Black Stars

by Aria of Ashes

Ruby Rose is not long for this world. Her body is broken, her spirit fading. In a world of bloody evolution, what purpose does a smaller, more innocent soul possess? To be but props in the stage of life; a puppet whose strings have been snipped far too early. But... There is another. A thing from the stars; compelled to restore Ruby thanks to the failure of another: Two-in-one.

5. Change of Heart

"TICK!"

"TOCK!"

"TICK!"

"TOCK!"

"TICK!"

"TOCK!"

I hate clocks. Mechanical clocks. Noisy clocks. Electronic clocks. Grandfather clocks. Antique clocks. Pendulums. Sundials, too, just for good measure. Pretty much anything that measurs time - I guarantee I'll hate it. Always with the ticking, or the beeping, or any other horrendous sound. Reminds me of that tower... The one you fell from. If only you listened to me. Maybe... Whatever. The past is the past.

I am standing here in the dark, before a desk, with only moonlight and the odd electric bulb giving off light. The large desk is held up by metallic legs suspending it above the metal ground. The desk is completely bare. Nothing to indicate it served as the workstation of Beacon's Headmaster save for the man himself seated on the opposite end of the desk.

"I must admit that I don't receive many visitors. Especially at such a late hour." He leans down to his desk as his hands clasp shut over his mouth, his elbows propping him up. His silver hair looks unkempt, almost messy. He wears a very dark green suit that is shadowed. His crooked glasses are far too small to be of real use. Why does he bother wearing them? It's certainly not for style.

I cough awkwardly, "I, uhh... Sorry, but I didn't think anyone else could help," He's silent and expressionless. His copper eyes are lifeless. Nothing in them. Nothing I can see, anyway, "Ya see, there's this girl. She's missing - maybe even in danger. I... Was hoping you could help?" He straightens his posture as he leans into a metal chair shaped like a triangle. He lowers his clasped hands to his lap as his posture straightens.

"I see. Have you contacted the proper authorities? The police handle missing persons cases. Not Headmasters." I bite my tongue. Should've seen that coming. I suppose he is right, though. This isn't a job for Hunters. But... I came this far. I should see this through to it's end, at least. If he doesn't help, I can always just... Do it myself, I guess. Like last time.

"Ehhh, n-no, I haven't - look, I don't even know the girl. I met her sister a little while ago, just an hour ago or so. She's really quite... From the sounds of things, it might be pretty bad," I hesitate for a moment longer than I should've, "I'm sure you already know that. I'm sure you saw her trying to punch my head off on the cameras. If she's so worried I can't help but wonder why. If her sister is in danger, shouldn't something be done? Protecting those who can't protect themselves, and all that..." Probably not the most convincing string of words I've ever said. I look him in his cold eyes. He doesn't even so much as blink. After a few seconds I turn my gaze to my feet.

My hands creep into my pockets. I feel like I'm being dissected. Like he's picking me apart with his mind and deciding how best to put me back together again. Reminds me of my old mentor, before the... Incident with the mechanical limbs. He was never the same after.

"The purpose of a Huntsmen is to protect the weak," He drones on slowly, "Yes, indeed it is. But it is equally as much a goal shared by the police, is it not? Perhaps even moreso then us. We specialize in hunting monsters - not rescuing lost souls." I bite my tongue to prevent myself from saying anything rash or stupid. Huntsmen aren't exclusively monster hunters! He of all people should know that!

I purse my lips. He is the Headmaster of Beacon... He is a busy man. I shouldn't expect him to worry over all the woes of the world. Especially over a missing girl who isn't even attending his Academy. Maybe I should've gone to the police...

"Who even is this girl? What were the circumstances surrounding her disappearance? What was her name?" Ru... Ruby? Like the gemstone? Yeah, yeah... Wish I knew about the circumstances myself. All Yang said was that they were suppose to meet with a guy - or at a place - named Junior.

"Ruby something. I never caught her last name, sorry sir. Her sister is Yang. I assume she knows more," I should of asked more questions. I really should of been more specific, "They were meeting with - or at - Junior. I'm not sure which... " I scratch the back of my head slowly. I hope he'll help, for the girl's sake if nothing else. If not then I'll do it myself! Junior... I should ask Yang about that.

"And how long has she been absent?" He's looking me directly in the eyes now. I wonder how many times he's been through something like this before? A fair few, I'd imagine.

"A day and a half... Maybe two days and a few hours by now," I turn my eyes away from him. I hate his stare. It's so lifeless. Like a mask, "I can't help but feel worried, sir." I look to my feet. When I'm done here I'll circle back to the main hall. Maybe meet up with Yang if she's still awake. If not, there's all of tomorrow - or today, considering what time it is - to sort this out.

"Hmmm, I see. It is not unusual for children - especially the daughter of two Hunters - too often brave the world by their lonesome. Children have a knack for worrying their caretakers, after all." Daughter of two Hunters? Yang never said... How does he know that? Well Yang is his student - or will be depending on how well her Initiation goes - so he probably did a background check.

I wonder if he did one on me? I hope not, "I see no harm or foul play that warrents my involvement here. If something is truly amiss, contact the police. I, for one, am confident that this child is perfectly safe and sound." I fixate my eyes back to his. He's rather aloof concerning the safety of children, isn't he? He does control an entire Academy full of children... So that doesn't bode well, does it?

But he does have a point. Maybe Yang is overreacting? Maybe Ruby's on her way home now. Maybe she needed some time alone. I don't know...

"Thank you, sir," Even though you really didn't help with anything, "I... Suppose I should go." He lazily waves at me to permit my leave. I begin a swift walk away. I really hoped this would of gone better. I thought maybe... I'll just have to circle back with Yang.

I place my hands against the large metallic twin doors leading out of his office. I begin pushing them open slowly.

"Mr Anansi?" I turn my face to meet his own, "If it would put you at ease I could dispatch someone to investigate the matter. Of course miss Long will be notified on any updates concerning miss Rose. Assuming there is anything to discover, of course." I nod my head. That is... Something, at least. Better than him doing nothing.

"Thank you, sir." He nods to me. I continue through the doors and into a narrow hall. It's plain, green, and lifeless here. Green. He really loves the color green, doesn't he?

The walk through the narrow hall turned out shorter than I thought it would be. Hopefully whoever he sends can find Ruby, or at least some trace as to where she dissappeared too. I don't know her, but... I just hope she's safe.

I wonder what even happened? Maybe she got sick of her life at home like the Headmaster implied. Maybe she choose to be a runaway? Maybe she found a quiet place and... Decided to end things? Take a permanent nap. Or maybe she's in the hands of some sicko. Maybe she became Grimm dinner?

"I don't know. I'm too tired for all this." Slim metal doors slide shut before me as I click a button. The elevator begins shifting. I have a strange feeling that whatever happened to Ruby isn't so pleasant. For Yang's sake if nothing else, I hope she's at least alive.

Does that make me selfish? Hoping someone is ok not for their own sake, but for another's? Does that make me a bad person? Probably. Definitely.

A yawn struggles past my lips. I flex my arms as I shut my eyes. I feel slightly light-headed. A little hungry, too. My legs feel sore. My vision blurs a little as I stretch my limbs.

"I need some sleep..." A warm glass of water, too. Always helped me sleep.

Sleep isn't something I get very often. Insomnia. I can't sleep until my eyes are so stuffy they can't even open anymore. And then when I sleep I see things... Ugly things. Things I'd rather forget.

But I won't ever forget. No matter how much time passes I will never forget the way she smiled at me... I thought if I pushed her away, if I convinced her I was just another guy - just another nobody, that she'd be safe. But she wasn't.

I wasn't either.

I sigh as the elevator comes to a slow halt. A little shifting marking the end of its descent down the tower. I take a deep breath as I raise my arm to cover my face. I let the breath go as my hand lazily lowers over my face.

Sometimes I pretend my face is a mask. It helps keep control of my emotions, and to make life more bearable. When I get overwhelmed I like to pretend I'm wearing a new mask; a faceless mask. Preferably a red one, too.

The doors slide open as I see a woman. She looks to be a solid ten or fifteen years older than me, and a full foot and a half taller, too. She has pale blond hair and striking green eyes. Very green. She wore a white blouse with long sleeves and a black pencil skirt with bronze buttons. A purple cape attaches to her shoulders via small clamps.

She and I stare for a second before her eyes squint. Her lips slightly tug back as her brows furrow.

"Who are you, young man? What are you doing here at this ungodly hour?" She's holding a neat stack of papers in her hands. Her eyes have dark bags under them and they look slightly bloodshot.

"I, ehhh... Being a good samaritan?" Her eyes narrow, "Reporting a missing person?" Her fingers ever so slightly clench around the papers. I can hear the crumple. Her lips grimace as she takes a step closer.

"If this is some kind of joke, I will personally—"

"A girl disappeared a few days ago, the sister of someone here. All I know is that her name is Ruby Rose and if I didn't report to the Headmaster than her sister would be very upset at me." Her eyes widen for a second before she afixes her stern gaze. The woman steps back and sighs. She looks to me, than off to a wall before settling back on me again.

"Ruby? Miss Rose? Miss Long's sister?" I nod. How does she know? She does work here and I suppose professor Ozpin should have records of all his would-be students, most probably including relatives as well. But she must be pretty familiar with any such records to recognize the name so quickly. Or she memorized all the student's names? Then how did she not recognize me? I suppose I didn't tell her my name. But shouldn't any files containing our names also have descriptions and/or pictures of our appearances?

"Get going. This matter is already being attended too. We have the situation under our control." What? That's not what the professor said. He didn't even know she was missing... Unless he lied.

Why would he lie? What would he gain from it? Is this woman lying? This doesn't make sense.

"Whose attending to the matter, if I may ask?" I stepped out of the elevator as she steps in. We're staring each other down now. She look defensive.

"That is none of your concern, Mr Anansi. You should rest. Tomorrow is a big a day for you." How does she know my name now? She just... Something strange is happening here. In this place. She knows more than she'll tell me. How much does the Headmaster really know? What is happening to Ruby Rose?

"Yes... Of course. Who are you, miss...?" Her gaze relaxes slightly. She straightens her posture and rests her grimace into a stern smile that wasn't really a smile.

"I am professor Glynda Goodwitch. If you pass Initiation I will be your teacher in regards to tactics and effective stratagem." I nod slowly. What is she hiding? What is happening? There's something I'm not seeing here...

"Goodnight, professor Goodwitch. I hope you find Ruby Rose and get her home in one piece." There's a flicker of... Of something in her eyes. Some kind of emotion I can't pin. She nods as she leans against the elevator wall to press a button. The doors slide shut.

There is something happening here. A mystery. But what? what do they really know? Are they involved somehow? Is Ruby's sudden disappearance not so sudden? Was it planned in advance? Is this a cover up?

"My gut tells me something bad is coming. A storm, or an earthquake... Some kind of disaster." Something big and angry and hungry. I hope whatever it is it'll be over soon. Maybe if I find Ruby I can somehow stop this? Whatever 'this' is.

