A/N:

Sorry for the mix up guys! Uploaded an Animaniacs chapter before by mistake... Ugh. Sorry! Heres the real one! Nice long chapter for you guys XD And boy will you like the ending. I hope... I really hope lol. Sorry for the gap again! I have recently accomplished the impossible and got a job! A real paying job! Whoo! Anyway, you've waited enough. Enjoy!

Smile was, pardon the pun, dog-tired as he sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him. It had all happened so fast! One minute he had been keen on the scent of Sickness, something that both burns and makes the mouth water he might add; and the next he was having his brain fried by an overdose and his company being dragged down into darkness by someone... new. And she was absolutely lethal with the Sickness. She had taken them. And he hadn't been able to do a thing. Finally, he had been forced to return home. He had to tell Slender!

It took longer than expected , what without Shad's powers to give them travel. But eventually, he had burst through the door and was rushing down the corridor towards Slender's office. Slender would know what to do. Slender had to make a move now. Enough waiting around, too many proxies had been taken. If a dog, no matter the demon-influenced intelligence, could come to that conclusion then Slender of all beings should too!

He raced forward, tongue hanging past his freakishly human teeth, eyes weary but alert for the most part as he rounded closer. Only to skid to a stop to avoid crashing into two remaining proxies. One a tall blond, and smelt a little of burning static to his canine senses, and the other a shorter blonde female who looked either close to tears or close to passing out. Ah, Ben-proxy and Trixie-proxy. Good!

Ben sighed and gave Trixie a flat look, "And you think Slender is going to send out the search party again?"

"M-Maybe." She muttered, the mutilated drawing of Shad that had been forced through her mind clutched in her hand, exhaustion plastered on her face from the strain of having her mind invaded like that.

"Trix?" He tapped the paper with his finger and arched an eyebrow, "This was the search party!"

"Please don't yell at me..." She whimpered, holding her head and giving him a cold look, "I'm scared, alright? I don't know if they're okay or caught or worse, I just have a drawing that someone else put in my head so I am scared and I do not need you yelling at me!"

"I'm not yelling." He said, true to his word and voice as steady, "Simply pointing out a fact. And if I'm honest, I think it's a scare tactic. Not worth bothering Slendy over when we both know they're going to come around that corner any- whoa!"

Smile skidded, only just missing Trixie and ending up bumping right into Ben's knees, nearly making him fall if he hadn't hovered up a few feet as a reflex response. Not that the dog was particularly bothered. Well not about that anyway. But he was shifting from paw to paw, grumbling and growling as he was trying to get his message across.

"Smile?" Trixie blinked, looking down at him quizzically, "Y-You're okay? Are the others okay?"

"Of course they are... Oh wait! What's that boy?" Ben asked, a sarcastic glint in his eye as he crouched down to look at Smile in the eye, "Little Timmy's gotten stuck down a well?"

Smile hunched his shoulders, snarling and delivering a bark loud enough to make them flinch.

Ben snapped his fingers as if coming to a realisation, "Little Toby's gotten dragged down to hell! Oh sorry, boy, I always mix those up."

The demonic canine shifted from paw to paw uneasily, grunting and growling impatiently, looking up at them with an air of urgency. He bobbed his head as if he were nodding. Not something uncommon of a creature of his origin and intellect. But it held a lot more meaning this time around.

The ghost stopped all signs of messing around, eyes turning hard, "Wait, I was right? Toby got taken?"

"What about Shad?" Trixie asked, "And Kate? What happened? What do we do now?"

"Unless you speak dog you're not going to get that answered." Ben commented.

Smile growled at him in warning before stepping around Trixie and giving the beck of her legs a harsh nudge to send her walking down the corridor.

Ben blinked, "Okay... proven wrong... Bound to happen one day. Wait up!"

Slender, naturally, had not taken the news of yet another attack well. To start with, he had been getting more irritable anyway with the stress, lack of food coming in and more stress. So when he had suddenly had three proxies rushing into his office and starting a panic. And as soon as he gathered information that both Shad and Toby had been taken, he was practically furious. Not with Smile, or with the others for letting him know because he did want to know, but he was furious at himself. Once he had gathered the bare bones of the story, because he couldn't exactly gather everything from a snarling hound, nervous girl with a drawing and a bored looking spirit... He took his leave, searching out details for himself.

