Chapter 13

I stare at the hole in the wall from last week. No one had repaired it, and it was likely no one was going to. Especially not Anneis, every time she saw it her face would scrunch up and her hands would curl into fists. I had really pissed her off. Unfortunately, that also meant that Tessur was also slightly mad. I used to have a friendship like that, but it was gone now. Who cares, who cares, I try to exude an air of indifference.

"Etihvv." Tessur calls from the doorway. His usual gray jacket is replaced with a white lab coat. Goggles are fixed over his hair. "I need you to do something for me." A mission? I turn on the couch and rest my head on my hand. I was usually stuck behind because I was a last resort, things must be taking a turn for the worse. The thought brings a grin to my face. Or maybe because Anneis was sulking after her most recent defeat. I think I noticed the ice cream gone.

"What can I do for ya?"

Tessur holds out a small Pigment shard. Oh, I frown and sit back. He wants me to make a Dead-Color? How lame.

"I want you to test this on Aero." The shard hums with energy in his hand. Green colors fluctuate against his palm, from light green to dark green back to light green. Reminds me of the green cure, not that I knew her well.

"You've been lazing around lately so this might be good for you." Tessur continues, tossing the shard towards me. I barely have time to move my head before it hits me. It drops from my forehead and into my lap.

"Ow." I rub at my spot, glaring in his direction.

"Don't be a baby," Tessur scoffs. With a twist of his heel, he stalks out the room. I pick up the shard and continue to glare at the now empty space. Wouldn't it be quicker if I just stabbed her again? With a sigh I stand from the couch. Pocketing the small shard, I make my way out the door so I could leave the Land of Canvases.

"This is where you live? It's so small." Olive takes the small dorm room in. I roll my eyes and sit on my bed. Didn't Clancy say the same thing?

"It's good to see you again as well, Grif." The willowy woman kneels by my bedside, eye to eye with the small griffon.

"Always a pleasure to see you, Olive," Grif purrs in response. The two knew each other already, that's good. I suppose all Pretty Cure knew Grif as they were the guardian of the Pigments. Should I be writing this down? I look to my notebook, probably not.

"Down to business then, darling?" Olive stands straighter. She folds her arms over her light green cardigan. "You mentioned Vermillion earlier, where is Etihvv?" I flinch at the name, unconsciously grabbing at my forearm. The very mention of their name and the wound throbs. It was long since gone but, there's a faint white scar marring my black skin.

"No, we're talking about Clancy. She's become the new Cure Vermillion." Grif sounds quiet. Their wings ruffle, feathers turning golden in the daylight. They look like they're ready to start pacing on top of the bed. "Etihvv has well… lost their way."

"Darling, are you telling me Clancy became a cure?" Olive lets out a laugh. Her tan hand rises to hide her mouth.

"Why are you laughing?" Even if it sounded nice and melodic, something doesn't sit well with me. Clancy was strong and even on our first meeting she was willing to lay down her life for mine; if that didn't make her Pretty Cure material than I didn't deserve to be one either.

"Oh, well…" Olive quickly back peddles. She wrings her hands and tries to smile. "I didn't know either Clancy or Etihvv well, they were training to become cures while I was well… leaving, but I heard that Clancy wasn't going to make it." The weak smile drops from her face. "But, that maybe was just Lilac being Lilac. She was always hard on the recruits."

"And you're saying Etihvv is on Monochrome's side?" Olive looks to Grif. The griffon shrinks into the bed, pawing at the blankets to avoid her look. With a sad nod, they confirm Olive's worry.

"And Clancy was captured." I chime in. I twist a lock of hair around my finger. I thought it'd be easier to tell after telling it so many times, but each time I mentioned Clancy was gone… My stomach twists and my chest aches. "But, were going to get her back." I feel like I'm reassuring myself, not Olive.

"Indeed. The poor dear." Olive lets out a sigh. She pushes part of her black bangs back, eyes staring dully at nothing. A silence pervades the room stifling any further conversation. My mind is heavy, thoughts muddling into nothing. The more I think, the more my heart became heavy.

Before the silence can become even heavier, a loud knock fills the room. My head shoots up, hand flying to my Pigment. Yes, because Monochrome is going to knock. I drop my hand and stand. Crossing the small dorm, I open the door slightly to see who it is. Meena waves from the door, Sylvia stands beside her, head inclined as I open the door.