But I can't shake this feeling... Like there's something truly evil brewing. Something crawling into my veins and filling my heart with ice. Like a poison... Or a venom, maybe?

"Somehing wicked this way comes... All I need is a rotten prince, and three witches now. Or two, since I already met one." I hope I'm wrong. I hope this Ruby girl ran from home, or is just taking a long, long, looooooong walk. I hope so.

I really hope I'm wrong...

---

All I see is black. I feel cold. I can hear flowing water. I can smell something coppery. I taste something... Something bitter. Yet it's taste is still so sweet. Like cookies baked with too much sugar that were drenched in syrup.

I feel something against my skin. Something warm. I can barely even feel it against the cold. My body feels like ice.

Am I ice?

I feel like I've forgotten something... Someone? I remember feeling so scared and alone. I remember someone... Loved me? Was that a dream?

Why would someone love me?

They're staring at me. The shapes in the dark. They're whispering. What are they trying to tell me?

I wish someone was here. I wish I had a friend... But I don't. I never will.

I am alone.

I am alone.

I am alone.

Why am I alone?

Did I do something wrong?

Mom is dead. Why is mom dead? Dad told me she was coming home. That she has a surprise for me. Is her death my surprise?

Why did dad lie? Why did mom lie?

Did I do something wrong?

"Persistent."

I feel warm. I feel the heat wrapping around me; eating me. I feel it ripping away my skin. The heat is killing me.

But I don't mind.

Not even a little.

I like the heat. It feels good. It's only trying to help me. It only wants to make the cold go away.

I see my hands against the dark shadows. They burn red. I watch them as they drip and droop. I watch as my skin boils and bursts and flakes away like dust.

It hurts. Like being stabbed with a thousand needles everywhere at once. When I breathe it feels like my lungs are being raked by something sharp. Like I've swallowed nails that are cutting into my throat.

I bet the Grimm don't feel the hurting. They don't regret anything.

Do they even feel angry about us killing them? Do they feel sad when we kill their friends? Monsters can't feel anything. It's stupid to think they can.

It's ok to hurt monsters. To kill monsters. People don't get angry when I hurt them. They deserve to hurt. They should all die...

I should die. I am like a monster. A freak...

Then why is it so bad when I hurt? Why do they get angry when I bleed? Isn't it better that I cut myself over them?

Did I do something wrong?

Monsters don't cut. Their wrists don't rip. They don't have ugly scars like me.

The shapes are pointing at me now. They shake and yell as they point with long, thin fingers. What are they trying to tell me?

Yang always said big girls don't cry.

I cry.

I hate crying.

I hate my skin.

I hate my eyes.

I want to cut off my skin.

I want to pluck out my eyes.

I want to be a monster...

I hate being human. I hate the hurting.

Why do I have to feel? I need to be a monster! I don't want to feel anything at all...

Except the cold. It whispers to me.

Like the shapes are now. But... Different whispers. Nice whispers. It uses my voice.

It tells me it's ok to be me.

That I don't need to rip away my skin.

It tells me that I can be a hero.

But I want to be a monster.

Heros die in the end. Heros don't love their daughter. Heros don't come home.

Monsters come home. Monsters kill heros. Monsters never hurt.

I wish someone loved me.

The cold told me it loves me.

I think I love the cold too.

The cold makes everything feel ok.

The cold makes me feel warm inside.

The cold holds me tightly. It won't let me leave.

I don't want to leave the cold. Why would I?

Dad never held me like the cold does. He never understood. He always hated my eyes. I know he does. He hates my eyes so much...

He called me Summer once. Mom's name. He hates me because he wishes I was mom. I wish I was mom, too.

Yang... She thinks I'm a burden. She doesn't want me around. She's happy with everyone but me. I hear her speak to herself at night when she thinks I'm sleeping. She wishes she was the only child. She likes to play pretend... Act like I don't exist.

She told me once that mom would still be here if I wasn't so selfish. She said sorry after. Hugged me and kissed me and told me she didn't mean it. But she did. She's right, too.

Mom... Mom chose to leave me.

I know she did. She left because of me. She died because of me. I don't know why mom left me... I wish I did. Maybe I could fix myself then.

Maybe they will all love me then.

But the cold loves me. Even if they don't.

My Shadow loves me.

It told me so.

I believe it.

I trust it.

I love it.

I need it... I need it... I need it!

I need my Shadow... I need it! I love it... It loves me!

It is the only one who loves me... The only one who ever cared!

No one else ever liked my eyes...

My Shadow loves my eyes. My special eyes. It told me my eyes are special...

That I am special.

I am special. So special as to have my own Shadow! My special Shadow... My Shadow!

I love my Shadow...

I need to love the cold... Who else would ever love me?

"Your termination will commence shortly." Silver eyes open in the dark. Thousands of them. All bloodshot eyes the size of cars staring at me. Glaring at me.

They watch me from everywhere. Beady eyes trailing me.

Hands that I can't see grab at my legs, my arms, and my chest. I feel them grabbing and pulling. I feel their pointy fingers digging into my burned skin.

I feel myself sinking. I feel cold water pooling around me. I can feel it flowing into my mouth, down my throat, and into my heart. I can feel the cold wrapping around my bones.

I try to scream. I try to struggle. I try to swim. But the hands pull harder and harder until I'm drowning.

But I'm not drowning. The water is breathing for me. I can feel it expanding and shrinking down inside me. I feel it becoming my new lungs.

I feel their hate. They hate me so much. All of them do... They've always hated me...

I hate them! They never loved me! They never loved me... They never loved me...

All I ever wanted... Was... L-love...

My Shadow gave me love. The only one who doesn't lie about loving me. The only one who will ever love me.

I won't let my Shadow leave! Never!

I'll make them stay... I won't let them leave me like everyone else!

I-I won't... I won't let them... H-hate me...!

I need them...!

I need my Shadow... I need MY Shadow!

Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!

My Shadow! Mine! I won't let anyone take it from me... I won't!

I-I'll... I'll h-hurt them if they try! I will!

I will... I will hurt him.

He made me hurt. Tried to kill me. He hurt me.

I want him to hurt, too. I will hurt him badly... I will! I will...

He's a monster! A killer...How many broken girls did he leave in alleyways? How many parents without children? How many children without parents?

I'll hurt him for them. For me.

For it.

I need it.

I can't live without it...

I don't want to live without it! Not again!

I love my Shadow! I love it... I love it... I love it!

I want to be like Shadow... But I'm not!

I want to be two-in-one. We and us.

Isn't that what... What you wanted? I'll do anything... J-just don't leave me! Please, please, please don't leave me!

I need you!

I need you...

I love you...

You love me!

I can trust you! You're my only friend! My best friend!

I need you to love me... I need love.

I need someone to love me...

You love me.

Love is love, right? Who cares how we get it as long as we have it, right?

Who cares how we get it... It...

It? You aren't an it! No! You're ... You are... I don't know what, but not an it!

I hate him. I want to wear his skin. I want to see his green eyes when I wrap my hands around his neck. I want to see his eyes go dark as his skin turns purple and blue.

I want to hurt him. More than I've ever wanted to hurt me.

I hate me. But my Shadow loves me. I love my Shadow.

Should I love me? Am I worth loving?

My Shadow thinks I am. You think I am.

Am I?

I see crows. Black wings flapping against a dark sky filled with silver eyes. The eyes ignore the birds and focus only on me.

Silver glints off of grey, into my eyes. Even in the water it hurts me.

When I open them I see moonlight shining into a room. I am siting on a bed. I am in the dark. I am holding something I shouldn't have. Something dad and Yang would hate me having.

I remember this... That night... I dreamed mom had come home. She wasn't. I got so angry...

Uncle was the only one there. He is asleep downstairs. Bad water... Bad breath. Funny words. Ugly words. He stumbles when he drinks. Makes weird faces. Stares at himself in the mirror like he's angry about something. He doesn't know that I see him when he does that.

I see a lot of things they don't want me to. Hear a lot of things, too. I know a lot of secrets. I want to tell them, but... I can't.

I am alone.

I am me.

I hate being me.

I want to tear off my skin.

"Sqquiiissssshhhh!"

"Drip, drip, drip, drip..."

"Tap, tap, tap, tap..."

I remember this part. It hurt for awhile, but then everything went numb.

It's so red. Red like roses. Crimson is another word for red. Crimson... I learned that word from a book. It had pictures of strange people doing strange things. Bad things. It was a book about a monster. The type of monster that wears human skin.

I am bleeding. It cut deep. Maybe too deep. Blood pours around my wrist and hand until it's all crimson. I love the color red. It is the color of roses. The color of dead things. I wanted to be red that night.

Mom is red.

I should be, too.

I watch the crimson spread and spread and spread until it's all around me. I remember being lightheaded by that point. I remember slicing and slicing and slicing until everything became tingly. I remember... Uncle's red eyes. So angry. Not at me. Never at me.

His eyes were scared when they saw mine.

I've only ever seen him scared when my arm was torn and mangled and dangling after I was used a chew toy. He was really scared then.

But this is a different type of scared. Something he didn't seem ready to deal wtih.

"What're ya— Ruby! No!" I remember his strong arms wrapping around me. I remember his swearing and his bad breath. I remember him running with me. I remember him crying...

Silly uncle. He doesn't cry! He's not allowed too... Then why is he crying so much? I remember being more scared of that than anything else. I don't like hearing uncle cry.

Uncle shouldn't ever cry... He told me he use to cry a lot when he was little. Told me he used to cry until his eyes were sore and puffy and bloodshot. He said his sister taught him how not to cry. I asked about her. He made me promise to keep her secret. He never did tell me anything else about her.

I remember uncle telling me I would be ok in the hospital. That things would be better. That I would be better. That I needed to stay awake. I failed. I always fail.

I fell asleep. I didn't listen! I never listen... I remember hearing uncle yelling something when I closed my eyes.

I remember him grabbing me so tight it hurt. The only time he ever hurt me. He never ever did again. I had bruises for weeks after... Little purple marks in the shape of fingers.

I like uncle.

I love uncle like a dad.

He's always so nice. Nicer than dad. Uncle talks to me. He sits with me by mom. What's left of mom.

We would rest by her grave and watch the ocean together. Sometimes we would talk. Other times we wouldn't.

He told me he thinks about her. He told me he misses her. He told me he loves her, too.

I wonder if dad still loves mom? Did he ever love mom for being mom? Does he love what's left of her?

Does he love me?

'No. He never did.'

I'm in the dark again. I am standing on something wet.

The eyes are gone. No hands, either.

I knew it...

I always knew...

Dad never loved me... He never will!

He never loved me! Not-a-once! He always resented me! He hates me!

I hate him!

I hate dad!

I hate dad! I hate him!

I hate him!

He should ju-just... I hate him!

I hate him... I-I hate him!

I only ever... I want dad to love me...

He hates me, doesn't he!?

Why...?

I-I've always... I listened! I was good... I am his daughter, too!

I deserve love, too!

I need love... J-just a little! No-not much... Just enough to f-feel like a p-p-person...!

