AN: GUESS WHAT, FOLKS! SereneFlames is BACK! This is the first post-hiatus chapter that Serene has edited, so expect at least 200% more fluent reading, cause honestly…my grammar sucks!

Hello one and all of FanFiction! I bring you the next part of To Hell and Back! Tell me how I'm doing, it helps! Not to mention it also motivates me to get chapters out faster!

Disclaimer: I do not own Binding of Isaac, or any of its characters.

Arc 2 Pt 5 The Grass is Greener on the Other Side

Isaac entered the next room, a determined attitude and looked around: to his left was an item room, which was good. To his right, however: a black door frame with spikes on the inside. In other words, not good, though his instincts decided to spite him. He slowly approached the door to his right. The spikes looked awfully dangerous considering they had remnants of dried blood on them, but they didn't seem deadly. No pain, no gain, Isaac thought as he reluctantly stepped through, spikes catching on his skin.

Once inside, he observed: black stone walls and floor, with a grey stone pedestal like the ones in the item room in the center. Isaac approached it slowly: it seemed to be nothing more than a black robe, floating above the pedestal, but it also seemed to be emitting many colors in a faint aura. Isaac picked up the robe and felt the cloth; it was soft to the touch and was like a light jacket. Isaac smiled. "Finally! A shirt!" Isaac put on the robe blissfully, and almost instantly he felt warmer. He also felt... powerful. Testing what the robe had done, he put a hand out in front of him and a wisp of fire ignited upon the thought of a spark. He also notices the robe glow; unseen etches in the robes fabric were lit orange from the fire he was creating. He put both of his arms above his head and concentrated, his entire robe was ignited a bright orange in all of the etching, revealing just how awesome the robe was to him. He smiled and turned towards the door, spikes littered with more blood. Isaac slouched over in annoyance, looking at his body to see cuts all over him. He straightened and sighed. "The price you gotta pay, huh?"

Isaac was happy even after he went through the spikes. The great amount of warmth just from a few cuts was definitely worth it. He stood in the room staring at the gold framed door. After all, the grass is always greener on the other side, and what great thing would be greener than this coat? He approached the golden door. Inside was a pedestal, check. Four smooth boulders in each of the corners, check. A pile of poop floating above the pedestal, che- "Wait...no way, that's not...hang on!" He read the plaque below it, "The Poop," and similar subtext "Plop!" Isaac deadpanned at the stupid item he had gotten. "This item is a bunch of crap!" Isaac smiled. "But you know what? I got my little buddy right here-" he grabbed the red die from his pocket, "-and he says that's not happening!" He threw it at the pedestal, the die flashed red and disappeared along with the item, and was replaced with a sphere of white light. The white light soon vanished and Isaac felt the die return to his pocket. He looked to the pedestal; a deformed large green brain floats above the pedestal. Isaac made a horrified face. "Do I even want to know what that is? ...Better than poop, I guess..." He was about to reach for it when a pillar of light opened above him to the left of the pedestal, the boy from the cathedral fell from it and gracefully landed placing two items on the ground, before leaping into the heavens. Isaac shrugged and, although taken aback by the sudden appearance, walked up to them; a piece of paper and an oversized battery lay on the ground, Isaac opened up the paper first and read it.

Dear Isaac:

That thing over there-

Isaac looked to where the arrow pointed, at the pedestal with "the brain" on it.

-you do not want that... thing, trust me.

So take this mostly safe, normal battery, free of charge! And please, get rid of that horrendous abomination of a brain any way you can.

Sincerely,

Your friend

PS: I liked the pun!

Isaac picks up the battery, curious as to its purpose. The battery floated into the air and releases a massive bolt of electricity which arcs to the red die in Isaac's pocket. 'Shocked', but not necessarily surprised, Isaac takes out the D6 and finds all of its faces restored. He gives one last look to the letter before joyfully stating, "My pleasure!" and throws the D6 to the stone pedestal.

Upon contact with the pillar, the brain disappears in a flash of red, and all seemed to be calm. Isaac looks to the pedestal with slight worry, but then feels the die reappear in his pocket and sighs in relief. He returns his attention to the pedestal, as wisps of red and dark pink fall towards the pedestal and swirl in a column to form a small red ball with two very short, stubby arms, and a ball similar to the body but smaller, and a head with cute black eyes and a wide open and smiling mouth. Isaac looks to the plaque below the little form and reads, "Little C.H.A.D." And its new subtext, "Gives kisses."

Isaac looks to the form, not completely sure if he wants to take it, and thinks hard about it, but it is kind of hard to think for Isaac when Little C.H.A.D was giving him pleading eyes while flailing her arms at him. Finally he couldn't resist; he smiled and rolled his eyes before saying, "Fine, you're coming with me." Little C.H.A.D did flips in the spot she was bound to, and stuck her arms towards Isaac. Isaac touched one of her arms, and a once invisible barrier shattered like glass. She flew in circles and pounced on Isaac, knocking him to the ground. "Ack! Yes, okay! You're coming with me, so you can get off of me now."

Little C.H.A.D finally gets off of Isaac and flies happily around him. Somehow, I think this item is going to be a little troublesome, Isaac thought as he leaves the item room with his new companion, and stares at the door leading into the next room. Only one way left to go.

Perhaps the same grasses grew on each side, he thought as he went back along his path.

Next chapter should be out soon. If you liked it review, tell me what I'm doing right! And wrong, of course.

Until next time.

A note from SereneFlames: Hey everyone, I'm the editor of this story. This note applies to all fans of Paranoia's Grasp, a story I'm also working on. I'll start sending out chapters soon enough, but for now I want to relax and keep this story going for a bit, then I'll get to my story. I hope you enjoy the story. :D

- SF