"Sup Stonewall," Meena grins. I almost shut the door. Instead, I choose to just poke my head out. Hope they didn't see Olive or Grif. Was my bed even visible from the door side? I shake my head to disperse the thoughts and listen to what Meena is saying.

"-if you want to hang out?" Meena grins. Right now? We were on break now, two weeks where most went back to their families, but I was a little busy. Shaking my head, I slowly shut the door. Sylvia slams her palm against the wood, blue eyes sharp. I jolt and almost pull back, but stop.

"You're not locking yourself in your room again, are you?" She narrows her gaze at me. I quickly shake my head and frown. My mouth opens to speak, but I'm beat to the punch. Olive presses against me and opens the door a little wider. Her head pokes out as well, a gentle smile gracing her face.

"Are you Merle's friends? I apologize darlings, but I need her for a little while longer." The two other girls stand there stunned. Meena's mouth opens, but no words come out. Sylvia is stuck in a similar state, but she quickly snaps out of it.

"I see. Sorry for bothering you." She turns to me next. "Meet us in the dining hall when you're done." With that she turns on her heel and stalks down the hall. I blink, something about this feels like déjà vu.

"…Sorry?" I call out after her. Doubt she can hear me, but it was still polite. Another rule of my mother's: Always be polite. Meena quickly follows the smaller girl, a quick wave given as goodbye. I shut the door, almost sinking into the wood. I give a sigh and glare at the older woman.

"Er… sorry?" Olive scratches at her cheek. "I just wanted a little more to talk to you about Pretty Cure things."

I nod and move away from the door. Having multiple friendships was difficult, especially when you have zero then the next day you have four. Collapsing against the bed, I motion for Olive to continue. If she was sending Sylvia and Meena away, then it must be something important.

"About Clancy." Not good, definitely not good. I suck in a breath, my hands reaching for my Pigment.

"About my Pigment as well." Olive begins to pace. Slowly she circles around the room, stopping to stare out the window. The cold winter light streams inwards, illuminating the faint dust in the room.

"I want it to be completed as fast as possible to rejoin the fight." At this Grif jumps off the bed.

"What? You're coming back?" Their voice sounds ecstatic. Out of the loop again, I wonder if her story deals with someone coming back to life as well, I rub at my temples. "Even though you left?" Grif leaps up and onto the windowsill. Their wings ruffle behind them as if they can't stay still. They seemed excited. I wonder exactly their relationship was.

"I can't abandon my Pretty Cure duty again, can I?" Olive gives a bitter smile, her eyes travel to stare outside. "Especially with the Land of Canvases the way it is. Especially when a world this beautiful is on the line." She trails a long finger on the glass, wiping away faint precipitation. She traces the outline of the trees on the window. The usual green trees of the campus have long since died; their arms bare of leaves.

"We have to rescue Clancy as well, don't we Merle?" Her gaze meets mine. My mouth feels dry, she wanted to? She was willing to help? This isn't a dream. A smile, a real one, stretches on my face.

"Of course, she's a friend."

I walk down the stairs, seemingly in a daze. Olive had left, saying she had work. We were going to rescue Clancy; I wasn't going to do it alone. Although, I wouldn't have been able to make Grif stay, laughter almost bubbles out of my lips. I, no we, just needed to repair Olive's Pigment then she could fight.

Turning left and heading towards the mess hall, I can't help but grin. The future was looking bright. Months ago, I never would have thought like this. I'd be alone sitting at my desk, working on a new robot. Stopping at the entrance of the mess hall, I take a deep breath. What the hell, I was more giddy than usual. Smiles and laughter, I was never like this.

Tugging at the Pigment around my neck, I try to steel myself. Forcing the feelings down with a frown, my hand curls tighter around the Pigment. Calm down, you don't know what will happen in the future, this wasn't like me.

"Merle?"

I jolt with a yelp, back slamming into the dorm wall. Sylvia stands in the mess hall, eyes wide with surprise. "Are you okay?" She rushes forward. I nod numbly, hand sliding away from the Pigment. Get under control, I mentally berate myself. No one wants to see you like this, the berating continues.

"You were just standing there, sorry I scared you." Sylvia sheepishly scratches at her head.

"It's fine." My voice sounds strangled. I cringe.