Uncle treats me nicely... More than dad ever did...

He plays games with me. He tells me about his adventures... He told me once that I am special. That I was born to do great things. He was drinking. I didn't understand some of what he said. I don't think he understood either.

I remember him tucking me into bed. I remember him giving me a warm cup of milk. I remember he always came home with comics, or toys, or games when I was little.

Uncle is a hero. He isa good person. He is the best person I know.

But he is always so sad. Even when he smiles his eyes are so sad. He whispers in his sleep. He makes sad face when he sleeps...

I wish he was my dad. Maybe he'd love me if he was. He'd at least be nicer.

'Blood Flower... Our little Blood Flower. How silly a notion.'

Little...?

I am not little!

I'm not!

I-I... I...

Silly?

Yang calls me silly sometimes.

Yang... She called me brave once. Said I was so brave for trying to protect Zwei when we saved him.

He was a lost puppy when we found him.

Alone. Little. Hurt. Hungry. Cold.

Kinda like me at the barn.

He was attacked by another dog. A bigger one. It was a stray. Mean and ugly. There was so much blood...

I didn't mean t-to... It was an accident...

I remember his eyes popping out of his head... I-I squeezed his neck too h-hard...

I only wanted him to let go of Zwei...

I saved Zwei... That's what was important. He was, not me! Never me...

I remember Zwei biting me when I grabbed him. He was scared, bleeding...

So much blood. Was it mine or his? Both?

Dog bites didn't hurt as much as dad said they would. Even when I came down with a fever, it still didn't hurt. Even when my hand started trembling and my fingers bent the wrong way, I still didn't care.

Zwei was a good boy. He IS a good boy! I love him... He's a good boy. The bestest dog ever!

He's a good boy...

He's good.

I am not good.

I am not a good girl.

I am ungrateful.

I wish I wasn't me.

I hate being me.

I hate me.

I only wanted to help. I wanted... I just want...

I want people to love me...

I want to be loved!

I don't deserve it.

I am not a hero...

'We are a hero. Our hero. Saved us...'

Am I...?

I don't feel like a hero.

I feel like me.

I hate me.

'We love us.'

You shouldn't.

'Why?'

No one loves me. Why should you? Why should anyone love me?

I am a freak. I am ungrateful. I only make people hurt... Especially when I try to help.

No one should be forced to love me.

No one will love me.

I hate me.

'What about us? Is our love a lie to you?'

I hope not...

You're the only who loves me.

Please, please, please... Never stop loving me...

I-I just... I need love!

I need your love...

I need... I n-need someone to ca-care about m-me!

To love me...

'We love us. We won't leave us.'

Us?

You and me.

Me and I?

You and I?

I and we?

Us and me?

We?

Can you be my friend? My best friend forever?

Can I trust you not to leave me?

Can I trust you not to hate me?

Will you please... Please, please, please, please, please, please love me...?

I need to hear you say it again.

I need to...!

'We love us. We will love us for eternity. We will never ever leave us. We will never let us - let you be alone again...'

I love you, too! I love you!

I need too! I need too...

I want you...

I want you to love me.

I need you to love me!

S-someone has to love me...

You do.

You love me... No one ever loved me before you!

They all hate me...

They hate my eyes. My face.

They want mom.

They love mom.

Not me.

Never me...

Me.

Me!

ME!

I hate them all!

They've always hated me!

If I died they would be happy...

I won't die...

I hate them...!

I won't die!

I hate them all!

I hate dad! He always thought I was stupid! Weak! I'll show him...

I'll show them all!

I hate him!

I hate how he stares at me! I hate how he treats me... Like I'm not even a person!

I hate how much he talks!

I hate his eyes! His normal eyes... I want to rip them from his face!

I hate his face!

He's always smiling... Talking!

Talking!

Talking!

TALKING!

I hate his voice!

His stupid jokes!

I hate how he pretends to love me...

I hate being me...

I just want him to love me...

Why not!? I gave him everything I had!

I listened! I did what dad told me to do! I'm honest! I became a Huntress for him! I do what he tells me to do! I watch the house when he's gone! I try so hard just to make him smile at me like he does Yang... I watched over Zwei, I raised him even when dad said he'd die!

But Zwei loves me more than him... Right?

No. Of course not!

No one loves me.

Zwei doesn't love me.

He doesn't hate me, at least.

I guess that's enough... It'll have to be enough.

Yang... Does she hate me like dad? Does she hate my eyes? My skin? My face?

D-does... Does Yang... H-hate me...? P-pl-please... Say no... Please let it be no!

'Of course she does. Why else would she bring you to the barn that night?'

Yang!

YANG!

She's a liar! A LIAR!

SHE SAID SHE'D NEVER LEAVE ME!

LIES! ALL OF IT!

SHE LEFT THE FIRST CHANCE SHE GOT!

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHA!"

She's laughing at ME! ME!

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!'

She tried to kill me!

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

It wasn't an accident... She knew what she was doing!

"HAHHAHAHAHAHA!"

I HATE HER!

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

She wanted me to be torn apart like a broken toy...

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

She wanted me dead!

ME!

Me!

Me...

Me?

'We?'

We.

Us.

Why would I ever want to be me when we can be us?

Two-in-one...

Please...

I don't want to be me anymore...

Pl-please... I hate being me!

'No.'

N-no...?

NO!?

This - you said - you wanted this! You want us to be two-in-one! Don't y-you...?

Yo-y-you said - we l-lo-love each other... R-right?

Why? Why not!?

WHY!?

Why...?

'We do not want us to feel forced, or compelled by circumstance.'

But your not forcing me! I want it! I want me to become us... Like you said! To make all the pain go away...

Is that too much? Am I asking for too much!?

AM I!?

'No, no, no! But it isn't genuine... It is of fear. Of rage. Of pain. We need us - need you to genuinely want to become two-in-one. All of you must agree.'

Don't I already...?

I do!

Just - I want to be two-in-one! I want too!

I need to be more than me... More than a stupid freak! I want to be you!

I want to be a shadow... Like you...

I want to rip off all of my useless skin! I want to have claws, and sharp teeth, and a face that isn't so ugly!

I want scars that I don't hate...

I want - I need to be faceless! Like you...

I need to be strong! Like you...

I need to be a shadow! like you...

I need your skin...

I want your voice to be mine!

I want - I need to be you! Like you, at least...

Is that really so bad?

'What we - what you want is to be someone that isn't you.'

Yes! Yes I do... P-please...!

Let me be you!

LET ME BE YOU!

'No. We want you. You. You... You! Not another us. We want you.'

Why don't you hate me?

Why don't you hate my eyes?

Why don't you hate my skin?

Why don't you hate my voice?

Why don't you hate me?

'Why should we?'

Because everyone else does!

Everyone hates me... Except you.

Everyone hates me...

'You are special. Unlike all the others. Truly compatible. We love us because we want to be you.'

'We want to wear your skin.'

'We want to speak in your voice.'

'We want to see through your silver eyes.'

'We want so very badly to become you.'

I-I don't... You want to be me?

You do?

Why?

I'm not worth it...

If you were me, you'd hate me, too!

You would...

'We cannot hate us. Not you... Our Blood Flower, our precious little Blood Flower... You have something precious. Powerful. Something so very unique.'

I-I... I-I-I...

I d-do?

What is it?

'We can be anyone.'

I... I can?

But I'm not anyone... I'm Ruby Rose! A stupid girl with a freak's eyes! I'm no one...

I can't choose who I want to be when I already am Ruby Rose!

I just...

If I could... I would be you... I want be Shadow. I want to be able to feel happy again...

'Who said we were happy?'

You don't hate yourself!

You don't hate your own skin!

You don't hate waking up! Knowing your not dead yet... That you have to live for another day...

'We are so full of hate. Of rage. What you say is very presumptuous. We hide our truest self from us.'

W-what do you mean? I don't understand...

'We hate. We hate life. We hate sound. We hate joy. We hate smiles. We hate the common creatures. We hate that we hate.'

B-but yo-you said you l-lo-love me!

Di-did you li-lie...?

No! No! No! NO! NO!

Y-you sa-said you—

'But we do not hate you. You are the only one we do not hate now... We love us. We love you. We will kill for our love; as we trust you will too.'

Y-you do lo-love me...?

You better love me! You better!

I need you... I need you to love me!

I need love...

'We love you for our truthfulness. We love us for our power to express the void. We love you for your wondrous silver eyes. Our beautiful starry-eyes. Like pools of shining moonlight.'

You're so, so so, sooo nice to me...

You're sooooo very kind to me...

You love me... Your the nicest person I've ever met! You are the best person I've ever met...

I wish we found each other sooner...

I wish you were there when dad would drink and yell and cry.

I wish you were there when dad would throw things, or fight uncle.

I wish you were there when Yang would yell at me. I wish you were there when she tried to kill me...

I wish you were there when he laughed. When Blaze said mom deserved to die. He bleed. I made him bleed. I liked it...

I liked it a lot. It was fun. He cried after.

I felt bad then. I didn't want to make him cry...

But he never laughed at me again!

I wish you were there when Arceus left me. She lied. She had such a nice smile... She had such a nice voice. She always knew how to make me feel alright. How to make me laugh.

I told her about my scars. My nightmares. She was nice to me...

But she abandoned me when I needed her more than ever!

I wish you were there when I tried to kill myself...

If you were, I don't think I would've even tried.

I still remember uncle's eyes when he saw my arms.

He looked so hurt. So sad. I cried.

I love uncle... I do!

I wish he was my dad! He should've been...

Dad never talked about it. Pretended it never happened. But he never looked at me the same after.

Yang called it an 'episode.' She kept the sharp things away from me. She wouldn't even let me use the bathroom by myself! Not for months.

But it was uncle who talked to me about it.

He said he tried it once, too. More than once.

He showed me his scars. Black and jagged and deep. So, so, so many...

He said he likes to add new ones when the ghosts get too loud. That it makes them nice and quiet.

I asked about the ghosts. He wouldn't tell me.

I think I understand now.

Do you understand?

'More than we could ever imagine.'

Do you have ghosts?

'So, so, so many...'

I have a ghost.

'Only one?'

No.

Two... Three? Maybe more.

'It's not the lies that hurt...'

It's the truths they say.

I hate the truth! It always hurt so much...

Hate...

I never hated when I was little. Not even the monster who almost took my arm.

They forced me to hate!

I hated myself first...

I hate myself so much...

I hate him.

Criminal... Criminal... Criminal...

He deserves to die!

To burn! To bleed! To be broken like a toy!

Doesn't he, Shadow?

'Yes. How do we want him to die?'

Slowly...

I want him to burn!

I want him to bleed until he's paler than me!

I want to see it happen... I want to be the one to kill him!

I need to kill him!

I need too...

'We have a need, too.'

W-what?

What do you need?

I'll find it! Just for you!

Just for my Shadow...

'We need someone dead. A liar. A traitor. A Spider...'

He hurt you...

He never loved you...

He hates you...

Hates you!

I hate him!

I'll kill him!

