A/N: Another entry to this X-Men x Little Nightmares 'verse. This one is going to be a bit rough, I know, but I don't wanna type 10k words for this. So, enjoy~

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Hungry for Another One

El Ragna

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"Ah... On the journey of 1,000 years of reincarnation

The hand and hand that are connected seek each other.

Exchanging hearts, oh, blowing wind,

Fly to a new world."

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The clock sounded a tune, indicating that there was only a quarter left until the next hour.

Six paused, mouth wide open and fork in hand mid-feeding, as her eyes glanced at the clock. Her mouth then closed in a frown.

It was almost that time of the day—when she was forced to meet with The New Lady. She had a name, Six knew, but she couldn't quite remember it. Only, that The New Lady allowed her to remain in this new house after Scott had taken her from The Bad Place.

The New Lady reminded Six of The Lady from The Bad Place. Not so much in appearance, but in the way both carried themselves. It was why Six was displeased at having to meet with The New Lady.

But she had promised Scott that she would. Scott said that The New Lady was helping her, and Scott provided her food- unlike The New Lady, no. Instead, The New Lady only had a glass of wine next to her, and nothing else to sate her hunger.

And Six didn't like the way The New Lady looked at her—nor the way The New Lady barged inside her mind. But worst still, she hated the way something inside her trembled whenever she was alone with The New Lady.

It was a feeling Six couldn't quite figure out- but it made her heart race and her stomach churn. It made her throat dry; her palms, sweaty.

There was something inside her that stirred when the two were alone, and Six didn't know what it was.

And she wasn't so sure she was so opposed to it, either. It was almost like falling into an embrace, but The New Lady always tore her from its warmth.

With a resigned frown, Six stuffed the last hotdog in the yellow pouch of the belt Scott had gifted her, before securing the belt around her chest.

She scurried to the room of books where The New Lady waited.

-0-0-0-

Six cried out—the exertion setting her seldom-used vocal cords on fire, and she crumpled on the floor.

Gasping, she glared up at The New Lady.

Sweat dripped down the blonde's face, and Six drew vindictive pleasure at seeing The New Lady's chest heave with each breath. She was pale, and the skin of her knuckles were almost as white as her clothes while they gripped the armrests of the throne.

It took several more moments before The New Lady could regain her composure.

"That's enough for today." The New Lady finally said. She combed a hand through her sweat-drenched hair before straightening in her seat. Six frowned as the action made The New Lady look down upon her. "Pick yourself off the floor."

Six's stomach chose that time to growl.

The New Lady paused. "Eat." She commanded. "I know you carry snacks with you. Eat."

Slowly, Six returned to a seated position. Her whole body felt sluggish, and her stomach growled even harder, making her grimace.

"I said eat, Six." The New Lady quickly insisted, and through half-lidded eyes, Six could see the blonde's attention was drawn elsewhere.

Six wanted to shout at the woman—or bite into her lumps of meat. Anything to get the irritating New Lady to shut up.

And sate her hunger, too.

"Eat!"

With a snarl, Six pulled a can of sausages from her stash of snacks. It took her a few, incredibly agonizing tries to flick the ring up, and a few more painful moments before she mustered the strength to use the ring to tear off the lid- leaving her to a small feast, all without The New Lady's help.

"Good." Six heard The New Lady say, and she saw the blonde relax on her seat.

Six paid The New Lady no mind as she continued her meal, feeling her stomach steadily become quiet.

"You are powerful, Six." The New Lady acknowledged, her face a stony mask. "Frighteningly so. But power doesn't solve everything, and the abuse of which only feeds self-indulgence."

Six had no idea what The New Lady was speaking, and only paid her half a mind.

"You must learn control." The New Lady chastised. "To not succumb to your destructive impulse."

Six paused in her feeding, and frowned. How she wished The New Lady would keep quiet and just let her eat. Maybe—maybe she could seal The New Lady? Just for a short moment?

"I've no doubt you can kill me, you little monster." The New Lady pointed out. Reading her mind again. If she was frightened, then she was a master of hiding her emotions because Six could not feel any hint of fear. "I know you've killed before. And I know you relished in it—in causing pain to those that have inflicted pain upon you."

Of course she relished vengeance. Monsters lived in The Bad Place, and it was only thanks to her that they would never roam again.

"But let not hate for those that have harmed you fuel your urge to destroy." The New Lady said, her eyes seemingly lowered- vanishing beneath her hair such that Six could no longer read them. "Instead, harness your curse to protect the precious treasures behind you."

Six glanced behind her but found none. Was The New Lady seeing things? And The New Lady thought she had demons, ha!