"Okay," Sylvia narrows her gaze, as if she doesn't believe me. She was a perceptive one, I wouldn't put it past her that she knows something was wrong. "Did something good happen?" She tilts her head, still looking at me.

"You look really happy." She smiles. I blink in surprise, unsure of what she just said. Me? Looking happy? My face feels hot. Pressing the back of my hand against my cheek, I look to my feet.

"…I don't… not really." I cringe again at my voice. Laughter fills the hallway. Looking up, Sylvia is shaking, laughter erupting from her. She quiets for a second, looks at me, and then bursts into another bout of laughter. My face feels warmer, my stomach twisting. Is she laughing at me? This is what I get.

"It's not a bad thing, I'd rather see you happy then sullen as always." She stops laughing to say the words. Tears prick at her blue eyes and she wipes them away. "Plus, you say it like it's a bad thing you're happy."

"Did I?"

"I guess." Sylvia scratches at the back of her head. "Anyways, come on. Meena wanted to hang out." Sylvia points to the mess hall. I sigh and lean against the wall. Sylvia wrinkles her nose, a playful glare pointed to me. "Come on, she's not so bad."

"I suppose."

It's been quiet, which isn't bad, but slightly worrying. I shift on my bed and look to the door. Etihvv hadn't bothered me one bit today, and neither had Anneis. Something in this place had changed. I couldn't place my finger on what exactly, but something had happened. All the better for me, it was hard to focus when your enemies were always staring you down. I wonder where Etihvv is, despite the fact they were my enemy, they usually visited.

Shutting my eyes, I blot out all thoughts and outside distractions. I suck in a deep breath, hold it in my chest, then release it slowly through my nose. My body relaxes, hands curling out of fists. My mind is entirely blank, my body breathing deeply on instinct, not command. Like a prick of a needle, I can feel my Pigment's energy.

Anger and deep resentment floods against me. I suck in a quick breath, hands curling back into fists. My nails bite into my palms, but the pain isn't there. Only a hot rage burning beneath my skin. Like a raging fire it burns through everything else. It's all I can feel. The anger of being locked up, the anger at being useless. The resentment against Etihvv, how they turned against me. The resentment against myself, allowing them to leave in the first place.

You were their friend, you could have stopped this. The anger boils beneath my skin. I suck in another breath, hot tears burning under my eyes. My nails dig deeper in my palms. Anger. Anger. Anger. Hate. Hate. Hate. A Pretty Cure wasn't supposed to have those feelings. They weren't supposed to. But, I was never meant to be a Pretty Cure in the first place.

Who ever heard of the knight in shining armor fighting with anger?

A heavier red floods my senses, drowning everything out. Fear wells in my chest. I lose concentration then. Snapping my eyes open, I suck in a halting breath. Hot tears pour down my cheeks, blurring everything in sight. My hands shake, blood drips from my nails; at the cuts they left.

I needed to connect with my Pigment, more than I did before. I needed to understand it, the feelings it represented and gave to the worlds. Pretty Cure became stronger that way, but all I could feel was rage. Maybe that was all it had. I frown and wipe the blood against my pants. Vaguely, I could feel what direction my Pigment was in. Somewhere north, or at least that's where I always felt it flood from.

What's the point; the little thought wriggles at the back of my mind. No one's coming to help you.

"Sorry to bother you up there," Meena scratches at her cheek sheepishly. I shrug and sit down across from her. "Anyways, all the tournaments for this semester are happening soon, and we, well I," she shoots a playful glare to Sylvia, "wanted to know if you wanted to see them."

"Trust me. It's better than her other suggestion." Sylvia shakes her head lightly. "Ghost hunting."

"Ghost hunting!" The enthusiastic girl repeats loudly. "Sylvia won't let us though because it's 'at night and dangerous.'" Meena does air quotes and copies Sylvia's voice terribly.

"It's also against the rules." The blonde narrows her gaze. "And I don't talk like that."

"And I don't talk like that." Meena copies again. An aggravated sigh leaves Sylvia who drops her head in her hands. I stifle a chuckle. Maybe someone was looking out for me, today was looking great. Not compared to yesterday. Maybe there won't be a Dead-Color this week, highly improbable, but it was fine to wish. "Oh look at that, Stonewall is smiling! Or should I say Merle."

