It was a day later, and I hadn't made any progress on finding an escape route. I stayed clear from Leo and I'm certain he's doing the same thing. After our argument yesterday, I couldn't blame him. I deserved it. I'm such an ass. It wouldn't surprise me if he ignored me for the rest of his life. Hold on... does he WANT to stay here?! Oh, my God! I pushed my best friend too far! Why am I such an ass?!

Anyway, the entire day I was investigating. I hid in the shadows to hear any juicy gossip. I didn't know how but they managed to leave whenever they had something to say. It's like they knew I was getting close. My last resort was sneaking into the bar. The moment I set foot I was immediately kicked out! Like holy shit! What did I ever do to make everyone hate me?!

Without any more leads, I went "home" emptyhanded. I walked to the living room and planted my face on the couch. I let out an agitated groan. This investigation wasn't supposed to be this difficult! Every time I tried to do something, this world gives me a big middle finger and says, "FUCK OFF!"

"Any leads?" I looked at the mutant worm, Warren, who was busy relaxing on the coffee table like a fucking slacker! He stays here at the clinic and "watches" over my guardian. "Judging by the way you throw yourself, I'm guessing no."

"You could give a hand", I told the lazy worm, "Hell, even Cuddles is doing a better job and she's fangirling me at the same time."

"Have you seen me? It took me a whole day to get from Point A to Point B. I'm doing you a favor." I flinched at the last statement. I said that exact sentence to Leo during our fight. My expression slacked. "You know instead of sulking; you could talk to your boyfriend and apologize. Seeing you mope and whimper like a kicked puppy is depressing."

"I'm not moping or whimpering", I weakly protested, "As if you know what it's like to be heartbroken." Yeah, I admitted it. So what? I'm depressed. I'm empty-handed. I'm alone. I have every right to say how I feel. I don't have the energy to finish the investigation. Besides, even if I did go to Leo and apologize, I don't know if he would forgive me. I was a total jackass. I wouldn't blame him if he never wants to see me again. I wouldn't either.

"Yeah... I don't know what's it like..." I heard the pause in between. I glanced at the worm, seeing him solemnly looking down. Great, I've struck a nerve. More people hate me! "Listen!" I felt a plop on my head. Warren suddenly regained energy. "We can't stay here any longer. The longer we stay here the more we get accustomed to believing we belong here. I'm not living in a fairy tale! To hell with your modern teenage drama and think of a plan!" He started yanking a few pieces of my hair.

I plucked Warren by his blue coat. "Why don't you come up with a plan? You've seen this over three hundred times. Surely you have something."

Warren huffed. "You're right. I've seen everything go through the plot over and over again, however! This time is different! The author is doing everything in their power to make sure you won't progress! They're stepping up their game. They want to make sure your boyfriend marries the hunter and you are out of the picture! We need to make a move! Now!" I couldn't agree with him more. I shifted to sit up staring up at the ceiling.

How to take down your opponent who knows what move you're going to make? We're up against the author; the god of this world. They write anything and it becomes reality. How to beat a god? I recalled reading a webcomic about a girl going through the same process. Her archnemesis is the female protagonist she created. The author who was trapped tries everything in her power to escape the school she was trapped in. The protagonist wanted her to accept her fate, but the author died repeatedly bringing her back to the day when all the chaos started (it's still going). It reminded me of our predicament. We're trying to escape from the role we were placed in. If only we could rewrite our fate.

I jumped forward. Rewrite our fate... "Warren. Do you still have your cheat sheets?" The worm took out his small stack of papers. I took them immediately skimming through the notes. Just as I thought. We were too busy in one location we didn't expand our horizons. "In all those resets, have we ever set foot outside the town?"

Warren hummed in thought. "Now that you mentioned it, no. It never really occurred to me." I studied the sheets again. "You've got a plan, don't you?"

"It's not a solid plan, but it's something to work with", I started, "What are authors known for?"

"Writing stories?"

"Exactly." I noticed Warren giving me a confused look. "An author is the creator of their own world. They have the power to be the judge, jury, and executioner. If they wanted to, they could destroy the world they worked on. But take away their power source and they are as average as the Average Joe."

