Leo shoved me back; a scowl plastered on his lips (or beak if we're getting technical). Okay. Yeah. I may have overdone on the whole "mind-control-bride" gig but I had to get Greg here to believe he had the upper hand. Thank God he's a total tool and not the toolbox if you catch my drift. Oh? You thought I was mind-controlled? You thought I was going to marry Thunder Ass over here? Ya'll are buggin'!

After I was captured, I was in a dreamless sleep until I heard a voice. Dark was with me! How, you might ask. They told me how. They were one of the Beasts I killed; the one I sniffed his smoke after he died. Dark told me to act like Gregory had the upper hand. It wasn't that hard, especially since I was trussed up like a doll. Guy's got decent taste, though. The classic long white dress that showed off my shoulders, soft blush and glossy lips, white heels with tiny bows on them, and to top it off a small crown-like veil on my head.

Overall, I went through the whole makeover without a complaint. I had to go suck it up. If it meant getting to Leo, then so be it. To make a long story short, I made an appearance as Gregory's new bride, and I may have given Leo a heart attack.

So, yeah, current time, Leo angrily shoved me. "You fucking asshole! I was on my way to save you!" he yelled.

"I do appreciate the gesture, Lee. It's adorable", I told him with a soft chuckle, "If it makes you feel better, you did save my ass a few times before. How about we start over? I'll play the helpless damsel in distress, and you'll ride on a white horse to save me."

"Or in the next loop, you'll play Beauty and get married to the jackass over there who looks like he's got no clue what's going on."

I playfully tilted my head, pretending to give it some thought. "Craig may have a nice, firm pair of cheeks but he ain't my type."

Leo quirked an eyeridge. "What's your type?"

I leaned in close to his ear. "You."

He shoved me back earning me to chuckle again. "You're an ass", the slider said with a blush on his cheeks.

"What the hell is going on?!" We turned to see Greg fuming at the scene. His perfect face contorted into a deep frown. I don't know why but I found it satisfying. "You should be MY BRIDE! You should be under my control! I have everything in my hands! I AM GOD!"

I huffed as I took off the crowned veil. "Man. Has anyone ever told you you complain like an overgrown man-baby? All I hear is wah, wah, wah. Take the hint, dipshit. We're not going through with your orders anymore", I stated, tossing the veil at the man's feet, "I don't know how many times I've said this, but we're getting the fuck out of here. And the only thing standing in our way is the motherfucking jackass holding the book hostage. As for your attempt to "control me", let's say I was awakened by my darker half."

Gregory's frown became deeper.

Leo stepped forward. "We're not going through with your route of a happy ending. We're going home. We can do this the easy way – where you willingly hand over the book or the hard way – where we kick your ass; side note, it's Merrill's favorite method."

"He's right, I do", I agreed.

"Master! Let me fight with you!" Cuddles yelled. I turned to her seeing fake Raph clutching her head in his giant fist. I stretched my shadow arm to punch the snapping turtle in the face. He took it like a bitch. The real Raph would never go down by my punch. I grabbed my little servant. Cuddles pounced on my face like the face-hugging alien from the Alien movies. "Oh, Master, you saved me!"

I yanked her off. "Save the love fest after we defeat Craig over there."

Mrs. Cuddles saluted. "Yes, sir!"

"...I won't have it..." Greg started mumbling. "...why... why is it hard achieving my happy ending... you need to be disciplined... I need to order... I may be running out of time... but I have the power to change it all... I've done it before... I can do it again." The man's losing his shit.

I caught sight of Warren trying to get the book out of the man's hip only for Gregory to grab him and the book. He noticed Warren and tossed him to Leo who caught him effortlessly. "How dare you?! Do you know who I am?!"

"Clearly he doesn't care, wormy", Leo said, which caused Warren to slouch in defeat.

"I will have my happy ending!" Gregory cried, opening the book. A black, curved tooth appeared on his hand. "A few alterations and we will set the course for a new story!" He started furiously writing on the pages.

"Stop him!" I said, running over to the mastermind. Leo rushed over. Then, pages surrounded us, wrapping our bodies in paper. I ripped out the papers with ease and deactivated my dark arms.

I blinked and surveyed the new area I was put in. I was back in the village except for a few minor differences. The village was bare and empty, the buildings were falling apart, and the sky was a void of disproportion of structure and was a deep violet color. Giant debris floating above me. This wasn't good. Everything was falling apart. This could be the final push we need or our downfall.

"Well, shit. This place looks like "Alice: Madness Returns" and "Resident Evil: Village" Both had a baby together and their baby became a horror masterpiece", I mused, "Hopefully, I don't run into the Goat Head Tree." I ran down the empty street. Despite the swirling sky and floating landscapes overhead, I haven't encountered a single soul in this refurbished little town. I managed to reach the town square. Once again, no one was around. However, the party decorations were still up along with the buffet of food.

"Alright. If I was a way to get to the Big Bad, where would I be?" I asked myself. I heard a slight shift. Then nothing. I stepped closer to the gazebo. My heels echoed throughout the quiet and eerie town. I lifted my dress so I wouldn't step on it. My nerves were on edge. I was preparing for a jump scare like those horror movies I've always watched. After a few minutes of looking over the place, nothing was out of the ordinary.

What a quiet village...