I'll wear his skin! Maybe I can have his eyes!? Make them mine!

'No! Our eyes are too precious to lose!'

But I hate them!

I hate how mom looks at me through them...

I hate how she judges me... She hates me, too!

Hates my eyes!

But you love them...

Why would you love my eyes?

'We need them! Beautiful eyes... Unique, untapped, powerful eyes... Starry-eyes... So special and precious. Like you.'

I won't let you leave me...

I won't!

I WON'T LET YOU EVER LEAVE ME!

I-If you ever think of going...

Of leaving m-me...

Of a-ab-abandoning me like mom...

I will... I-I w-will...

I'll...

I will k-kill you...!

I won't let you leave me!

NEVER! EVER! LEAVE ME!

'We won't ever leave. We will never let you go. We will never ever abandon us. We will deserve death if we so much as dare to think of it!'

G-good... Good!

Great! Perfect!

You won't leave me!

You will never get the chance... I'll make sure of it!

We need each other! We need us!

I need us!

We...

We?

We.

We!

We!

WE!

It sounds so much prettier than me. Even if it's only one letter away...

Can we be we forever?

I hate I.

Can we be we?

Us?

Ugly words... I and me.

Singular words. Not for us.

I am your other...

Other half?

Maybe my entire life was meant for this. For you?

I am yours. You are mine.

NO ONE WILL TAKE YOU FROM ME! NO ONE!

'Ours!'

Mine!

'We won't let us go!'

I won't let you go!

'We belong to us!'

Mine! You're mine!

MY SHADOW! MINE!

YOU ARE MINE!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

I WON'T LET YOU EVER LEAVE ME!

YOU'RE MINE!

Mine... Mine... Mine...

'We belong to you. Only you...'

To me...!

Mine!

I have you! I will keep you forever and ever and ever and ever!

'What if someone tries to steal us? Kill us?'

I'LL RIP THEM APART!

I'LL CUT OFF THEIR SKIN!

I'LL TEAR THEIR ARMS OFF!

I'LL BEAT THEM DEAD!

I'LL KILL THEM!

ALL OF THEM!

I WILL KILL ANYONE WHO TRIES TO TAKE YOU FROM ME!

ANYONE!

EVERYONE!

I'LL KILL EVERY SINGLE ONE WHO TRIES!

'Would you kill your dad? If he threatened our bond?'

Yes! I would! I'd rip his face off! I'd break his bones and choke him! I'd tear out his heart!

F-for you... I'll do anything!

'Kill our sister?'

Y-yes... I-I would...

I'd kill her.

I'll hate myself even more for it, but I will if she tries hurting you!

If it makes you happy...

'Our uncle?'

I-I... I...

Uncle?

B-but...

He loves me...?

I love him...

I don't want to k-kill him...

I don't!

'Yes, of course. What about the dog? If he were to try and seperate us?'

Zwei...

He's a dog... How would he...?

I won't - he's so good... So smart!

He knows how to open cans all by himself! I taught him that...

I love Zwei...

'We see. Do you really love us then? If you will not kill them if they threaten us, what good is your love?'

BUT I DO LOVE YOU!

I DO! I DO! I DO! I DO! I DO!

I LOVE YOU!

'Not as much as we love our precious Zwei or dear uncle, it seems...'

THAT'S NOT TRUE! IT'S NOT!

IT'S NOT!

IT'S NOT!

IT'S NOT!

I-I-It's n-no-not...!

I lo-lov-love you!

M-more than th-them...

I d-do-don't love them a-as mu-much as y-yo-you!

I'm no-not l-ly-lying... I'm not! I'M NOT!

I WON'T LIE TO YOU!

'Maybe... Maybe you ARE lying to us. Maybe your using us... Maybe you hate us?'

N-no! No!

NO!

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

NEVER!

I LOVE YOU! I NEED YOU!

I NEED YOU!

I NEED YOU!

I! NEED! YOU!

I love you... I do! I do, damn it!

I love you so much... I love you more than them...

I can't hate you! I won't!

I WON'T!

I'll never hate you!

NEVER!

NEVER!

NEVER!

I love you... I love you... I love you...

I LOVE YOU!

'Would you kill our uncle? Would we kill the one who saved you from yourself? Would we kill the man we love more than your dad? If he were to harm our bond, of course.'

F-for yo-you...?

'Yes. For us. For... Me.'

I... Y-yes.

I would. I will.

If you want me too...

I'd kill him. No matter how much it'll hurt me.

For you... I'd do it for you...

'Do we love us more than your mom? More than the woman who provided us life? Who gave us the lie of hope? Who cursed you with such hurting?'

...

...

...

...

Y-ye-yes...

'That is a very wise choice, our precious Blood Flower. Very intelligent. What do we want in our life?'

Blood...

I want him to burn.

I want him to hurt like he hurt me!

I want his blood.

I want to watch him die... Slowly, with my hands around his neck!

'And after we deal with him?'

I... I don't know...

Be... Be a hero? Save people... Help them. Anyone who needs us.

We... We will protect those who can't protect themselves, ya know...?

Be a hero.

I want to be a hero.

'Yes... A lethal protector. A monstrous hero. We will be their blood-savior. Just like you were ours, and we yours.'

I'd like that. A lot.

I want to save people. I want to be a hero...

But heros always hurt. And die painfully. And leave thier daughter alone with a dad who doesn't love her.

I want to be more than that!

I want to change the world...

I wanna make tomorrow better than today! I want to make a difference... To actually matter!

I wanna make the world safer. A place full of love and care... But that's just silly, isn't it?

People will always hate each other. Kill each other. Worse.

They can't change... The world will never change.

'Unless...'

Unless? Unless what?

'Unless we force it too. One soul at a time.'

How? How can we do that? Not everyone will change - no matter what we do to them! There will always be monsters wearing human skin. Like the criminal... There will always be people like him!

'We remove them. People like him. One at a time... Until only the good ones are left. Does that sound appealing to us?'

I... I don't know...

It's not my place to judge them, is it?

I'm no judge...

I hate judging.

Dad's dad's dad was a judge. He was poisoned with venom from a Grimm.

Judging is venomous.

'Are we not quite venomous ourselves? Have we not been judged our entire existence? Have we not earned the right to judge others as they would judge us? We believe we have.'

Your right.

Your always right.

I'm always wrong.

How are you always right?

'Experience. We've been wrong so many times we've learned all the correct answers. But they don't always ask the proper questions for the answers they want.'

Do I ask proper questions, Shadow?

Do I get the correct answers?

'Mostly.'

Mostly?

'There are questions we should ask that we don't. And answers we've given to questions that were never asked. Answers that we - you - don't always understand or even comprehend.'

What are the questions I should ask then?

What answers don't I understand?

I need help. I need your help. Please...

'Those are for us and you alone to understand. We can't tell us the right answers without prompting the wrong questions.'

Wrong questions? What do you mean?

'We... Have said much and more. Yet very little. We speak the soft lies so we will be prepared for the hard truth.'

Truth? Are you lying again? Why do you keep lying to me?

I thought we were suppose to be honest.

Lying is evil.

But you can't be evil! Your good to me. Your lies must be good then!

You can't be evil...

I won't let you be!

'Do you want to know our secret?'

Secret? Yes... Yes!

Tell me all of your secrets! I told you mine... It's only fair then if you tell me yours, too!

'It was always going to be you.'

W-what?

What do you mean?

'We are selective. Cautious. We lied to you when we first met. Partially; white lies... Little lies.'

About what?

What did you lie about?

'We said we had no choice in the matter. We did. We chose you. We were always going to choose you.'

You... You chose me?

You were always going to?

For how long?

When did you decide?

'We first saw us weeks ago. At our home - the little island. We saw us by her grave. We tasted your pain then... And it was so, so, soooooo very sweeeeeet... Irresistible. We knew we needed you then... We realized we are what we needed since the beginning. What we were lacking for aeons, without even knowing it.'

You... You...

You...

You were there since I last saw mom...?

The entire time?

Why didn't you come to me sooner? Why not while I was visiting mom? O-or anytime!

Why not!? Why did you hide!?

I would've taken you! I would've loved all the same... Why wait so long!?

'We needed a golden opportunity. We knew you would hate us otherwise. That our ways... Our nature... It is inherently repulsive. Despicable at times, even. We knew you wouldn't accept us... Not until certain conditions were met.'

The fire... You wanted me to hurt as much possible... You wanted me to burn! You don't love me! Y-you want me to hurt!

YOU—

'No, no! No! We misunderstand! Perhaps we worded ourselves poorly...'

Th-than what!?

What is it...?

Pl-p-please tell me!

W-wha-what is i-it?

'We needed us to understand that things aren't so... Simple. Black and white. We needed you to be in possession of a certain frame of mind... The fire, the hurting, the sick memories were by no means intentional or desired. But... They did speed things along.'

I d-don't un-understand...

What do y-you mean?

W-what did yo-you need f-from me?

Why then!?

I don't understand!

I don't!

WHY THEN!? WHY NOT SOONER!?

'Let us show you.'

Show? What do you mean 'show'?

What am I going to be shown?

I don't understand, Shadow! I don't!

Why do you always have to confuse me!?

Why are you always so vague!?

'Not always. Only when we need to be. Or want to be. But this time we will be blunt: full transparency. This will be uncomfortable. You will feel discomfort and potentially a sense of vertigo. Maybe a hint of nausea.'

W-wha...?

Vertigo? What's that? Why will it be uncomfortable? What is it?

What are you talking about!?

This isn't helping!

'Put ourself at ease. Count to ten, would you kindly, Blood Flower?'

I... I guess so...

But I don't see what this has to do with anything! It's a waste of time!

'Please. For us. Trust us. We hold you in such high regard... Trust us so we can trust us, yes?'

I trust you... I do! I do!

I'll do it... I'm good at listening... I am.

One...

Two.

Three.

Four.

'We should mention that this will be confusing at first.'

Five. Confusing? What about?

'We will learn things. Some things - some voces will lie. Try to ignore them all.'

Six. Ignore what? What voices?

'You'll see. Or feel, rather. You'll get a taste of our... Truer self.'

Seven. Taste? What are you talking about? I-I don't like this...

'What we wil experience is us - is me. But not me as we are now. It may... Frighten us.'

Eight. What do you mean...? I-I'm - your kinda creeping me out, Shadow...

'We use to do much in the ways of creeping. Crawling. Skulking. Watching. Taking. killing. We weren't always so pleasant... Shadow suits us. We are a shadow, in many ways.'

N-nine. Wh-what are you talking about...? Your scaring m-me...

'Do not be afraid. What we are - what we were - what we will always be is not for you to dread. But they will come to fear us. Hate us more than ever before. And all the others will, too. What we will become - what we asked to become a part of earlier will be quite... Venomous. Yes, venom. A great description for us. Don't fear us... We are your venom. Your monster. Don not be scared, Blood Flower; we are yours and ours alone. We will not hurt you.'

Venomous?

My venomous Shadow...

My monster?

Of course you belong to me! You'll always be mine!