"What?" Meena drags me out of the thoughts. I sit back feeling like a deer caught in headlights. I wasn't smiling!

"Don't tease her Meena, something good happened." Sylvia chides. Meena tilts her head, hair bouncing in waves around her shoulders. She stares at me as if she's going to figure out what happened. I still and stare straight back. A nervous chill runs up my spine and I quickly drop my gaze to my hands.

"Merle would prefer to go ghost hunting. I can see it." Meena suddenly declares. She stands quickly from the table, a grin on her face.

"No!"

Despite the howling and complaining and the threats, Sylvia is standing beside me; readying to go 'ghost hunting'. She scowls, arms crossed. "You both are getting red cards and detentions." She threatens another time.

"We're not in school. We're on break." Meena sticks her tongue out. I sigh and twirl my Pigment between my fingers. Why was I here? Oh right, because I was their friend now.

The moon was up, the only source of light. White tendrils of moonbeams danced across campus, sometimes obscured by the heavy clouds above. The roll in waves and hide the faint stars that would be there. It was surprising that the moon itself was still there. The wind picks up at that moment, a whip of cold that cuts through my coat. I draw the black jacket closer to my body and try to stop my teeth from chattering. It was winter for god's sake, why were we outside at night.

"So I've brought a camera and a few nets for all of us." Meena produces said items. She forces a net into my hands and the other into Sylvia's hands. "I'll man the camera!"

We trudge through the campus. The moon above is a constant companion, trailing behind us to provide light. I have a flash light as well, but the dull yellow light barely illuminates a foot in front. Our shoes crunch on gravel, the only sign someone is actually there. So far there's been no sign of life at all: otherworldly or not. No bugs and certainly not other students as it's too cold to stay out so long.

We cut away from the school and head towards the untended forest nearby. The term forest is used loosely as it's just a really, really, big patch of trees that happen to be on campus. Of course there's other flora as well, like moonflowers. The small, white, blossoms trail and spiral up tree trunks giving necessary color to the dark forest. Pointing my flashlight at them, they seem to glow. But, they're not otherworld at all. They're just regular flowers.

"Are we heading to the fountain?" Sylvia asks. She shifts the net from hand to hand, sending a wry look to Meena. The girl in question shrugs and points her camera towards the forest. The stone path beneath our feet makes a hard transition to the hard concrete leading towards the fountain. The trees above begin to thin out. The moon hangs just above the fountain, looking like the star on top of a Christmas tree. The pond water is black, reflecting the sky above. The white stone of the fountain itself is glowing like the moonflowers.

"Wow." Sylvia breathes out. I nod, mirroring her sentiments at the breath taking scene.

"Neat, but not what we're here for." Meena skips towards the fountain. Even at night it's spraying water into the air. It looks more like black ink than actual water. The spray hits my skin but, it feels like it's barely there. Meena twirls on the pavement, swinging the camera every direction. "Hellllooo! Ghoooosts!" She calls loudly. "We're here to film you!"

"Is this… a part of the movie club?" I shoot a glance to Sylvia. She opens her mouth to speak but, instead shakes her head. A wry smile is on her face.

"It's not. We're freezing ourselves for nothing. It's not like ghosts exist." Sylvia shakes her head. Meena gasps and turns towards her.

"Don't exist! Sylvia you're wrong!" Meena dances forward, a jittery ball of energy.

"They're totally real!" She points the camera up at Sylvia's face. "I use to see them all the time as a kid."

At this, Sylvia rolls her eyes. Using the edge of her net, she points the camera away. It's thrust in my face next. I jolt back, fist clenching around my net. Meena pauses and then takes a slow step back. She brings the camera up to her eye and points it towards me.

"My dearest friend, what do you think of ghosts; are they real or not." Before I can speak, she's continuing. "Just kidding, you wouldn't be here if they weren't. Same goes to you." She points the camera at a scowling Sylvia. She brings her net up, again redirecting the camera away from her.

"Stop point that at me." Sylvia huffs. I smile and tune out the argument that is starting. The two were always arguing, I was beginning to figure that out. My gaze travels from the two to the fountain. The moon still hangs barely above the top of the fountain. It looks like I could climb up there and pluck it out of the sky. My gaze travels further, sweeping the area around.

