Now Puppeter lost his, or her, control over him, so looking from afar had to be enough.
You could say that he... fell in love in him somehow on the way.

But the task to take off his mask was too much. Yet, Batter stood there, really willing to accomplish his newest goal. He wanted to see. God knows why. And Zacharie couldn't show him.

"So.. aren't you there to buy something?"

Zacharie tilted his head again, waiting.
"Ten Luck Tickets."
"Okay. It'll be 400 Credits."

Batter handed the money. That was the other thing the merchant liked. The moment their hands touched was always somehow special to Zacharie. Especially that Batter never seemed to mind that it always lasts longer than it normally should.

" It's a pleasure to make interests with you. " Zacharie said, packing Credits into his pockets.

Batter nodded, turned back and walked away.
Zacharie was alone again. He hated being alone. That was the main reason he started that little game with Batter a while ago. Just to keep him there for a while longer. Well, eventually he had to go, of course.

But it was different this time. There was no usual pride in his movement. He took his bat and walked away, but slightly slower than usually, and looking at the ground, while his eyes usually aimed at high places.
Zacharie walked to the window and looked after him. As Batter disappeared behind buildings and smoke, he gave a loud sigh.
He felt like something is wrong but he decided to ignore that feeling. Or maybe he would, if not for the fact he was already sick of sitting there, left all alone. He went to back of the store and took some Luck Tickets, just in case. For a while he even thought about taking his sword, but in the end he gave up on it. He put the Credits to big cashbox, and instead packed the Tickets into his pockets.

Then he hesitated for one last moment and finally walked out of the building and locked the door. He turned towards the Zone and breathed in. The air had taste of the smoke and sugar. Just as most things in there. He looked at the ground and made a unsure step. Well, nothing happened, no spectre appeared, the ground didn't break, no paradox nor some vortex was created. He smirked and chuckled quietly to himself. 'You're getting paranoid, boy.' He thought to himself, and then raised his head and walked forward. He wanted to find Batter.

Who could have thought that he'd ever ask Zacharie that question. He was curious about the mask since he first saw it, but never really planned on asking that straight into merchant's face. However, that moment he walked in the shop and saw him like that, on that table... there was this fear, gathering and raising up in him. The fear that he's lost Zacharie, forever.

He's never been good at showing emotion, therefore the only way he could somehow get closer to Zach was visiting his shop, as regularly as possible. That's why, as soon as The Player lost control over him, as soon as the strings controlling the puppet fell, he started visiting the shop for even just one Luck Ticket. Of course, he could hear a little question, and sometimes even annoyance, in Zacharie's chuckle after the odd transactions, but he didn't care.

It started after few times they talked. At some point, after killing Dedan, Batter thought that merchant's chuckle isn't annoying to him anymore. It turned more into something he felt he needed to hear, a familiar, low voice that he enjoyed to hear. Of course, his mission was always a priority, therefore lately he couldn't visit the masked man as often as before. He had a lot of riddles to solve in this Zone. Enoch was either having fun making traps or he was afraid that someone like Batter will come for him eventually.

But this time... he asked that, out of emotion that built in him in that short while. The given answer wasn't even slightly similar to what he expected. He's got annoyed. It IS for him to know, sooner or later. He clenched his teeth again and kept going. He bumped into group of powerful spectres. He raised his new Bat and waited for Add-Ons to form an attack stance. Then he felt small strings, getting to him again, closing their grip tightly, and taking control over his action. The blood boiled in him. Exactly when he needed to get some pleasure from fight, The Player chose auto fight option?! He couldn't help but to use Homerun now, while Alpha and Omega just tackled. The spectres were still there.

He always felt this - strange for someone who's emotionless - annoyance and anger, building up in him when he was left with auto-fight. It was like Puppeteer left him. Like he didn't believe in Batter, in that he could defeat them easily. Along with the talk with Zacharie, this got him really angry. Plus there was this... something... in the air. Something that made all his muscles tense. This Zone was really impure.

He raised his Bat, having no choice due to strings around his wrists. But he also clenched his teeth, as he got the spectre with his Bat. The deafening hit sent it flying, and after a while it started fading.
He was breathing heavily now, not because of fight, but emotion. He was hardly staying there, his body was almost shaking out of wrath. He didn't know where it came from. He was madly angry at Zacharie for not showing him, he was angry at The Player, who abandoned him for this fight, he was even angry at Add-Ons and their stupid decisions on what to do, as the auto mode got only him controlled - and he couldn't give them command - but they COULD make decisions on their own.

There was something raising in him, he could feel it's heavy breath right under his skin. He closed eyes and shook head to get a grip on himself. Add-Ons vanished in the sky, they'll come back as soon as they're needed.

Batter leaned against the nearest wall, looking at the body of one of the spectres. He walked to it and raised the bat. It was probably dead already, but didn't leave this world yet.

And he had to make sure it will.

He started hitting it, hit after hit, much more than it was needed. Spectre vanished and he found himself hitting the cold floor. He stopped and glanced at it for a while. Then he closed his eyes and rubbed his temple.

What was happening to him, always cold and emotionless, he was now bursting in rage?... He leaned against the wall again, and slide down, until he was sittng on the ground. He inhaled. 'Bad, BAD Batter !' Queen's voice echoed in his head. What...? It wasn't supposed to happen, not until The Last Chapter. He breathed heavily now, trying to concentrate on something else. Whatever, just to get his mind away from that. Just not on...

"Batter?"

... Zacharie.