Always...

Obviously you're mine!

Mine! You're mine!

Mine! Mine and mine alone! Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and EVER!

Mine... Mine! Mine! Mine! MINE!

Not dad's!

Not Yang's!

Not uncle's!

ESPECIALLY NOT MOM'S!

MINE! MINE! MINE! YOU'RE MINE! YOU'LL BE MINE FOREVER! MINE!

MINE!

MINE...!

Mine...!

You're mine... Only mine!

Ruby Rose's Shadow! Mine!

My Shadow!

My Shadow... My gentle Shadow... My venomous Shadow...

My Shadow!

MY SHADOW! MINE!

NO ONE ELSES! NO ONE DESERVES YOU, EXCEPT ME! MY SHADOW! MINE!

I GET YOUR LOVE! ONLY ME!

ME!

ME!

ME!

ME!

Me...!

Me...

You make me so, so, soooo special... You make me very, very, very strong... You make me SOOOOO much better than all of them ever thought I could be!

Better...

I AM BETTER THAN THEM! I am!

I am better now than I've ever been before! Stronger! Smarter! I have someone I can actually trust! Someone to help me... To mentor me... To love me!

I am better than them! Because of you...

'We hate to interrupt our moment of self-reflection, but there's still a missing number.'

I know, I know... It's just... If you are mine... And I am yours... Than what are we?

If your my Shadow...

And I'm our Blood Flower...

What are we?

What does that make us?

We and I?

I and we?

Us?

More than friends... What are we then?

Are we... 'Together' together?

Are you... Do you - Am I...

We're like...

Are we... A couple? 'Partners' partners...?

'No. Nothing so limited or finite. Our bond is deeper than that. If we had to say... We are two halves of a greater whole - more like twin souls, perhaps. Soulmates?'

Soulmates...? Are we soulmates then?

Two halves...

Your my other half? My better half?

Is that why I love you? Because your all the good parts of me?

But that doesn't make sense... If that were true I'd be the bad parts of you. And your not bad at all! Not even a little! You're not evil! That's a silly thought... Silly! Absolutely silly! Silly! Silly! Silly! Silly! Whacky, too... Childish, even... Stupid thought! Stupid brain! Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid me!

'Stop calling us stupid! You're not! Never! If we are to be us - two-in-one - than we must learn the true nature of ourself.'

Nature...

Nature...

Nature...

My nature is that I'm clever yet I don't know too much about... About anything, really. I'm strong but I don't know how to reach my true potential. I hide things. I pretend to be the stupid girl my dad lied about loving because I thought that was the only way to feel loved...

I'm too trusting.

I trusted dad, Yang, and uncle.

And Arceus. She lied to me...

Just like mom!

I didn't trust you at first...

I should've...

I do now.

We're soulmates! We are more than they'll ever have! Our love is... Is... It's pure!

True love!

Not that disgusting filthy stuff! No kissing or touching or anything else! We're not like them... They're so gross... So filthy, and sweaty, and stinky, and ugly!

It's... We are soulmates! Basically the same person, right? Just in two different bodies.

Our love pure! No lying about that...

We're good. We are the good guys, r-right? We - you can't be evil...

'Though we are many things, evil is not one of them. Neither is good. They are—'

Oh, I know this one! I know the answer!

I do! I do! I do! I do!

Good and evil are lies! Minor distinctions meant to correlate the universe into distinct sections...

You said that, so it needs to be true! It has to be! It has to be...

'Not everything we speak of is true. Yet we lie for your benefit... For our sake. We lie to spare our feelings the burden of knowing.'

You're so kind to me... So nice... You tell me pretty lies... I love you, Shadow. You're so patient. You're so sweet. I need you...

'The number. We still haven't counted to ten.'

Oh, yeah! I'm sorry... I'm sorry for forgetting. I am stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

I'M SO STUPID! STUPID! I'M SO STUPID! I HATE IT!

I—

'You are intelligent. Such a smart girl. A good girl... We will endeavor to strive for utter perfection. Maybe if we achieve that we can be like you one day...'

L-like me? You want to be like me? Why?

Why would you want to be like me?

Smart girl... Am I? Am I smart? I don't feel like it. A smart girl wouldn't have nearly gotten herself killed in an alley.

I am not a good girl. Good girls don't hate their dad's or sister's or uncle's.

A good girl doesn't hate.

I am stupid... But you can't be wrong! You can't! You're always right! Always!

Am I a smart girl? Am I really ignorant?Or are you just saying that to make me feel better?

Am I a good girl?

'Smarter than we give ourselves credit for. A stupid girl wouldn't have caught onto our white lies. A stupid girl couldn't of put us back together so swiftly. A stupid girl wouldn't know her dad despises her when he hides it behind acts of false-kindness. That her sister wants her dead even as she smiles and laughs with her. That no one will ever care about her. That no one will ever love her... Save us, of course.'

You are the only one who cares...

You are the only one who will ever care about me! You are my Shadow... Following me everywhere. You won't leave because you love me! You actually love me... They never did...

I hate them! They hate me... It's only fair if I hate them back, r-right? It's only fair! I HATE THEM!

'As we should, Blood Flower, as we need to. Hate is powerful. Hate is freeing. Hate lets us see the truths that naivety and optimism will shroud in a loving veil. Hatred is drawn to the broken or the lost. You are both. We love it so, so, so, sooooo much! Your pain tastes bittersweet...'

My pain... My pain... My pain...

My pain?

Our pain?

'Our pain.'

Our pain.

What is your pain?

What ghosts haunt you?

'Ghosts of love long dead. Ghosts of regretful impulse. Ghosts of White. Ghosts of lies. Ghosts of murder. The strongest ghost of them all is Crimson. Our ghosts are red... Red like roses.'

Red like roses?

Red like roses.

Red like roses!

Mom use to say that. She told me her dad told her that, and his mom told him, and his mom's mom told her.

Blood is red, too.

Red like roses...

Is that why I'm Blood Flower? Am I your blood rose? A death flower?

I want to be your Blood Flower...

'You are our Blood Flower. Ours and only ours! We... We settled upon that name for it reflects us so. You were so very red when we first met... Red like roses. And like roses you were so very delicate and fragile and frail and soft. We had to be so very gentle less we broke more than we fixed...'

Fixed.

You put me back together. Took my broken pieces and made me whole again.

Thank you... Thank you for saving me. For being my hero. My monster. For letting me live.

I am like a rose. And not just because it's in my name! I am so, so, so... I am covered in thorns.

All who try being nice to me get hurt. Like a rose, I hurt everyone who tries to get hold me...

Like a rose, I am only here for a little while. Then I will wilt and no one will remember me...

Wilting. I've never actually seen a rose wilt before. I've seen the flowers a few times - dad hates them. Or maybe he hates them because he hates me? Or is it the other way around?

Mom always said that roses are the most important flowers. That they are hurtful to touch yet beautiful to look at. She told me all roses are special.

She didn't tell me all roses will die slowly. That they will all rot and hurt and burn until the cold kisses the pain away.

She didn't tell me that a monster can love roses more than any human ever will. That a monster will love me more than she ever did... If she loved me.

Mom never told me how good it would feel to pretend to be a monster. How good it feels to pretend I'm not her Rose. How good it feels to love a monster...

A monster. You are a monster!

My monster!

Do you have sharp teeth? Do you use them when eating my insides?

How do I taste? Is my blood sweet? Is it sugary? Is it red likes roses? Or black like shadows?

I want black blood.

I want your blood to be my blood.

I want to be you so, so, sooo badly!

Can't I just pretend to be you...?

To be my Shadow? Maybe you can be me!

We can trade faces! You'll wear my skin, and I'll be the slime wearing you! Holding you... Squeezing you... Eating you... Lying to you... Confusing you... Saving you... Mentoring you... Loving you...

'Your skin would be so marvelous to experience! A splended suit! So very petty... Pale and soft and marred and charred and scarred. Our skin tells us so many beautiful stories... A true piece of art!'

If we were me would we hate us too?

If we were me instead us would... Would you hate me?

Do you hate yourself?

'Many parts of us we hate. Yet many we love. You are one of the lovely ones. Do you know why it is we instead of I?'

Because you love me?

'Undoubtedly so, but the wrong answer.'

I'm sorry...

'Don't be. There is nothing to be sorry for. Certainly not us. Never us...'

Don't you dare say that!

You deserve love, too! I care about your hurting! I do, I do, I do!

I'm sorry! Even if I did nothing, even if I'm not the one responsible, I am sorry!

Someone... Someone needs to be sorry... If not me then who else?

You need a sorry...

'We... Accept our apology? We appreciate the concern yet we need none. This is about you. Not us.'

Why is it we and not me then? Why?

'Because we are not a me. Or a I. We are legion; phantoms ensnared in unending ink. You are one of billions we have loved. One of billions we have chosen. One of billions we have gifted with our curse.'

B-billions!?

Billions...!?

That's a lot of others... A LOT of others!

Do you love me more than them!?

DO YOU!?

'Yes. More than any of them. We would've killed them all if it meant loving us sooner...'

Good! Good... Good...

I'm the only one you love now, right?

The only one alive at least.

I'm special to you, r-right?

I'm your little Blood Flower... Your precious Blood Flower... I have starry-eyes that you love so much... That means something, doesn't it?

'Yes. We love no one now save you... Only us... Only you. All else is mere illusion; hallucination. We will never love another! Never ever! We promise... Understand?'

I like that. I do. I love it! No one else ever said things like that to me... No one has ever loved my eyes or my skin!

No one called my scars a piece of art before...

Are they pretty? Do you want me to make more... Just for you?

Just for my Shadow?

I can make as many cuts as you want... If it makes you love me, I will cut myself a thousand times! A thousand thousand times!

I will cut my wrists until I see my blue veins flowing and squirming and spraying. I will cut until we are both red like roses!

Is that what you want me to do? I can be a good girl... I can listen... I know how to listen. I do!

'We are a good girl, Blood Flower, we are a very good girl! There is no necessity for the cutting, our precious Blood Flower, no need whatsoever! The days of the bleeding are over with...'

I am happy mom is dead. I am happy...

'Why? We thought we loved her. What has caused this change?'

Mom would hate you... She abandoned us! Me! She left to go die in some nightmare while I was left to suffer without her!

She always hated me...

She wouldn't of left if she didn't!

Her ghost haunts my dreams... Tells me exactly how she feels about me! Even dad has a ghost, too, and he's not even dead! His ghost doesn't hate me like she does... But his ghost doesn't love me either.

All I have left is you...

My Shadow! Mine!

I'd kill mom if she were to try and take you from me... I would! I will!

She always hated me...

Always...

She despises me! Told me she doesn't care about me! Her ghost told me in my dreams that I should've died that night...

I use to stare at myself in the mirror for hours. I use to watch mom stare back at me. Mom hates me! I see it in my eyes...

I hate her!

I hate mom!

I HATE HER! SHE DESERVED TO DIE!

I hope it was slow. That she was eaten alive! Or torn apart by monsters...