Of course, due to his stress and lack of energy since his choice to stop sending the others out to collect food for him, the decision to travel was one that took a great toll on him. He was weak, tired, and worried. Not a good combination when visiting a scene so recently used to Sickness to thrive. He made the wrong choice, he realised. There were going to be attacks whether his proxies were out in the open doing his bidding or hidden away on the inside. There was no escape. And he had let himself weaken in hopes of ignoring it. He had been wrong... And now, as he struggled to venture out, he was paying the price.

It was unclear how long he was gone for. But in that time, Smile, Trixie and Ben had made their way back into the common room to fill the others in. It was disturbing just how few of them there were now. Trixie, Ben, Jeff, Alice and Smile. With so many already taken, and others out on their own missions as such, it was near impossible to stay positive about much anymore. Smile sat with his head rested on Jeff's lap, looking ready to fall asleep if he allowed himself. The only sound in the room being the irritable shuffles of Alice's playing cards. No one spoke. No one moved. It was tense and unwanted. Not even a case of worry for the proxies, well in some part it was, but for the most part it was fear of the unknown. Who was going to be next to go?

Hours. It felt like hours before Smile lifted his head and sniffed the air. Slender was returning. And by the slight chill in the air, it was not good news. The group waited with baited breath like one would wait for news of a relative in a hospital. Numb, and not breathing. And when he finally entered the room, he had never looked more exhausted. His back was slightly hunched, shoulders moving as if he were struggling to keep a regular breathing pattern. The tiny indentation where his eyes should be were shaded and sullen as if he had not slept in days. His energy levels were next to none. He looked ready to pass out. And so weak... And for the others, the realisation of such fact hit them like a train of pure Sickness.

As usual, it was Ben who broke the silence. Sarcasm still etched to his tone, but even he couldn't deny the trace of dread, "I really hope you're going to say Toby really was just stuck down a well..."

Slender sighed, his shoulders deflating visibly, I am afraid not...

"He's really gone?" Trixie asked, eyes wide, "Toby and Shad are-"

Yes... Slender interrupted gently, voice attempting comfort, but how on earth could he fully manage that at a time like this? It seems that Shadow Lurker and Toby have indeed been taken by Zalgo... It was too late to trace them and follow by the time I arrived...

Smile lifted his head, a sad look in his dark eyes and letting out a short and low howl as if in mourning.

No, Smile, there was nothing that you could have done...

That didn't seem to pacify the canine, but he stayed silent for now since there really was nothing else he could do. Jeff put a hand on Smile's head, but his expression didn't change from the pure heated rage stewing inside of him. But not from the news. It was a personal grudge that had been brewing for a while now.

Alice gave him a questioning look for a moment before turning to Slender. Expression not changing, "So what exactly are we going to do? We have a location for the portal now right? It should be easy to just hop in and get them back from there."

Indeed, we have a location, Alice, but it is too dangerous to just hop in... Slender insisted, I will think of something... This requires careful planning and-

"No offence, Slendy," Ben raised a hand to get attention, "but waiting around and careful planning has resulted in a round of headaches and two more missing in actions... This isn't our best work."

Slender sighed but he didn't protest, I understand that it had been a hard time for us all and of course we are doing our best to get them back to us... This has just... It was not foreseen...

Trixie winced. Of course it was not foreseen! But then again that was pretty much the only set in stone face in this entire situation so it made sense to voice it. In truth, she was kind of on the others side on this one. Planning was not doing anything anymore! But she couldn't bring herself to point this out. Slender looked so tired and drained. Not to mention she knew that she knew he was just as lost as they were right now. And that's what was making her angry. The fact that for once, the master was on the same level as the proxies and the proxies were just so damn self-centred to notice it. He was trying, why couldn't they at least help?

She tilted her head, "Are they going to be alright, Sir? Kate's still out there, maybe she's found something?"

Slender held his forehead and sighed, trying to make sense of it all, he just... He didn't know what to do, In all honesty, Beatrix, I-

"Honest..." Jeff scoffed, teeth grinding, "That's rich."