"The book!"

"Yup! We find the book and we have the entire world in our hands!"

Warren jumped. "Yes! We got something to work with!" Then, he paused. "How are we going to find it? It could be in plain sight, and we wouldn't know it."

"Remember when I said we weren't expanding our horizon? I think the book is in the Beast's castle. Think about it: what better place to keep an eye on everyone and everything without any interruptions? No one would be stupid enough to go there unless you're the protagonist. Maybe that's why the Beast attacked Leo! He was too close to the castle. The author doesn't want him there yet or was trying to separate him from going there. I bet that's where we should go." I quickly stood. I felt a determination bubbling in my stomach. This could be it! The lead we need!

"Let's go get your boyfriend and go to the dark forest!" The excitement vanished.

"No", I said.

"What? You do realize he's not actually Beauty, right?"

"I know, but Lee almost got hurt. And after yesterday, he's better off not seeing me... it's for the best..." I headed for the door only to be nearly knocked over by it slamming open.

"Master! I came as soon as I was done investigating!" Mrs. Cuddles exclaimed.

"Did you find anything?" I dare ask.

The rabbit's shoulders slumped. "No. It's like everyone knows Mrs. Cuddles is nearby." Or rather the author knows what we're planning.

"Belay that investigation", I said, "We're heading to the dark forest."

Cuddles gasped. "The dark forest! The place where we should never set foot in! I'm in!" I shouldn't be surprised by her dedication. "I even borrowed these from the sword man!" She pulled out two daggers with black steel.

I blinked before looking at my servant. "Borrowed or steal?"

"Borrowed, silly. I left an IOU!"

"At this point, nothing shouldn't surprise me", Warren stated, hopping onto my shoulders. "Are you going to take them or not?"

I spun the blades against my fingers. They are a bit heavier than the knives I used, but I could work with these. "I'll take them. Thanks, Cuddles."

The rabbit giggled. "Yay! Master complements me! Let's get the turtle boo!" The rabbit scurried off.

"Cuddles!" I grabbed Warren and dashed after her. The rabbit pranced through the town like she was dancing in rainbows. She finally managed to reach Leo's surrogate home when I pulled Mrs. Cuddles by her ears. "You can't run off like that", I whispered to her. I blew a piece of hair out of my face.

"Mrs. Cuddles thought Blue should be with us. We're a team", she said.

I sighed. "Not this time, Cuddles. We need space..." I heard laughter from the inside. Out of curiosity, I headed for the window for a peak. Inside I saw the turtle family having dinner along with Wonder Boy. They looked happy. Leo came downstairs. He spotted Greg and went to hug him. He looked so happy. He chose Gregory over... me...

The turtle family gushed at the display. I slowly backed away. My legs felt heavy. I felt... dead inside. It was like seeing Leo kiss Xander. I knew it was an act, but I couldn't stop the pain I felt that day. I sat down on the steps. I blankly stared ahead. I did this. I pushed him too hard.

Does Leo want to stay here? With Gregory? A fictional character?

I can't compete with that.

"Master...?" I looked at Cuddles. Her eyes were damped.

"Why are you crying?" I asked.

"Master looks like he's going to cry", she answered. I took a deep breath. I can't show weakness. Not now. I need to be strong.

"Hey, kid, you good?" Warren asked, searching for any consolation.

I nodded my head. "Yeah. Let's go." I got up and headed for the forest.

"What about Blue?" I didn't bother looking back at Cuddles.

"We can manage without him", I said, walking ahead. I deserved this. I deserved this. When we get back home, I'll do anything to apologize. I'll beg if I have to. My pride is meaningless if I don't have my best friend.

~Lady Ai~

We entered the forest. I managed to grab a lantern and light it. The entire forest was covered in fog when we set foot there. It was a good thing I brought a lantern. Who am I kidding? Even with the lantern, the fog was so thick I couldn't see the footpath in front of me. There were no trees in front or behind. The author was putting up an effort for us to fail. Do you know what I say to that? Fuck you, bitch!