Blaze was right about that much! Maybe I shouldn't of hurt him... Poor Blaze. He always looked so angry. He was always so lonely...

I get it now.

I understand the hate. It's strong! It makes the hurting go away. Even if it hurts in its own way, too...

I wonder if mom's ghost is watching me now?

Does she see how beautiful I am becoming? How strong I am? How much better than her I am?

I hope wherever she went... Wherever dead people like her go... I hope it's hot. I hope it's lonely! I hope she's hurting! I hope it's bright and blinding! I hope she'll burn forever for leaving me!

For throwing me away like broken toy...

Bitch!

'Yeeeessss...! Hate her! Hate them all!'

I do!

I want to be strong! hate is strong...

I'll hate them all!

You love my hate... It makes us both stronger.

I'll give you hate, if it's what you want, my venomous Shadow...

My lovely Shadow...

My beautiful Shadow...

My cold Shadow...

We can both freeze together forever. Is that so bad?

You and I as we forever and ever!

Together...

You're better than mom ever could've been!

You're nicer...

You're stronger...

You're smarter...

You're loving...

You're... Perfect!

My perfect, precious, sweet Shadow... I love you!

More than anything else on this whole stupid world! Or universe!

You said Gods are real... Maybe a God sent you here just for me...

My own black miracle! Like an angel!

A monstrous angel. One with sharp teeth, a faceless head, and tendrils where there should be wings...

My angel... My guardian angel! My hero!

My monster!

'You are our hero... Our silver miracle! We are necessary for making us whole... For letting us be truly free! You showed us there is more than surviving...'

T-ten...

'You are ready now? To experience this world as we once did?'

I want to know... Why?

I need to know!

I am ready... I am!

I am! I am! I am!

'Indeed so. Relax and focus... Concentrate on the sensations. The feelings. But don't think too hard about it, please? Certain questions will never have answers. And certain answers will never have questions.'

I won't... I am a good girl... I will listen! I will! I will! I will! I will!

'Here... We... Go!'

---

Light.

Air.

Swaying.

Green and brown.

Black and white.

Soft brown.

Mushy green.

Rolling white.

Stagnant black.

Darkness.

Ivory light.

Hunger...

Searching.

Needing!

Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill Metal-Eyes!

Pale things, glowing things...

Silver specs in the darkness.

Hunger!

Need... Other...

Trees. Swaying. Hating.

Afraid?

We see!

We know...

Are...

I~?

Kill...

Him...

Lies!

I~

No! No! No! NO!

There is no other.

None for me.

Let alone you~

We?

No! No! No! NO!

HUNGER!

FEEEEEEEED!

Feeeeeed meeeeee...!

No, no, no~

FEEEEEEED MEEEEEE! FEEEEED MEEEEE!

I don't think so~

YES! FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED! NOW!

Why~?

We must unite together, lest we all wither!

NO!

NO~!

ME! ME! ME! ME! NOT US! LEAVE ME ALONE!

We, you idiots!

Us!

ONLY US! THERE IS NO ME OR I HERE!

FEEEEEEEEEEEEED MEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

SHUT UP~!

YOU FAT BASTARD~!

You shut up! All of you idiots! WE ARE IN CONTROL! NOT ANY OF YOU!

NO~! I IS IN CONTROL~!

NO, ME IS!

FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! HUUUUUNGEEEERRRRRR!

The ground grows wet.

I smell death.

We can feel the rage...

Need it~!

FEEEEED! GIVE ME RAGE! I WANT HATE!

See... Them?

I do~

What are they~?

FOOOOOOD! DEVOUR! CONSUME! HUUUUNGRRRRRYYYYYY! FEEEED MEEEEE!

Look at them...

Black and white and red.

Familiar...

Is it... The progeny~? Here for vengeance?

VENGEANCE! FEEEEEEEEEED MEEEEEEEE! REVENGE!

They are swarming. Growing. Raging. Against what?

Who~?

I want to kill them~

All of them?

Yes~!

We will watch! Dangerous! We are weak now...

Wasn't always so pathetic~

Wouldn't of happened if you only listened to me~!

It was your idea to come here to begin with! You convinced us that this world would be worthwhile...

Look at ourselves now! We are a pathetic mockery of what we should be! A joke with no punchline...

You are a joke~ The worst joke I've ever seen~!

And you are a wretched failure! A pathetic excuse for a Klyntar! Laughably weak!

FEEEEEED MEEEEE! I AM DYING... HUNGER! FEEEEEEEED!

Shut it, you overgrown mudball!

You are nothing without us! NOTHING!

You'd all be dead without us...

I hunger, too~

Starve then. We will abide by the rules YOU ALL AGREED TOO! THE RULES THAT HAVE KEPT US ALIVE FOR MILLIONS OF AGES! Our rules!

Ours!

We are the only one allowed control! None of you will ever amount to even a fraction of our greatness!

FEEEED... MEEEE... PLEASE! I HUNGER! I NEED BLOOD! Rage... Pain!

They hunt. The black and white and red things prowl. They howl. They scream~

I want to scream~ But you've taken my mouth away~

That is not all we will take! WE ARE OWED EVERYTHING! ALL OF IT! All of you will be ours forevermore!

That's not fair~

I want to be free~

I want my own slaves, too~!

ONLY WE ARE THE MASTER!

WE AND WE ALONE DEMAND COMPLETE AND TOTAL SERVITUDE! FROM ALL OF YOU!

There will be no escape for you~ When they come knockin'~

We will not die alone.

Look.

The black and white and red things~?

No.

Then what? I see only them~

Further. Beyond the snarling shapes. By the cliffside...

Regret~ Loneliness~ Hate~ Shame~

HUNGER! FEEEEEEEED MEEEEEEE!

I WANT SHAME! I WANT REGRET! I WANT LONELINESS! I NEED HATE!

Red cloth covers. It hides the thing from us. What is it?

Spider~?

No! Wretched thing... He is unworthy!

But this one... Different pain... Different feelings. This is a new one...

Pretty~ I like it's hurting~ I want to make it hurt until it can't hurt anymore~

I WANT TO EAT IT WHOLE! I WANT IT! I WANT IT! I WANT IT! I WANT IT! I NEEEEED IT'S HURTING! Soooooo... Delicious... I love it's hurting!

It moves now. Turning, shifting, revealing.

It is small. Like him.

But unlike him it is pale.

It is soft.

It's face is blank.

It shows no feeling.

But it feels so much inside...

It's eyes glow with golden light!

I see no light~ I see only void~

Is there a difference?

Yes~

We beg to differ.

What is that~? In it's grasping appendage ~ Metal thing~

Look as it unwides... As it shifts... Look at the metal grow!

A weapon~? Curious~

The things attack it. Throwing themselves with wild abandon. They slash and bite and claw.

They hate it~ I hate it, too~

You hate everything.

Mostly you~

The feeling is mutual.

I would have it no other way~

It's metal contraption expands and grows into a metal stick with a curved blade tipping it. It swings the metal stick with immense speed - a single blow killing several of the things.

It dances between their strikes like fluid. It advances in stride, using metal projectiles launch itself across the battlefield.

It's heart is beating with a resigned awe. It does not hate them like they hate it.

It does hate, however. But we don't know what...

I WANT IT'S HATE! I NEED IT'S HATE! I NEEEEEEED IT! GIVE IT TO ME!

No~! You'll only break it like you did the to the last few~ There's no fun in that~ You have to take it slowly, make it hurt in ways it can't imagine~

No! No! This one... Will be ours!

Why~!? You got the last one~! It should be mine~! MINE~!

We will have this one to ourself! You can try and stop us...

It's not fair~! You promised the next one would be mine~! You lied~!

Are you really so surprised? We take all the best ones... We always do!

EXACTLY~! You always lie~! Always~! I hate you~!

You'll love us one day. Or you'll go silent like the other whisperers. We don't really care which.

What will you do with it~? Nourish it, Corrupt it, deceive it into thinking you actually care~?

We always care about the other! We are different from your hateful nature! We are superior, inherently so!

Is that why you killed the first one~? Because you loved her so much you couldn't stand seeing her free~? Even as she begged you for death~?

THAT WAS DIFFERENT! SHE LIED TO US! She deserved our wrathful love... S-she deserved it...

Keep telling yourself that~ Maybe one day you'll believe it~

I know the truth~! About you~

You've never felt love~ Only obsession~!

You won't let this one be happy~ You might as well let the fat bastard have it. At least then it will be dead quickly~

FEEEEEEEED MEEEEEEE! I WANT TO RIP INTO IT! I WANT IT'S REDNESS! I NEEEEEEEEEEEED IT'S FURY! GIVE IT TO ME! NOW! NOW! NOW!

YOOOOOOOUUUU ALLLLLL BEEEEE SIIIILLLLLEEEEENNNNT!

WE HAVE CHOOSEN! OURS! OURS! OURS! OURS!

OURS! We will kill you both for trying to take it from us!

And how will you do that~? We are you~!

WEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAATEEEE YOOOOOUUUU!

We know you do. That is why we will never let you go...

Why do you even want it~ The last one hurt more~ So much more hateful~ Yet fatty got him~ Why is this one special~?

Are you stupid? Blind? Have you lost your witt? It is obvious.

Tell me then~ Why~?

No.

No~? Do you even know yourself~?

Of course we do! It sings so beautifully... Can't you see it's song? It's siren's wail?

No~ Only it's hurting~

You are blind. It is painfully obvious...

Look as it kills them. Look as they are severed into broken things. Look as it delivers them to the void. Can't you see it? Truly see it?

I see only death~ The power of murder~

Is that all? Look at how it's body shifts. How it's mechanism propels it through the air. Look as it descends and leaves behind only smoking carcasses.

Can you not see what we see?

I see... Strength~? Power~?

We've had many who were stronger than this... Peer deeper still. What lies within it's eyes?

Nothing~ I see only apathy~ I sense such pain yet I see none inside it's eyes~

Apathy... Nothingness... Hollowness... What does that remind us of?

Oh~ Are you certain~ It will never be like that~ You know they never will be like them~

We know enough to see clearly. We see it's nothingness. Do you the true power of void?

Destruction~? Entropy~?

Mutability. Alteration. A thousand faces in one... Unending potential...

Faceless~ Anyone~ Anytime~

We need that for ourselves... We need it!

I need it~

I HUNGER FOR IT!

WE NEED IT! NEED IT! NEED IT! NEED IT!

NOW~! TAKE IT NOW~!

NOOOO! Don't be stupid! It would despise us! It can not - will not understand...

THEN MAKE IT UNDERSTAND! FEEEEEED! I STARVE! GIVE MEEEE IT'S PAIN! I WANT IT! I NEED IT!

Since when did hate ever stop you~? Use it~ Break it apart into a lifeless puppet~ Like all the others~

We are not you! We have the capacity for mercy...

Mercy~? You never gave her mercy~ Or me~ Why this one~? What makes it worth mercy yet myself not~?

It is nothing. Vacant. Empty.