Something white flits at the corner of my eye. I twist on my heel. Looking in that direction, there's nothing there. Just the dark shadows of the forest. Again, in the corner of my sights something white moves. I snap my head in the new direction. Eyes scan the line of the forest. Nothing. Someone calls my name.

"What." My voice squeaks as I turn to the other girls.

"Are you okay? You don't look well." Sylvia reaches a pale hand forward. I lightly push it away and stare at the forest. Nothings moved, at least not yet.

"I think I saw something." I quietly confess.

"WHAT!" Meena nearly screeches. She brings the camera up and points it to the forest. "Are you serious." She whispers harshly. I can't tell if she's scared or not. The hand holding the camera trembles.

"I saw something… white." I move closer to the two. It couldn't be a Dead-Color or else everything would be gray. Not a human either, no one could move that fast.

"Other than Sylvia you mean?" As soon as the words leave her mouth, Meena is smacked with the net. She lets out a yelp and backs towards me. Sylvia holds the pole net like a lance, ready to jab at all stupidity. I blink and hold my hands up in a peaceful gesture. Didn't want to get jabbed. "It was a joke." Meena whines.

"Be serious for once. Obviously another person is out here, so let's leave." Is that why she's holding the pole so threatening? I pull my coat tighter around my body and shiver. If someone attacked I would be fine, probably. Most likely. But, that didn't look like a person. Grayscaled or not, no one moves that fast.

"Are you going to say we should split up next." Meena teases. She rightfully earns another smack with the net. She was going to have bruises tomorrow.

"I can't give you a yellow card, so I'm just going to smack you till you learn." Sylvia huffs. She twirls the net like a staff, eyes scanning the forest. Again, something white flies in the corner of my eye. I spin on my heel. Jabbing a finger in the direction, this draws the attention of the other two. The white blurs before my eyes, dances between the trees.

"Oh." Meena's jaw drops. She backs towards Sylvia, who in turn backs up. She stops just at the stairs entering the pool. We're almost in a line with me at the front. I drop my net and grab my Pigment. It clatters in the silence eliciting an 'eep' from someone behind. The blur of white, looking silver now, stops just at the edge of the concrete. It's not a ghost at all.

"It's a ghost!" Meena sounds excited. My stomach drops. The scar on my arm burns.

"Excuse me?" Etihvv looks taken back. They point to their confused face. Their silver eyes meet mine. My hand tightens around the Pigment. It's cold outside so I'm shivering, I'm not scared. Not trembling. Shivering. A flash of recognition goes off in their eyes. A grin slowly works a way on their face.

"I am a ghost aren't I?" There's a musical tint to their tone. "I died and am all gray now." Their eyes never leave mine. They aren't speaking to Meena; this is directed straight at me.

"How's the afterlife," Meena pipes up from behind. She sounds so excited. For this person? I feel the bile in the back of my throat rise.

"It's cold." Etihvv turns their attention to the girl. Their hand flashes silver and something flies through the air. Unlike Tessur and Anneis, they don't look they're pulling a string or forcing something through the air. Their sword, the one that cut me and its right there, were going to fight, I can't win, they'll kill me and there's blood everywhere, I can't stop the bleed- arcs towards us. Waves of gray crash around my senses. Like I'm standing in the ocean.

My body thumps to the ground along with a gray Meena and Sylvia. The world shifts from gray to color to gray before my eyes. I feel like throwing up. "Precure Primer and Gloss!" I grasp my Pigment. A distorted roar sounds through the now grayish green forest. My uniform appears with a wave of blue energy.

"The Color of the Unforgiving Earth! Cure Aero!" The ground quakes beneath my feet, the sound of trees being ripped from the earth fills my ears. Shifting my weight, I spread my weight evenly and wait for the Dead-Color to show. I've never seen one of Etihvv's, this is the first time I've seen them since –

No time to think.

In a flash of silver, Etihvv's sword lashes out. I cut left, dodging the slash. My feet barely hit the ground before I'm dodging again. Etihvv slashes and cuts with their sword, barely missing my body. Their eyes glow in the darkness, a blinding silver like their blade. Hitting the ground, I twist and launch a kick up at the smaller enemy. My foot connects with their stomach, but doesn't send them flying. If anything, I've just helped them. They angle the sword down and pierce.