"Are we there yet?" Cuddles groaned. She was on top of my head being bored while Warren was documenting our adventure (in case we go through another redo) on my left shoulder.

"Nope. At this point, I'm gonna say we're lost", I pointed out, "It'll be a miracle if we manage to find our way back."

"And here I thought you're onto something", Warren grumbled as he put away his papers, "Because so far, we're getting nothing here and I mean that sincerely."

"Instead of bitchin' like a penis bug, you're entitled to through in an idea or two. I did say it's not a solid plan. It should be obvious if the author is doing everything to ensure we don't reach them. I bet they're responsible for the fog. If only we know what's up ahead."

"I'll go!" Cuddles jumped off my head and ran off. She's a little ball of crazy. I casually strolled. I didn't bother chasing her. Knowing her she'll be too excited to help me she'll trip over or slam into something.

"I have a question", Warren started after what felt like ten minutes of walking, "Did you get dumped on since your boyfriend chose Mr. Thick Thighs over you?"

"We're..." I paused, but I continued, "We're not together. We're close friends. Friends who understand one another. Friends who don't betray the other's trust. Friends who stick together no matter what. Friends who-"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it! You two are as thick as thieves! Now you're feeling guilty for throwing him away like a terrible Christmas sweater." Not a good simile to compare but he's not wrong. More doubts were filling my head. Would Leo be willing to stay here with Gregory and live happily ever after? I read a few animes and webcomics where the protagonist prefers the fictional world to the real. If I die, I wouldn't mind being reincarnated in my favorite anime; work myself up to being a total badass. I shook my head. I'm getting distracted. Find the author, kick their ass, and then head home.

"Owie!" Mrs. Cuddles's cries of pain echoed through the fog. I ran in the direction of her cries. I spotted the rabbit massaging the pain on her head.

I was relieved she was okay. "What happened?" I asked, kneeling next to her.

"I dunno. One minute, Cuddles was happy to explore for Master. Then the next, Cuddles got hit by a wall!"

"A wall? In a forest? With heavy fog? Yeah, I believe it", Warren said.

"You do?" I asked, perplexed by the worm's agreement.

"The fog's too heavy for anyone to see. For all we know, we could be back at the village or somewhere abandoned." Those are good theories, but I'm not too sure. I stood up looking beyond the fog.

There was shimmer up ahead. I narrowed my eyes. The effect didn't appear around us... just in front... I wonder... I grabbed onto Warren and tossed the worm forward. He yelled until he was impacted by an invisible force; he slid down with a loud screech. Just as I thought. The author blocked us.

Warren spat the grass out of his mouth. "Was that necessary?!"

"Yes. It gave me closure." I dropped the lantern to touch the invisible wall. It was like touching a strong bubble. Even tapping it released ripples. I cupped my hands over the surface and leaned in peeking through. Beyond it, I could make out a silhouette of a building with sharp spikes. No doubt about it, the Beast's castle was within reach. It's not just an invisible wall; it's a barrier keeping them in and us out.

"The castle is on the other side", I told them, "The author put up a barrier to protect themself. Clever bastard."

"So we came all this way to a dead end!" Warren exclaimed, furiously jumping up and down.

"An invisible dead end", Cuddles corrected.

Warren huffed with an eye roll. "Correction. An invisible dead end."

"I wouldn't say it's a waste of time", I said scratching my bandaged arm. It was starting to irritate me. "We know the Beast's castle is nearer than we thought, possibly a couple minutes give or take. The author wanted us to follow the plot. They were expecting us to be reckless."

"Expecting us or you." That's true. I'm a threat since I'm closest to Leo; however, they don't see the rabbit and the worm as a nuisance. Side characters. These two could save the day if neither Leo nor I are unsuccessful.

I picked up the lantern before giving the barrier one last look. "Let's head back. Obviously, we're not welcome here."

