stronger, faster, didn't feel pain, and could regenerate. No he wasn't going to win this fight unless everything went his way. Realizing this he decided to concede. "Okay I give up, you win."

"Aww but Shiro was getting real exited." She pouted hoping for a bit more fun. Alex just Rubbed his

"Sorry Snowflake but I think you knocked my fillings loose with that last kick, I'm done for now."

"Oh come on even Ganta lasted longer than that." Alex and Hunter both turned in shock to Ganta who was still doing his own training with Senji.

"Dude, if I ever want to fight Ganta remind me how bad an idea that is." Hunter nodded before saying.

"Noted." Then the T.V. in the room sprang to life showing Tamaki standing in front of a podium with microphones pointed at him. Behind him was a stage being cover by a curtain. He cleared his throat and began.

"It has come to my attention that the existence of beings known as Deadmen has been leaked to the public."

"Wait, why is he showing us the press conference?" Hunter asked turning to Alex who continued to stare at the screen.

"Like I said, he has something up his sleeve, and I think we're about to see what it is."

"Before I go any further I would like to apologize for keeping this secret for as long as I have, We feared that the panic would negatively affect the funding of Deadman Wonderland. Make no mistake, this establishment is not just a theme park or even a simple prison, but a safeguard for the public against the Deadmen." Several videos then started playing. The occupants in the room didn't recognizes most of the people in the videos but then a clip of Senji cutting a man into pieces, then a few videos later Minatsuki was Shown disemboweling some poor bastard. And finally Alex stabbing Eagle before decapitating her. Alex looked over to Shiro, hoping that she hadn't been looking, but she was and now she seemed to be in a trance staring at the screen. "I understand if these video are not enough to convince some of you, so I have prepared a live demonstration." The curtain blocking view of the stage lifted to reveal the main Carnival Corpse arena with two people already inside. One was a large buff man with short dark hair and tattoos all across his chest and back. He wore Camo pants and boots. The second figure was smaller wore a black cloak and mask leaving only their grey pants and brown shoes visible. Hunter couldn't help but noticed how similar they looked to the woman in red. "Please if you are sensitive to violence I beg of you: look away." And with that the match was under way. The man ran forward forming spiked balls at his hands, the man swung wildly but the cloaked figure dodged and formed a blood snake that lashed out and bit the man just below the shoulder. This seemed to do almost nothing as he laughed off the attack and taunted his opponent. But then his shoulder and arm started to grow and began resembling blisters. The man froze in a mixture of pain and panic as the figure walked up to him and taped the growth. With that the man exploded spraying his blood and organs all over the arena walls. "This is a Deadman at its core you see-"

"FUCK YOU!" Alex snapped grabbing the biggest weight he could find, picking it up and covering it in his blood before throwing it through the T.V. Every kept their eyes on Alex as his hands shook with rage as he looked at the hole in the television.

"Well that was certainly something now wasn't it?" Everyone in the room Turned to see Toto standing in the doorway with an amused expression on his face. "It seems the Director has figured out how to create artificial Deadmen."