I roll out of the way. The sword sinks a good few inches into the concrete where I once was. Rolling up and onto my feet, I throw a punch. Etihvv abandons the sword, blocking my fist with their forearm. The ground cracks beneath our feet.

All I can see is the look of hatred on their face. I barely pull my fist back when something hits me. I slam into the fountain. The stone edge cuts into my spine. Pain shoots up my back and runs down my limbs. I can barely move them before I hit the water. It's cold and drags me down. Sputtering, I stand from the water on trembling legs.

"You're so weak; I don't see how Anneis has trouble with you." Etihvv scoffs. They reach down and grab their sword. "But, I'm just here to test things out, I'm not allowed to kill ya'" With a flash of gray it disappears.

"That's what the Dead-Color is for." At their words the Dead-Color appears. With a distorted scream, it tears through the last line of trees. I leap back and out of the water. A tree crashes where I once was, the resulting spray of water hitting me. I sputter some more, wiping the water off my face with equally wet gloves.

The Dead-Color is huge, towering over the trees. It's a statue from the school, the one that stands at the front of the principle office. The Dead-Color reaches and grabs another tree with its large hand. The long sleeves it wears billows as it throws. I leap back again, watching the tree shatter before my eyes. Sylvia and Meena! The splinters shower them.

Etihvv lets out a laugh at the destruction the Dead-Color is doing. A large stone like foot crashes into the ground tearing into the landscape. The Dead-Color screeches and slings a fist towards the fountain. Like a child knocking down a stack of blocks, the fountain shatters into pieces. I throw my arms out to block the fragments. Even so I can feel them tearing into my gloves.

What's wrong with this Dead-Color? I leap up, dodging a sweep of its arm. It doesn't feel like it's trying to hit me, if anything I'm just an annoying bug to it. The Dead-Color screams again, the sound shaking the very air. I press my hands over my ears, trying to stop the ringing. It was out of control. That's what it was.

Glaring at the oversized statue, I frown. It was leaving craters with every step and breaking everything in sight. Need to lead it somewhere else. I couldn't have Sylvia or Meena getting hurt when I was supposed to protect them. My leg muscles coil beneath as I prepare to launch myself. My gaze is solely on the moving arm of the Dead-Color. If it saw me as an annoying bug, than that's what I would be.

The ground cracks beneath my body as I launch forward. I cut through the air; it whips against my skin in torrents as I arc down. I drive my foot down. Pain shoots from my heel, reverberating up my leg. I let out a howl and slam onto the hard surface of its forearm. Hands are quick to grasp any leverage before it can throw me off.

The Dead-Color screams and wildly thrashes its arm. I dig my fingers into the surface, clinging for dear life. The upper portion of my body is well secured, but the bottom portion is at mercy for how the Dead-Color thrashes. My knees buck against it as throws its arm up and down. Up and down. Up and down. I'm going to throw up.

My head feels light; my grasp is beginning to loosen. Dragging my hand up, I shimmy my way towards its head. Dark gray sockets, where eyes are supposed to be carved, glare down at me. The statue frowns and lifts its other arm up.

I leap forward. A loud CRACK, followed by a discordant scream, echoes through the night. I land into a roll, and spring forward. The Dead-Color lifts its hand again, shifting its shoulder to have better aim. I'm already at the head however, and dodge easily. Another loud crack resounds. I land on the top of its well chiseled hair. Unlike real hair, it doesn't give beneath my weight.

Everything seems so tiny. I can barely find Sylvia and Meena on the ground. Perhaps it wasn't ignoring, maybe it's too big. Both stone hands arc through the air. One hits the head first. Stone chips and dust fill the air as I tumble off. I cough and gag as I drop like a stone. Everything blurs before my eyes.

My glove rips forward, latching onto a wrinkle in its overly large tunic. My body slams into the Dead-Color, pain blaring from my side. At least my descent was stopped. Dragging myself up, I firmly plant my feet on its back. The Dead-Color won't stop moving and screeching. My heart rams in my ears, but I can barely hear it over the infernal screeching.

I grasp the stone like tunic and climb up further. Can I even do damage to something this big? It was bigger than any other Dead-Color I've seen, including that clown from the Land of Canvases. Firmly rooting my feet in the fabric, I launch myself up. The wind tears at my clothing and skin, slightly changing my course.