"He's not happy to see us!" Me and Cuddles looked in the direction where Warren was pointing. The Beast was walking through the thick fog! What?! He's not supposed to be here! Wait, didn't Greg kill this thing? The author created another Beast! We pushed back as the Beast grew closer.

"Mr. Monster Man has a brother!" Cuddles pointed to another one. Two Beasts! What the Hell! Two more prowled through. Then, it grew by four more. A few more appeared. Soon enough, we were surrounded. We backed up until our backs were against the barrier. The author wanted us out of the picture.

Actually, the author wanted ME out of the picture... "Cuddles. Take Warren and run back to the village.

"But what about you, Master?" she asked fearfully.

"I'm gonna keep these guys company", I said, "I needed the exercise anyway."

"Don't be an idiot!" the worm argued, "What are going to say to your boyfriend if you died out here?"

I wanted to repeat myself but it's not the place or time to say it. "I'm not gonna die. Even if I was, tell him I'm sorry for what I said. Cuddles!" At my command, the rabbit grabbed the worm. I grabbed her and tossed the two sidekicks over the army. They noticed them but I threw my lantern onto the first creature. "Oy! I'm the one you want! No one wants a bite off mis nalgas!" That got a growling response from the crowd. I pulled out my twin knives. "Come and get it, bitches!" The horde of monsters jumped at me.

I ran and dived below them. I sliced through the first monster; no blood was spilled. Good. I don't need a relapse like last time. I tossed a dagger, and it landed on a Beast's forehead; it evaporated.

Suddenly, a clawed hand grabbed my arm. My vision was clouded with images. Images I've seen and not at the same time. Déjà vu' much? Many of them were Leo protecting me, yet he was stabbed in the end. I was there... I saw Leo died... how can that be? I disappeared. Didn't I?

I wrenched my arm free and slashed at the shadowy limb. I blocked a slash and parried another. I gave a swift kick to a Beast's snout; unfortunately, he read my moves and grabbed my leg. He threw me back into the fray. I leaped onto a monster's head and sliced its neck. I spotted the forgotten weapon; I head-dived through the crowd to grab it before I was grabbed by my shirt collar. Then, I was thrown until my back hit the barrier. I hissed hearing my spinal cord crack. I've eaten more than I could chew, and I've barely gone through three minutes. My mind wasn't on the battle; I'm not focused.

If there was a time to listen to my mother's lectures, now would be the time. She constantly reminded me to close off my heart; affections are a distraction. As much as I hate that lesson, I hate to agree just as much. Mother would be disappointed in me. I focused on my breathing. Close off doubts. Close off any visions. Focus on victory.

This was for Leo.

Leo... I'm sorry... I have to block you out for a bit... I need to survive to see you again...

I ignored the snarls and growls closing in... I took one last breath until I saw Leo's form ahead of me in a bright light. He didn't bother turning around. He's still angry with me. Wait for me a little longer, Lee... we'll get out of here. I owe you a movie marathon plus a giant Hawaiian Special Pizza.

I opened my eyes. The monsters stepped back sensing my newfound confidence. "Ya'll fight like a couple of pussies!" The horde of Beasts didn't like my taunt. I didn't care as they jumped on me. I smirked as I charged forward with a cry.

I didn't keep track of how long I fought. All I care about was killing every motherfucker that comes my way. I didn't know why this amount of carnage wasn't affecting me like I did to Mrs. Cuddles. I didn't enjoy this much killing, did I? I cut Beast after Beast with precision and deadly grace. Each one disappears after death. My arm was beginning to bother me, but I put the urge behind my mind and focused on the battle.

I stabbed the last Beast watching it turn to smoke like a dying flame. I heavily huffed. My limbs were growing heavier than my breathing. I looked behind me, seeing the barrier disappearing, showing the castle at its full dark beauty; mocking me. "That's all you got!" I yelled over the horizon spreading my arms out.

To say, "It was only the beginning" more pools of shadows surrounded me. The blobs took shape into many carnivorous monsters. Some of them were larger than the last. Me and my big mouth. I twirled my daggers and poised for another fight despite the state I'm in.

The growing itch in my bandaged arm wasn't helping either.