The New Lady stood from her throne, striding past the kneeling child with regal steps, all the while continuing, "It would be so easy to simply rewrite people's thoughts—to make them think what I want them to think—but beyond something as fickle as morals, I would only be proving their fears right. Stooping down to their level."

There was something in The New Lady's tone that Six couldn't figure out.

She glanced at the The New Lady and, for the first time, the blonde's eyes seemed to mellow.

And yet, Six found them very sad.

"Scott believes you are far better than what people fear—including mine. Let us hope he is right." The New Lady turned away, her shoulders straightening before declaring, "If you hate me as much as you do, then prove me wrong."

The New Lady shut the door behind her.

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Scott and Jean had returned and tucked her in that night.

But Six never really had what one would call a good night's sleep. Bothered by frequent hunger pains as she was, Six was once more up.

She rubbed the dust from her eyes before smacking her lips, trying to decide what delectable treat she would feast in. Her stomach grumbled, and Six decided she needed something fresher than canned meat this time.

There was a leg of lamb in the fridge—uncooked still. Just the way Six wanted it.

Her mouth watered just at the thought.

She jumped off the bed, landing on the floor quietly, before scurrying to the kitchen on bare feet.

As she made her way down the hallway, she noticed light coming from the study. And as she neared, she heard familiar voices argue.

"—said they've- vestigation."

A muffled voice that sounded like Jean said. Six slowly approached, her curiosity getting the better of her, and pressed her ear against the wooden door.

"It was only a matter of time before SHIELD found it."

Scott. That was Scott. Her stomach squirmed happily at his voice.

"But we all know who they're going to call next." The New Lady. She sounded—angry? Like she really didn't like whoever was coming. "How much time do we have?"

"I don't know." Jean answered.

"How can you not know?" The New Lady again. And yes, she was indeed angry. "I thought you read his mind!"

"Calm down, Emma." Scott said. "Six is sleeping down the hall."

Six's stomach squirmed again. Scott's concern always sounded delicious.

"I'll prepare the best I can." Scott continued. "I have a few calls to make."

"Are you finally going to tell the X-Men?" Jean asked.

X-Men?

"Oh, hell no." The New Lady hissed. "Need I remind you that the best at what he does is also the best at stabbing children?" Who? "He already stabbed Hope-" oh, she knew that person! "-and it was only because of the firebird that she survived."

"That's unfair, Emma." Jean defended. "He doesn't do it lightly. He kills only as a last resort."

"He must be incapable of thinking, then, because he does it very often." The New Lady said.

She must really not like whoever he was.

"I'll consider it."

"Scott!" The New Lady exclaimed. She sounded betrayed.

"We can't protect her." Scott said. "Not as we are right now."

"They'll betray you." The New Lady argued. She sounded certain of it. "They'll betray you- and they'll kill her."

"I thought you wanted her dead, Frost." Jean said in a tone that Six found was very unlike the mild-tempered woman she knew.

Six blinked. Oh right. That was The New Lady's name, too.

And, odd. The New Lady didn't reply immediately.

"I will protect her, Scott." The New Lady eventually said. "I may not like her, but I will not see another child murdered in front of me."

"And if the Avengers come?" Jean clarified.

Six tasted the word. Avengers? Didn't seem appetizing.

"If they make matters worse and it is unleashed?" Jean continued.

"You two won't let it come to that." The New Lady said. To Six's ears, she seemed to return back to her usual self. "That's what you two are good at, right? Heroes?"

"I'll figure something out." Scott repeated. "Trust me on that just as I trust you with her."

"But Scott-!"

It was at this point that Six's stomach grumbled.

The little girl stiffened—but seeing as the three adults continued to argue, it seemed they did not hear her.

Good.

Let them continue bickering about- who were they again?

Whatever.

She had wasted enough time already.

Maybe she'd see if she could have the steak, too?

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Scott and Jean left that following morning, leaving her alone with The New Lady once more.

Six was mildly displeased, as she was accustomed to the two staying longer. Whoever the whatever-their-name-was that was coming, it seemed to spook the three adults.

Six shrugged, and her week fell back into routine.

She did notice that The New Lady peered through the window more often, as if looking for something.

There was a word for how she acted, Six was sure.

Scared? Not quite.

Cautious? Not exactly.

It was as if The New Lady was expecting something to pounce.

But that was silly, right?

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It was the sound of boots rushing through a forest that brought Six back to the waking world.

"Don't move." A familiar voice commanded, and Six glanced upwards to see the determined face of The New Lady. Confused, and feeling her head could lose a few pounds, Six attempted to glance to the side so she could see what was happening.

"I said don't move!" The New Lady repeated, this time angrily. It jolted Six, making her tense up. "Your head was hit." She hissed, before ranting, "Damn those trigger-happy, self-righteous, judgmental cowards!"