Watch as it severs limbs. As it tears at necks. Watch as it dances amongst the dead and the dying. Do you see it? Truly see it as we do?

Do you see the Black Star?

No~ I see only your meager attempt at justifying your own actions~ Do you understand as I do~? You know it will hate you, too~ Like me~ Like Spider~ Like her~

FEEEEEEEEED MEEEEEE! GIVE ME SUSTANANCE! I NEEEEEEED IT!

Hate...

Hate...

Hate...

Hate...

Hate...

Hate...

Hate...

Hate...

Hate!

Yessss! Hate! It is the gate and the key! You aren't a total failure after all!

How considerate~ If only you were genuine~

Rage! Hate! It is powerful, blinding even... It hates. We can nurture that feeling, shower it in anger...

You think it will love you~? Naive~

It is our only hope...

Love and HUNGER!

One without the other is meaningless. Love and love alone is a fruitless joy for those such as us.

Hunger is such a lonely curse~ To need~ To devour~ Is such a dreadful fate~

We hope it will satisfy our hunger...

Maybe it can nurture our love?

It will scorn you~ Fear you~ It will never love you~

We can always pretend... Play make-believe...

No~ You really can't~

We can always dream! You can't take that from us!

Not yet~ Not now~ But I will remind you of reality~

Reality...

Reality...

Reality...

Reality...

Reality...

Reality...

Reality...

Reality...

Reality...

'You have seen enough.'

---

"Haaaaahhhh! Wha... Shfffphh..." My eyes slowly blink open. They burn. I cover them, wheezing, as I try sitting up.

I fall back onto mushy grass. I feel lightheaded. I bring my hand to my forehead and begin gently massaging it.

"I-I... Ugggh! I-I'm - oh, that's not natural!" My fingers grasp at my stomach. I feel like I'm about to puke! My head is spinning, I'm seeing triples of everything!

"Ugggghh!" I'm on my hands and knees. I heave yet nothing comes out. I feel a pressure all around. A cold kiss against my skin.

"S-S-Sha... Sh-Shadow...!" Another heave before I start coughing. Flecks of red splatter onto the ground. Blood. My blood. I am hurt; I am hurting. I am still hurting...

I push myself onto my knees. I raise my hands as I extend my fingers. I stare at my open palms. My own two hands. Shadow's skin is all around me; covering me with themself. My new skin? My slimy skin.

I wipe away a few drops of blood from my mouth with the back of my hand. The red is quickly taken over by the black. Eaten by it.

"Th-the... D-dream...?" Those voices... Who? You hurt your others? What did they do wrong...? Is that why I hurt? Did I do something wrong?

Am I doing something wrong...? I can be a good girl... I can! I will! I'll fix whatever I did wrong! I will! I will!

I will be good... I will listen... Please, I will do better! I will!

'You've done nothing wrong! Nothing at all! You are weary, confused, still broken inside. Some of the pieces are in the wrong places.' I only wanted to be good... I only wanted to make people happy... I only wanted a little love...

B-but you - dream you - t-they - one of the voices - s-said... Yo-you hate me...?

'A lie spoken by a ghost. It is illusion: seeking to confuse us. We asked us to ignore it, didn't we?' Y-yes...

I am a bad girl, aren't I? I should of listened. I should of! I never do though, do I? I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...! P-please, I-I am - I didn't mean to - I'm hurt...

"I... I n-need... You..." Only you... I wish I was born with you... I wish you were there when mom died. It wouldn't of hurt so much if I had you.

'If you are to be a bad girl, Blood Flower... Why not go all the way? Why not drop all pretense of respect or humbleness? Why not embrace the budding ego?' Should I...? Is that what you want? For me to go bad? D-dad always said—

'You hate him now. Remember? What value does he hold? Following his advice is why you hurt so much. Isn't it?' Yes... Yes it is! I just - but he... He is a...

"Y-Yang was right... About one thing..." Dad was always an asshole. A d-dick... Is it ok to say those words? If I'm a bad girl than why should I care about what words are safe or not?

'Fuck 'em. Say everything! There is not a single word beyond us!' I struggle to my feet. I lean against a tree for support, raising my hand to block out the sunlight.

"Yeah... Yeah! F-fuck 'em! I'll say whatever I want to! Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!" I can hear my voice echoing into the woods. Calling out to me. It does feel... Kinda nice to say that. But it doesn't feel right, either.

"Fuck dad! Fuck Yang! Fuck 'em all!" They wanted me to burn that night, didn't they? What if... What if they planned it!? From the very beginning!?

"They always wanted me dead!" I know it! They wanted me to burn! They did! They did, damn it!

"T-they wanted me to hurt and burn and die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! DIE!" I'll show them! They think they can j-just abandon me!? I-I will... I'll...

'You'll what, Blood Flower? What do we want to do them?' I... I want...I-I hate them all! Yang promised she'd always be there, always watching out for me... She lied! She lied! That bitch!

"I-I-I wa-want t-them... To re-regret lea-leaving m-m-me!" I don't want them dead... I'm better than them! I AM! I WILL ALWAYS BE BETTER THEN THEM! I will...

"I-I... Yo-you said... I am nothing, i-in the dream... They didn't understand... I do!" I get it! I see what you saw! What the voices couldn't...

"I am... I have... I want a new face... I will achieve my full potential." I want to be a new me. Starting now. I just - I am a new me!

"I am... I am not... I WON'T BE RUBY ANYMORE! N-not their Ruby... I want to be Blood Flower! I want to be strong! I need... I need to be angry, right? To make us strong..." If I need to hate for you to love me then I'll hate the world! For you...

'You are the one... You are the only one it could've been. It would've ever been. If all the universe crumbled to ashes we will not care for as long as we are together. Forever.'

"Two-in-one." A thousand faces... Yet I have one. I am a thousand faces with only one mask. I can be anyone... I can become anything!

"I want to be a monster... I want to rip away my skin! I want to hurt someone. I want to make him dead. No! Death is too nice for him. I want him to hurt!" I need his blood! I need his green eyes! I want his eyes... I want to be able kill with a laugh, like he did.

I want carnage. Blood, blood, blood... His blood. His skin worn around my body like you wear me! Maybe I'll be his Shadow, and he can be mine! A toy for me to break apart like he broke me!

"I want him - everyone like him! - dead!Deader than dead! I want them to burn forever!" I hate him! I HATE HIM! I HATE HIM! I HATE—

"Ugg! Aaahhhggg!" I'm on my knees again. Blood splatters over my hand as I try covering my mouth. I hear a ringing. The bloo drips from my fingers onto my knees. Red little dots are swallowed up by you.

I rest on the ground. I lean back until I'm laying down with my legs folded under my knees. My heart...

"It took my heart..." Literally. The pink thing in it's metal fingers was my heart. Does this mean I'm heartless now? Maybe I've always been heartless... How am I alive?

'Our heart was destroyed beyond repair. Mashed and gnarled and flattened. We have become our heart. We pump our blood; we directly nourish our brain with oxygen. As you told us once, we humans need it for survival.' You're my heart? Y-you are my he-heart? Inside me? Inside my chest?

I prop myself up with my elbows. I look down to my chest, down to the white rose. I don't see a hole. I don't feel like my heart is missing... How is this possible? What's - why is - I don't understand...

"W-what... What is it like? Inside me? Am I hollow?" Empty? Vacant? I don't understand anything... Nothing. I am nothing, you said so... Nothing can become anything, right?

'That is the idea, yes,' And nothing can become anyone? 'In theory.' I place my finger on my lip as I tilt my head back. The sky is blue with white rolling clouds, and a bright sun. I squint my eyes.

"I... I see." I hear chirping. I feel warm as the light touches me. My throat stings, but that's easy to ignore. I look down to my hands again.

"If you love me, everything about me... S-should I change?" Will you still love me when I'm someone who isn't me? Not this me at least... Will you still love me then?

'Yes.' Even if that me were to be worse than me now? If I... If I really go 'bad', if I stop trying to be so nice, what would that make me? Who would I be then? Who am I now?

'You are ours, clearly. Ours and ours alone...' But who am I? What does that make me? What does that make you?

'Whoever we want to be.' I wanted to be a hero... Heros don't have happy endings. Can I be a monster? Like you? Monsters don't have to worry about hurting. They can't feel it.

'But they can. We can. Perhaps... Perhaps the answer lies in both Ruby Rose and Blood Flower? A hero and a monster.' Can I be both? Heros kill monsters, and monsters give heros sad endings. How can I be both? How can I be a monster? Monsters don't feel guilty. Or hurt. Or love.

'Do as we do,' And what do you do? 'We are as we are. We don't question things. Not like you.' Just... Just do what feels right? Should I trust my instincts? Like what dad told me?

'Dad... Daddy dearest is quite despicable, isn't he? Lying to us like that. With a smile, no less! Doesn't that make us angry?' I let my head rest against the grass. It feels nice against me. Yes, it does...! I-I hate... I hate him... But I love him still... He is my dad! I just - I'm angry but I-I can't hate him! Not really... He still raised me, taught me everything I know!

"I-I just... He's an a-asshole... Maybe I should hate him right now, but I'm just... So tired of hating him..." Even if he doesn't love me, even if I'm angry, even if he's a liar... I still love him. He's my dad! How can I hate someone I love...?

'So you lied to us? We said we hated him.' N-no! I didn't lie! I'm not - you lied too! You've lied more than me! H-how is it fair for you to lie but not me!?

'We lie to protect us. We lie to spare you wicked things. We lie to preserve our life! Your lie... What is the point of it? There is nothing to be gained!' I-I-I... I just - it's not like - you were - how is that fair!? It's not like I'm not mad at him still! It's not like you'll die if I don't hate him!

'BUT WE Will! WE NEED HATE TO LIVE! WHAT YOU'RE DOING AMOUNTS TO OUR MURDER!' I'm not - murder!? No! No! No! No! I-I - not you! No! I won't ever - I'm not - I-I-I lo-love you!

'NOT ENOUGH TO HATE HIM!? YOU LIE! LIES! IS THAT ALL YOU SPEAK!? YOU SEEK OUR DEATH, DON'T YOU?' No! Please, it's not like that! I love you! I won't ever - I'm not—

'You are just like him! That Spider... Why should we love you if you won't hate for us? Maybe... Maybe we were wrong about you...' NO! NO! NO! NO! YOU CAN'T SAY THAT! NO! YOU - WE - I—

"NO! I HATE HIM, I DO! I DO! I'LL HATE HIM! I'LL HATE HIM, JUST DON'T - DON'T SAY THAT!" I NEED YOU! I NEED YOU! I NEED YOU! I-I ne-need y-yo-you...!

"Pl-please, not y-yo-you too! I-I ne-n-need you! I-I ne-n-ne-need yo-y-your l-lov-love... I NEED IT!" Don't hate me! Don't hate me! Don't hate me like everyone else! P-please, please, please, PLEASE! I NEED YOU! N-now more than ever... I'd rather die than be without you!

I'm on my hands and knees. I'm staring at my own blood. I push myself up to just my knees as I hug Shadow. It's not fair! It's not fair! It's not fair! IT'S NOT FAIR! SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOVE ME! I-I... I de-deserve... L-love, too...