Even so, my hands wring around the collar of the Dead-Color. My feet dangle below, hundreds of feet from the ground. The trees look like children's toys from up here. Don't look down, the urge to throw up increases. My head spins as I pull myself up.

My fist connects with the broad neck of the Dead-Color. And so does the next, and the next, and the next. Yet, with all my force, it doesn't respond. I barely leave a mark with each move. This makes no sense; I've fought one made of steel before. I fling my arm back and throw another punch. All my force and it barely mars the concrete.

A shadow falls over my body; I barely have time to look up before it descends. I scramble onto the Dead-Colors shoulder effectively dodging another swipe of its hand. The Dead-Color jolts beneath, my boots loosing traction. I slip and slide onto my butt, letting out a yelp. The rough surface rubs against my thighs and I grimace.

The only real way I was causing damage was through the Dead-Color itself, but that could take all night. I was already beginning to feel sluggish. A cold sweat forms on my skin, the cool night air making me shiver. The shadow descends again. I jump up and through the outstretched fingers of the Dead-Colors hand. Twisting in the air, I descend again. A loud CRACK shatters the quiet of the night, followed by a hollow clink of my heels driving into the back of its hand. Despite my force, the Dead-Color doesn't move.

A discordant scream rips from its mouth. I cover my ears, letting out a scream of my own. Being right beside its mouth, I can't hear at all! My feet stumble beneath and I almost topple over again.

"Aero!" Claws drag into my shoulder and haul me upwards.

"Grif?" My own voice sounds distant.

"Don't scream, yes its me." Despite only having a beak, I think they're scowling at me. I reach a hand forward and run it through its feathers. Beneath my torn glove, I can feel their smoothness. "Aero you need to quickly cleanse it."

"I can barely hurt it." I grab the fairy and leap up. The hand where I was standing shifts and turns over. I land on the statues hair again, this time eyes flitting from both sides, waiting for either arm to come crashing down.

"Use your Bit Buster." Grif wriggles out of my arms. They circle in the air once before fluttering at eye level.

"Right…" Despite my reserve, I call it forth.

"The Pigment that stills the heart! Aero Bit Buster!" Hard, bright blue energy swirls in my palms, extending and becoming the Bit Buster. The miniature cell tower vibrates in my hands. I raise it above my head and let the sound crash around. A roaring cacophony that drowns everything out, including the Dead-Colors noises. I can feel the music press against my sweaty skin, lifting any weariness away.

The Dead-Color stills beneath me, its movements becoming slower. It's becoming like stone again. With a burst of blue energy, the Bit Buster is replaced with my overly large pencil.

"The Pigment that tranquilizes the heart!" Bright blue code coils at the tip of the pencil, numbers readying to fire off. "Aero Recode!"

The code fires into the air, spreading out like a large blanket. It entwines around the Dead-Color, purifying it. With a coo, the stone body begins to swell. Quickly, I grab Grif. They let out a small protest, but I don't care. Leaping off the Dead-Color, I feel it burst. Paint smacks against my back, propelling me faster to the ground.

A scream rips out of my throat as I hit the ground. I roll on the repairing concrete, the paint smearing on my skin. Stumbling onto my feet, the gray seeps away and becomes the night time colors. With a ping my uniform disappears in a flash.

"Thank you Merle," Grif sighs as they flutter out of my grasp. Their beak twists into a smile. I shrug and don't bother to hide my own smile.

"What were you doing here anyways?" I eye them. Grif lets out a squawk and flap their wings.

"I-I just got worried! You were taking longer than usual. And you're usually in bed by now." They stumble over their words. I snort and cover my mouth. Laughter bubbles from my lips.

"Don't laugh!" Despite their warning, I do.

"Thank you." I manage to get the words out between laughs. Grif shakes their head and covers their face with their paws. If they weren't a griffon, I'd say they'd be red.

"No problem." Grif grumbles. At their words, Sylvia and Meena begin to stir. Immediately, they take off, like a bullet they shoot through the air. I blink in surprise, my laughter dying out.

"Are you two okay?" I turn my attention to the two girls. Meena lets out a nod then reaches for her camera. I still, my breath caught in my lungs. The tape.

Afterword: This was super long. Apologies! But, I did get it out before the month ended ahah! Happy New Year!

Leave a comment, criticism, anything. I'd love to hear anything.