Suddenly, a crash burst through the building next to me. I was met with a hard hand. I jumped back and landed on the long table filled with food. I stood up with a foot planted forward. I was met with a large mass of flesh and numerous faces; faces I recognized from the village such as Leo's brothers, Big Mama, etc.

"Well, you have a face only a mother can love." The monster roared at my jest. "What? Self-conscious of what you look like? You're gonna have to blame that on your dad, Gregory. He's the one who created you." The mound of flesh roared again. I ripped open the hem which left a cut up past my knee. "I guess getting rid of you will be the only way to advance to the next area."

I kicked a plate over to the monster's face. It got irritated. It ran toward me. I grabbed a few other plates before dodging a giant fist. I tossed the plates like a frisbee. Each one connects to a face. Like an angry bull, it ran to me. I summoned my dark arms and held the monster back. The many mouths slobbered on my arms. Saliva slid onto my body. I tried not to shiver at the grossness crawling in. His stomach opened with a tongue coming out. The tongue wrapped around my waist and threw me over to a body. I bit my own tongue by accident. I tasted my blood. This flesh monster was tough, but it's not invincible.

I pushed out the crater my back created. The monster charged at me again. I waited patiently for the right moment. I leaped over stretching my arms as they contacted the wall. My hands covered the fleshy creature. With all my strength, I threw the monster over my head and pushed it to the fountain. The point of the fountain pierced through its back making a flesh monster kebob. Blood dripped from the stomach's mouth and eyes and covered the water into bloody Niagra Falls. I looked away with held breath. I didn't expect to kill the thing, but it had to be done.

A portal materialized ahead. Okay. So, this was necessary.

I went through the portal. I surveyed the new setting. I landed on a small floating piece of land. But that's not what caught my attention the most. Throughout the swirling void, the floating debris, and pages flying, was a giant, bare-chested Gregory. His hair was longer than our first meeting. His body was a fusion between paper and flesh, yet they were barely sticking together. His arms were pages with words written in ink, even the ink was starting to drip. His hands were gripping a black tooth and a golden feather. The bastard was sucking our powers like a leech.

"Well, well, well. Look who finally made it", Greg said to lil' ol' me.

I smirked as I laid a hand on my hip. "You should work on your security. A big flesh of dough as your head of security? Either someone thinks they're above everyone else or you're slacking off. You're a disgrace as a villain." My smirk grew seeing the giant's eye twitch.

"I never did like how overconfident you are", Greg stated, "It sickens me how you can be better than everyone else around you. Yet... I see a delicate nature about you. A dark beauty. A black horse. The book wanted you to be Beauty. Looking back on it now, I am starting to see why. If only you learn to be silent. You might find a decent mate."

I scoffed. "If you're putting yourself as a suitable choice then I'm gonna have to say hell nah. Dating you would be like dating my father, and I'm not too fond of my parents."

Gregory grimaced. "You are just like your turtle friend, Leo. A disappointment." I narrowed my eyes. "He, too, is a beauty, yet very flawed. Too stubborn to listen to reason. Always sacrificing his well-being for you."

"You said it like it's a bad thing. Leo is kindhearted to a fault. And if you're too stubborn to not see it then you don't deserve him. Honestly, you deserve to be lonely with the way you treat people like pawns."

"Really, now. I'm not the one who handed his friend's hand to a complete stranger. You don't deserve a kind person like Leo."

I cracked my fingers as I felt the shadows enveloping my arms. "I can't wait to wipe that fucking smirk of yours."

"Did I strike a nerve, Merryweather? Admitting my fact."

"Fuck no, dipshit! Leo's better off with someone who treats him as a person not as an item. Sure... I would be upset if he chose someone other than me, but as long as he's happy I couldn't care less."

"What a noble man you are... but you're quite foolish..." He scribbled down on his arm. A hand made of ink appeared and came at me. I jumped out of the way and landed on another rock. Another ink hand came at me. I jumped and twirled landing on another rock. I stretched my shadow arms grabbing ahold of the ink hand before squashing me. I felt the extra weight of another. Dark gave me an enhancement, but with Greg having the upper hand (no pun intended) with Light's and Dark's power I'm at a disadvantage. "You truly are a disappointment. Goodbye, Merrill." I caught a glimpse of Greg using the feather to scribble something on his.

Until... a golden sword sliced through his paper arm. The weight disappeared. I looked up, seeing a portal high above. A shooting star zipped through it. My lips twitched up as the star landed on my rock.

I looked at my friend up and down. "You look like shit", I said.

Leo scoffed. "Like you're one to talk. You ruined that nice dress."

"Alex didn't make it so I'm in the clear." I grabbed a certain furball before she pounced on my face. "Do you mind? We are in a situation here."

"But I miss you, Master! Cuddles wants to give you a biiiiiiiiig smooch!" the rabbit yokai said.

"God, you're insufferable", an annoying worm popped from Leo's head. "All the more reason to get home. I can't stand another minute with this fangirl!"

"Haters be hating", I commented as I stepped forward.

"How disgusting", Gregory frowned at us, "This motion of friendship is utterly disgusting."

"Heh. Jealous? Jealous that you don't have any friends backing you up?" I lectured, "Sure you got power, got a thick body, and control everything with a single sentence, but you're forgetting one thing: we don't belong here. We're not your little minions made up by your story. We're from the outside world. We're going to kick your ass! And we're getting the hell out of here!"

"With the power of friendship? What a laugh."

"With the power of these nuts plus ratio!"