Slender turned his head to face him questioningly, I have been nothing but honest with all of you, Jeffery, you should know that by now...

"All I know for sure is that you're breaking your back trying to get your precious pets back to do your dirty work so you can get a point up on Zalgo. As always..."

That is not the case at all, Jeffery and you understand that... I am trying to get them home because-

"Because they're the only ones who don't argue back. They're the ones who get you the most food. They're the ones that kiss your ass. Notice the pattern here?" Jeff challenged, voice raising, "Zalgo's going after the ones who think you're freaking god! Masky, Hoody, Jack, and now Toby and Shad! He's picking off the ones that you need the most and that's why you want them back so much! Not because you care but because you're getting hungry!"

Alice gave him a look, "Jeff that's-"

"Piss off! It's about time someone said this!" He marched up to Slender, staring up at him with a look of hatred despite the four foot height difference, "You don't give a shit about us as long as you get your food! You pretend to play hero just so we'll feel like we're in your debt and have to obey you! Now you're favourite scavengers are gone and you're starting to panic! I wouldn't be surprised if the only reason the rest of us haven't been taken is because Zalgo knows you'll eat our souls first before he gets a chance!"

Jeffery, that's not-

"If it's not true, then how come when Jack was seen and now when Shad goes missing, you go out there yourself and make a move. But when it was me, you did fuck all and were willing to let me die..."

The air felt cold and heavy. No one dared move. It had been a hell of a long time since someone had gone up against Slender like this. And never on such a personal level. Slender looked down at Jeff with an air that just could not be read. Internally, he was conflicted. On one hand, he was tempted to tell Jeff exactly how much he was trying to keep them all safe and if he didn't appreciate it then he could leave and try his luck out there alone and then remind him that he would not last more than ten minutes without them. But instead... he had to admit that Jeff was right about one thing. He really wasn't doing enough for them. And it hurt more than he would show.

Finally, Slender straightened his jacket and spoke, calmly and slowly. So steady that it was almost as terrifying as it would be if he were screaming, I apologise that you feel that way, Jeffery... If you'll excuse me... I will report when I have more news...

And just like that... Slender was gone. And yet the chill remained. Sickness hung faintly in the air, but not deadly. Just uncomfortable and mildly anxiety-inducing. Trixie found it hard to breathe. All eyes were on Jeff as he remained standing there, shaking with fury. And when he was in such a state, he did the only thing he could think of, and that was tear his knife out of his pocket, clench it tight in his hand, and snarl...

"Ben... Stand up..."

Ben looked mildly uneasy, but trying to pass it off as boredom, "Listen, bud, you know it doesn't-"

"Stand the fuck up, Ben!"

"Standing up." He sighed, holding his arms out a little, "Have at it-ah shit!"

He yelled out from pain, slumping against the wall and looking at Jeff in strained calm as the knife plunged deep into his shoulder. His static reacting to the metal and creating sparks. The killer charged forward, one hand clamping around Ben's neck and pushing him closer against the wall while his other hand wrenched the knife out of his flesh only to drive it back down into his chest again and again. He stabbed, slashed, tore at Ben's flesh. A look of insane hatred enflamed in his eyes. All the while, Ben gritted his teeth and kept his eyes open and staring hard at Jeff. Grunting and the occasional yell of pain escaping through his throat. But he was not fighting back. He stood there and allowed Jeff to mutilate him. Sparks crackling with every swipe.

"Stop!" Trixie cried out, getting to her feet, "Stop it!"

Alice grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back and a cold expression in her eye, "Just let him have his tantrum."

"He's going to kill him!"

The cold look didn't change, in fact she didn't even look away from the horrific sight, "Ben's already dead, genius..."

Trixie blinked. That... was true. But she didn't know what that meant for someone literally being stabbed in front of her. And it gave her a sickening flashback that she really didn't want. Ollie... Mom... Dad... So much blood. So much blame. Guilt. Darkness. Blood. Sickness! No, don't go there! This is the here and now and you need to focus! For example, focus on how there was no blood. None... Not at all. Apart from the small sparks where electric met metal, there was no gore at all. Jeff kept stabbing, Ben kept getting stabbed, but there was nothing to show from it. Hell, even Ben's pale skin just seemed to reseal itself as soon as the blade was gone. He obviously felt the pain, but he was still healed...