Six tried to remember what happened.

She was at the dining area preparing a sandwich for her after-breakfast snack when the front door suddenly exploded, taking the entire wall with it. Before Six could even yelp, something red and white and very, very hard flew at her—and then darkness.

"To hurt a child!" The New Lady continued, still fuming.

Six didn't understand why The New Lady was angry, but somehow her voice seemed to calm Six down.

Or maybe it was the heaviness of her head?

Whatever the reason, Six felt her eyes fluttering closed once more.

"Don't you dare sleep on me, young lady!" The New Lady shouted—concerned? "Open your eyes or so help me, you will never have a meal from me again!"

The threat struck a chord in Six, and she cracked one eye open. And, sure enough, there was worry in The New Lady's face—and Six found it so very, very strange.

So, The New Lady could make that kind of face?

"Eyes open! If you do this, then I will treat you to all the best food this world could offer! So much food that even your gluttonous pit will overflow!"

The New Lady's words brought a goofy smile to Six's face as she imagined sitting at the head of a large table. All sorts of food—including food that Six had only seen on the television—were piled before her so high that they might as well have been skyscrapers.

Now wasn't that delicious?

"So keep your eyes open!"

Why was The New Lady still shouting…?

"Six! Open your damn eyes!"

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The sun was at its hottest when The New Lady finally set her down.

"Figures they'd send him." The New Lady scoffed, but even Six could see it was all bravado. "I would be flattered if it were me he was aiming for, though."

Whoever him was, The New Lady knew she could no longer run.

"Have you eaten yet, Six?" The New Lady asked, before chuckling humorlessly. "I suppose you haven't. But bear with me for just a while longer, alright?"

The New Lady lifted something from her shoulder, and it took a moment before Six's heavy head recognized what it was.

"Definitely need to run some tests for your head." She chuckled again—a hollow, ringing sound. "Seems even you can suffer a concussion."

The New Lady knelt down before the stunned girl.

"Whatever happens, Six-" The New Lady said as she strapped Scott's yellow utility belt around Six's small frame. "-trust that Scott will come for you."

There was something in the way The New Lady said it that alarmed Six.

Was it The New Lady's blue eyes that now seemed to shimmer with resignation instead of certainty? Or the tone that now radiated sorrow instead of superiority?

It made Six's heart twist, and she reached out to The New Lady's white coat before she could turn.

"Six?" The New Lady asked, bending down so she could peer beneath Six's yellow hood.

Ah. Six realized what it was that bothered her.

The New Lady was concerned for her.

And Six figured out why The New Lady told her to trust that Scott would come for her. Because it meant that The New Lady would have perished by then.

Six shook her head and threw her arms around The New Lady's neck.

"Oh, you clever but stubborn girl." The New Lady whispered, her voice seemingly tearful to Six's ears. The New Lady's arms wrapped around her, impossibly warm for someone Six had always thought cold, before The New Lady drew back just enough to meet her eyes. "I shall do my best to return, my little monster."

Six's eyes shimmered. She hoped The New Lady knew she shouldn't make promises she couldn't keep.

"So run along now." The New Lady gave her one last squeeze before standing, her flesh gradually turning into diamond. "Mommy has work to do."

The New Lady gave her a gentle nudge.

Six sprinted forward, unshed tears blurring her path forward.

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Why?

Why was she running?

She was-!

What was happening?

The New Lady was—!

Why was she always running away?

She was— The New Lady—

No. Not The New Lady, never.

She was—!

Her name was—!

Em—!

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Electricity flashed behind her before thunder boomed in the wilderness.

Six groggily looked up at the sky—the exertion making her heavy head throb—and she struggled to focus.

No, there were no rainclouds on the sky.

So where did the lightning come from?

Feeling something churn inside her—and for once, it wasn't that other thing creeping in her skin—Six suddenly had the most horrifying thought.

Chilling dread swept through her and Six suddenly knew she had to go back.

Back to The New Lady.

Back to—

Blonde hair.

A humorless laugh.

My little monster—

Six adamantly shook the stars from her head and she sprinted back in a hurry, each footfall becoming even more panicked than the last.

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Diamond was scattered everywhere, and Six's heart stopped.

Her mind—and her heavy head—struggled to make sense of the scene before her.

No, her mind already knew.

But—but this just couldn't be true!

Shouldn't!

Violently, her head whipped around for an unseen foe.

Who did this?

Who dared!

But there was none, and all that was left were Six, and shards of diamond.

Six fell upon her knees in shock—a pain far worse than anything she had ever experienced coursing through her veins, numbing her to the world around her.

Slowly, gingerly, and with increasing desperation, Six started to gather the diamonds littering the clearing.

Her stomach growled—and yet, Six could not feel even its pain.