She didn't understand. But she listened to Alice's advice. All they could do was watch as Jeff unleashed stab after stab. The knife vanishing into Ben's clothes and skin as if it were melting through a hologram, although with all of the sound effects and blunt resistance included. It was near agonising to watch. But at the same time hypnotic. The one time death would never arrive, because it had already been and gone years ago.

Finally, Jeff's attack started to slow down, and eventually come to a stop. Leaving him standing there, knife clutched in his hand and panting heavily as if he had just run across the country. His eyes were still wide, traced with madness and his scars a dark bruised red where his blood had been pumping so forcefully through his body. But he had stopped. And Ben... Ben was leaning against the wall still for support, holding his chest as he gasped for the air he couldn't take. It seemed like no one was able to speak for a painful amount of time. It was like time had stopped.

It wasn't until Smile grumbled that the silence shattered. Ben swallowed thickly before giving Jeff a sour look, clearly trying to retain his usually cool attitude, "Feel better?"

Jeff barely spoke louder than a growl, "No..."

"Need another?"

"No..."

Alice scoffed, "That's right. Never done with the temper tantrum."

It was like someone had turned the switch back in his head, rage burning, "You know what, bitch?"

"What, Jeff?" She snapped back, "What do I know? Please enlighten me, because right now it looks like apart from throwing a fit, we don't know anything!"

"I wish I'd gotten the fuck out of this circus when I had the chance!"

Ben rolled his eyes, actually able to stand up straight again, "Here we go..."

"That's right, Jeffy-boy, just keep running like you always do when you're scared!" Alice continued.

He turned on Alice, pointing so close with warning that his finger was nearly touching her chin, yet she didn't flinch, "I'm not fucking scared! Got it?"

"Sure, you just want to run away as usual! Be the lone murdering wolf!"

"Like you don't!"

"I don't!"

"Lying bitch!"

"Hypocritical bastard!"

"How am I hypocritical?"

"You make out you're this big tough killer who can take on anything yet the minute you're called in to prove it you're backing out! Did poor Jeffy-boy get hurt? Did he get hurt and his master not come and give him a hug to make it better? Well tough shit, Jeff, we're all having problems right now!"

"Take that back!" He darted forward to grab her throat, forcing her against the wall.

In the time it had taken Trixie to jump back and look at Ben to see if they should do anything, Alice had already returned to favour to claw at his throat. Both of them held a fist to the other as if daring one another to make the next move.

"Stop it!"

"Fuck off, Ben." Alice and Jeff snarled simultaneously.

Ben blinked, "Actually, that wasn't me."

The two stopped, not letting each other go for pride reasons and not wanting to lose the fight that had been put on pause for now. And since there was only one person left in the room, all eyes were on her. Trixie stood in the middle of the room, hands clenched in her hair as a splitting pain pulsated through her skull. She was sick of this. All of it! The fighting and fear and everything! Her proxy brand scolded throughout her arm. Eyes stinging as if there were needles trying to push through the back of them. And good god... good god she just hated them right now! All of them! She stayed to help, but instead she got this? No more!

The ghost, arched an eyebrow at her, but spoke to the others, "Thanks for saying I sound so effeminate though..."

"Shut up!" Trixie cried out suddenly, hands dropping forcefully down to her sides, clenching so hard her knuckles were turning white, "Just shut up!"

Jeff shoved Alice away from him and turned on her instead, looking for a better target, "I'm going to give you some fucking advice, newbie, do what you do best and keep your mouth shut!"

"No! No I won't! Why don't you?" She asked near desperately, hand on her shoulder where her brand was burning heatedly, "Oh, you're upset because Slender isn't giving answers or because he didn't come running for you? Did it ever cross your mind that he just doesn't have the answers for you? He's in the same position as us and if you stopped thinking so highly of yourself you might see that! And how dare you attack people like that just because they can't die! That is sick! You are sick! And you just let him?" She pointed at Ben, "Sick! You're all damn sick!"

She honestly had no clue where this was coming from. But... she could only take so much strain and anger and this was her limit. She needed to let it out! She felt her words would burn her from the inside out if she didn't scream them!

"And you!" She turned to Alice before either boy could reply, "You think antagonising him is going to help? It's not and you know it! So how about helping? How about you stop being such a bitch and help?" She yelled, hazel eyes damp but hard, "There are enough things out there trying to kill us without us trying to kill each other! Which one of us is going to go next, huh? Which of our friends is going to be twisted and warped next huh? Oh that's right, none of you think of them as friends because that's not in your nature! It's just kill-kill-kill-yell-kill! Well. I bet none of you thought it would be Shad or Toby! Who's to say it won't be Slender next? Then what? Tell me!"

"Alright, newbie, we don't want or need one of your temper tantrums too and-" Alice started, but didn't get to finish.

"I am not having a tantrum! I'm scared! I'll admit it, I am scared! And so is he!" Trixie yelled, pointing to the door where Slender had vanished, "You're all just so damn selfish and trying to look tough that you're not seeing it! I am not an idiot, I know that if he goes then we're all as good as dead! But I also know that he is trying his god damn best! You're all just so... For gods sake, I'm sick of it! I'm sick of all of you!"

Ben scoffed, "Well none of us are really ecstatic about all of either, Trix..."

"Don't even start with me! All you've done throughout this entire thing is make jokes and pretend you don't care! Yet you stand there and let yourself get attacked like that? I'm sick of you acting like two different people depending on who's around! Why don't you just piss off back into cyber-space and pose for as many A.I websites as you like just so you can get a cheap jump-scare and stop pretending that what's going on here is just a game, because it's not! You know what? All of you can piss off! You piss off back to your card games and slaughter! You piss off back to your ego-mania and knife fights! And you piss off back to your video games and drowning nostalgia! Because at the end of the day that's where you're all going to be stuck when the Sickness takes us down! Fuck! You! All!"

Everyone stared wide eyed in awe at the sudden outrage, watching as she stormed out of the room, slamming the door so harshly behind her that Smile involuntarily flinched. Everyone was silent, turning their heads to look at Ben cautiously. Jeff would have snickered at his dumbstruck expression, but he was too busy trying to get the buzzing noise out of his ears from her volume. Who knew someone so small was so loud? Who the hell did she think she was?

And yet... she was right. And all of them hated to admit that, even to themselves. No one saw it coming that Shad would be taken next. Toby it was hit and miss, but Shad? Slenders right hand man? It shook everyone. It really hit home that no one was safe. So maybe it really would be Slender next? Then... then it would be like it was when he went missing before. All of them open for attack and Sickness. No one would be safe. And then they really would be trapped in their own nightmares for eternity. Just like Jack.

Alice glared at the door where Trixie had stormed away. She couldn't go back to thinking about her first kill... She could not let the Sickness do that to her... And Jeff, the image of his bleeding brother beneath his hands tormented him to this day, seeing it constantly would slaughter him from the inside out... And Ben, trapped in a drowning panic for all of time... No, please no... How dare she remind them of this? How dare she be so... so god damned honest! They hated that. Not honesty in general, but how it hit them so hard at that moment in time. For the first time ever, Trixie had used their own Sickness fears against them. And while the killers tried to take in their stride, for after all, they had brought their Sickness on themselves... Ben had not. He had had his forced upon him by another. And to use that fear against him despite the honesty... That wasn't sitting well with him.

Ben shook off the surprise and narrowed his eyes, a dark shadow seeming to emit from him threateningly. Oh all of them, even he surprised himself with how angry he was at Trixie's words. Well they were all angry. If anyone, it should have been Jeff to react first. But the ghost beat him to it. After all he hadn't chosen Sickness to start with like the others had. And the others saw it. They glanced at one another before looking back to Ben. And when he spoke, the air felt as cold as stagnant lake-water under a winter moonlight...

"Oh… You shouldn't have done that…"

A/N:

Oh shit... So Shad and Toby are still missing, Slender is actually moving about, Kate is still on a one-woman mission and now Trixie has just been brutally honest and pissed off two killers and a ghost. Is it fair to say that shit is hitting the fan a little on this one? XD Next Chapter is already in process!