Not when her heart was being ripped apart.

The New Lady…

Emma…

Emma…!

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Emma was right. Scott did come for her—bloodied, his clothes torn, but still he had come.

Alongside him was Jean, whose face grimaced at the grisly sight.

It took Scott a moment to collect himself before he finally said, "Thor must have flown past her after-"

"Shh. I've got this, Scott. I can do this." Jean comforted. She knew what he was doing—trying to take stock of the situation. And any other time, Jean might have allowed it—to help him cope. But not this time, because it wasn't Scott that needed consoling the most.

"Be with her." She told him gently, gesturing to the girl in the yellow raincoat who was silently gathering shards of diamond.

Scott nodded his head. His mind was a whirlwind of fury wanting to lash out, but that could wait.

Six could not.

Nodding his head, Scott quietly approached the girl in the yellow raincoat, who was desperately trying to gather the diamond pieces of her teacher and protector.

"Six." Scott called out to the little girl. "Six." He tried again when the girl didn't respond.

He reached out to gently grab her shoulder, causing the little girl to drop a piece of diamond.

She instantly froze.

"Six." Scott repeated, this time more urgently as he took note of the encroaching darkness. He could feel Jean tense behind him, getting ready to defend them from The Little Nightmare if needed.

He engulfed the girl in his arms. "Emma will be alright, Six." He reassured her. "Leave her to Jean. We need to bring you to a safe place, and then get you checked."

The shadows wavered, and Scott took that as his cue to continue. "Let go, Six, and let us adults handle this." He whispered, pulling down her hood so he could stroke her dark hair. "I know this looks bad, but Emma will be alright." Scott hesitated, and glanced back at Jean. The redhead nodded in reassurance. "I promise you'll see each other again soon."

Slowly, Six turned around so she could look Scott in the eyes.

The dark look on her face made Scott swallow the sudden lump on his throat.

"We'll handle this, Six." He told her firmly, and Six's frown deepened, displeased. The shadows began to encroach once more, but Scott held firm. "There will be retribution. But it's not yours to dish out."

"Scott." Jean urgently called as dark forms emerged from the shadows, slowly approaching the pair. Hooded and small, but no less sinister.

Just like Six.

"Don't let your hatred for those before you fuel your urge to destroy." Scott said—and his words, Emma's words, caused the darkness to once more still. "But fight to protect the loved ones behind you, Six."

Those words- Emma's words- were like a spell.

Six's eyes watered once more.

The shadows slowly receded as the little girl's shoulders trembled. Slowly, with shaky hands, she raised the diamond shards she had gathered and offered her towards Scott.

"I promise I will set things right, Six." Scott whispered to her as Jean quietly took Emma's diamond pieces using her telekinesis. "But until then, let us keep you safe." He embraced the quivering little girl. Even in the waning light of the sun, Scott could see the tears her eyes stubbornly held back.

Scott brushed Six's dark hair comfortingly. "You know… it's okay."

And that was all it took.

Six buried her face into Scott's shoulder.

-0-0-0-

Jean often imagined what Six's voice sounded like.

Was it sweet like a child's? Or raspy from disuse? Maybe it was a shy, bashful note reflecting Six's quietness, or maybe it was loud and innocent showing the girl's playfulness?

But never did Jean imagine the first time she would ever hear Six's voice was during an anguished cry.

And may all heavens and hells have mercy on the bastards that hurt the girl in the yellow raincoat so—for shattering diamond.

Because Jean found she had very little mercy to spare.

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"Echo... Echo, and now, return to the form you were meant to be.

Faintly... Faintly, just as the legends say.

Pray for eternity.

Ragna, Ragna, El ragna

Ragna, Ragna, El ragna"

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A/N: song choice for this piece is Towagatari ~El Ragna~ (Eternal Story ~The Goddess~) sung by Mizuki Nana and Horie Yui. Opening and closing lyrics taken from the song. It's an insert song from the anime, Cross Ange: Rondo of Angel and Dragon. It's what I had playing in the background as I was typing—even if it doesn't make too much sense why.

Anyways:

- The Lady, like Six, is a character from the game Little Nightmares. Cold, vain, and ruthless, The Lady is also the final boss.

- Six initially views Emma as such, hence giving her the title of "The New Lady".

- "The New Lady" is definitely not a compliment, coming from Six

- Emma's a total tsundere, imho.

- And thus, AvX 2.0! Or maybe, Avengers vs Summers? Whatever, I guess.

- Nothing much else. As usual, just dusting off some rust. Or trying to regain interest; I don't know. Nothing much that interests me is happening in the Villains of X front.

Once again, if you liked what you read, please considering dropping a review.

Thanks for your support and, until next time~

Stay safe and wash your hands~!