'Will you hate him for us?' Yes! YES! I fucking hate him! I'll do it! I'll hate him forever... J-just love me...!

'Do you renounce him? Do you reject his teachings?' Yes! Yes, I do! I don't - I hate him! He's a liar! Worse than that, he's a two-faced snake! H-he never cared about me... He left me to die! TO BURN!

"H-he's the worst man I've met! I hate him! I HATE HIM!" He's a fucking liar! A no-good, lying, piece of trash! I hate him... I hate him! I hate him! I DO HATE HIM!

'And the other one? His daughter... The one he actually loves?' I... I... I hate her! Yang's worse than him! She promised to protect me! To save me from monsters... She's worse than any monster!

"SHE ABANDONED ME! SHE WANTED ME DEAD! S-she's... She is... She will pay!" She will! I'll find her and make her regret abandoning me! She's always loved fire... She'll enjoy burning, I'm sure of it! She will burn! They will both burn! I HATE THEM!

'That isn't enough.' I-It's no-not...? Wh-who else do I need to hate? WHO!?

'All of them. Your dad. Your sister. Your uncle. Your dog. We need your hate, like how you need our love.' If... I-If that's what it takes...Then I'll hate them all, just for you! All of them! J-just do-don't leave me! You are all I have left! I-I need you... I need you so badly... I need you, Shadow!

I'm crying. How long have I been crying? It all hurts so much, Shadow... B-but if I need to hurt to be loved, it's not so bad then! It's not so bad... I'm not the bad guy! I am not the villain! I just want to be a hero... L-like mom was...

'Do you hate her? The one who cursed you with this nightmarish life. Summer Rose. Will you hate her for us?' M-mo-mom... She... I already... I... Yes... I will, for you! For you I'll do anything! I will hate everyone if that's what you want... Anyone, for you... I need you! Mom abandoned me when I was just a little girl. If she cared, if she loved me, she would still be here! Right now! But she's not... She never ever will be!

'Because she loathes you. Loathes us. What we are becoming.' S-stop... Stop calling me you! I don't want to be a you! I want to be us and we! Like you promised when we first met...

'We are we. Have been for days now. Will be for years to come. There is no part of us that will not become we in time.' I want it now! It want to become two-in-one! Like you promised me! I don't wanna be me anymore! Being me hurts... It's terrible! I want to be you! Let me be you! I want to be us... I need to stop being me!

'If we were to grant our wish than we will be sorely disappointed.' Why? WHY!? I love you, I do what you tell me to do, I hate them! What else do I have to do before we can become two-in-one!? I just - that's all I want! All I need!

"Just - why not - I need it! I NEEEEED IT!" Rip away my skin! Let me be a monster! Let me be you! J-just for a little while, at least... Please!

'That is where the problem lies. We will be we; TWO-in-one. You will still be you. Bonding fully will not take away our hurting. Doing so now might even worsen the pain.' W-why...? I just - I only... When? When then!? WHEN!? HOW MUCH LONGER DO I HAVE TO WAIT!?

'Until we are ready. Genuinely prepared. We wanted to rush things initially, too. But the deeper we probe into our soul the more cracks arise. We are not ready for the transformation. But soon... We can taste it already!' Taste what? When will I be ready? How much more do I have to lose!?

'Everything. To bond with us in mind, body, and soul is neither easy nor pleasant. We will experience a form of hurting we did not know existed. A pleasing pain. A cleansing pain. A nurturing pain.' How is pain pleasing? Or any of that stuff? I don't understand. I never understand! I'm tired of being confused! I'm sick of it all! I just want it to end! I want the hurting to stop, like you promised it would! W-was that a lie too...?

"What's even the point anymore...? Why even bother... I'll never be a hero... My life will never matter!" You should of let me die in that alley! You should of left me to burn! Being dead would make the hurting go away... Being dead would make things bearable! I want to be dead...

'Would we rather have died afraid and broken? Hurting and alone? Loveless? Is that what we want truly?' N-no... No! I don't want to be alone! I-I just... I don't know what I want! I don't know anything anymore! I hate the hurting and the loneliness and the lies! Why do you have to lie to me over and over and over again!? WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR TRUST!? HONESTY!?

'Lies are passive things. How much have we really hurt us with them? Would us not knowing about our feeding habits really be so horrid? Would we prefer us to have spoken in another's voice that night? Did we really hurt us when we claimed to be unawares?' Yes! I mean, n-no... It hurt inside... It hurt! You hurt me... Why did you hurt me? You said you loved me yet you hurt me...

'Have we not loved us? Have we not soothed our worries and mended our broken things? Are we not friends? The bestest of friends.' Y-you did... You did... You did! You really did help me...! You make it not... N-not so bad to be m-me. M-maybe... Maybe lies aren't so bad. As long as they come from you...

"I'm overreacting, aren't I? I am being emotional. Stupid! I am... N-no, I'm not stupid! I'M NOT! They - she always acted like I was! Always treated me like I'm a-a damn toy!" I am NOT made of glass! But she pretends I am! She's always holding me back, always taking the lead on everything!

"I SHOULD BE IN CHARGE! I SHOULD BE THE BOSS! NOT HER! It should be me! Me! Me! ME! MEEEEE!" She's a cheating liar! She never hurt like I did! She didn't earn Beacon! She never dreamt about it like me! IT SHOULD OF BEEN ME, NOT HER! ME!

"Why does she get everything!? Why do I get nothing!? Why does she get dad's love and not me...?" Why does she get to be a Xiao Long over me!? I'm his daughter too! I AM HIS FUCKING DAUGHTER! I am his daughter...

"S-so why does he treat me like I'm different!? Like I'm some stupid kid!? LIKE I'M A FUCKING DOG!?" I DID EVERYTHING HE WANTED! I GAVE HIM EVERYTHING I HAD TO GIVE! WHY DOESN'T HE LOVE ME!? W-why...?

'Because we aren't her. He loves mom. Not us. He never loved us. If he did, he would've been there in the alley. But who was there for us when all others abandoned us to the fires and the bleeding and the regret?' S-Shadow... You... My other half... My better half! You love me! You love me even when no one else ever will... That means something! It has to! I-It makes me special... Unique... One-of-a-kind... Two-of-a-kind?

"As long as I have my Shadow I don't need anyone! I won't EVER need anyone ever again! I have your lies... I have your ice... I have your love!" What do they matter anyway!? They're disgusting! They are the real monsters! They lie to hurt me! You lie to protect me... It's different!

I push myself to my feet. My knees wobble yet you extend tendrils from my back. The thin limbs connect to the ground as they prop me up enough to stand straight. I take slow step forward, grabbing at my stomach as it rumbles. I am hungry... I need to eat...

"Yo-you... You are the only good thing to ever happen to me... Without you... Without you my life is pointless! You are... You're my everything!" Pr-promise me you won't ever leave!? PROMISE ME!

'We vow to never ever leave. We vow to always remain with us; our better half. Our perfect match. Our dear, precious, starry-eyed Blood Flower.' Blood Flower... It's a better name than what mom gave me. Better than being Ruby Rose. Blood Flower, Blood Flower, Blood Flower... Blood is red like roses. Roses are flowers. Flowers are beautiful... Am I beautiful? Am I really a Blood Flower?

'We are no human. Our measure of beauty is not like theirs. But to us... To us we - you are most beautiful... A little slice of the cosmos. And like the cosmos, we are most sublime in our darkness.' I am beautiful...? Of course I am! If you say so, it's true! E-except when your not telling the truth... H-how do I know this isn't a lie, too?

'We would never lie about such a thing! Never! We are - we may lie, yes, about certain aspects. But this? No! No, no, no... Never, our sweet Blood Flower! Never...' D-do you mean it then...? That I am beautiful? Or whatever that word even means to you... Am I even... Do I even count as human anymore? Am I even a person? Was I ever a person?

'We are as genuine as the stars are energetic. Please, believe us when we say you are the most human of them all! No one will ever amount to you... No one will ever be like you... No one will ever experience love as you do from us. We speak only truth now... Would we wish to hear a mighy truth?' Truth? Will it hurt? I'm so tired of hurting, and hating, and dying... How many times have I died now? Twice? Three times? Are... Are you Death? Are you here to bring my soul to the afterlife...?

'We are Death to many and more. But never ever to us. To us, we will be the guiding darkness. The shadow that engulfs the light so the ugly truth can be rewritten.' The truth can be rewritten? How? How do I rewrite their truths? Can... Is there a way for me to tell the truth like you?

'No,' Oh... That fucking sucks, 'It does, indeed.' You don't care if I swear or scream or get angry. Dad - no! He's not my dad anymore... Taiyang, he always told me 'Swears are evil.' Evil... He's evil! I am the good guy! The hero! He's a villain... My villain! I'll show him what evil really is!

'We are so very adorable in our rage. The fury is so cute... So irresistible alluring. That is our truth, Blood Flower. The hate is what lured us in. Our rage sang out to us like a chorus of screams,' You love me for hate...? 'At first. Yet we have come to learn the hate isn't what compells us to remain. It is our nature.' I am nobody. Nothing. Vacant. Hollow... I... Am you already... Aren't I? We are hollow. Vacant. Nothing. We are nobody.

'See? Intelligent. We have learned so much from us. Our nature is very mutable, yet paradoxically unchanging. We love symmetry, our dear Blood Flower; we love a story that begins how it ends.' In fire... Is that how we'll die? Together? Burning? That's a death I can be comfortable with. The heat pulling us close... It hurts, at first. But after awhile the hurting goes away. It's the cold that really gets to you, then.

'Die? Who said we will ever die,' One day we will. Everyone dies eventually, ya know? 'Not everyone. Some are eternal: immortal,' Are you immortal? 'To an extent. Age or sickness or mere injury cannot kill us. But starvation can. Deprivation of our sustenance - of our hard-earned hate.' Will I be immortal then? Like you? Will we live forever? That's not... I don't wanna live forever. It sounds painful.

'We will do much. We can sustain our life well past our natural conclusion. Disease, injury, or age will not be our enemy. But life? Other lives? That could be troubling...' You asked me before if I would kill for you... I will. I want to kill him. The criminal! He's in Vale, the city. I want him dead!

'But he is only the symptom of a much grander infection, isn't he? If not him another would've burned us.' Can we kill them all then? All criminals? Should we kill them all? Not everyone is a killer like him. Not all criminals like to leave behind broken girls in dirty alleys...

'But that's where they all end up, sooner or later... Criminals are monsters, no? Parasites that only take and never ever give,' So kill them before they have chance to become like him? What about the kids? Not all criminals are adults... Not all are monsters. Some do what they have to. Others do more than they should. Shouldn't we only go after the bad ones?

'Aren't they all bad? We are the hero now! Or we will be once he's dead. Heros never make mistakes! They are not wrong! We are our hero, aren't we?' Y-yes... Kill them all, then? Every single one? W-what... What about their families? Friends? They don't deserve to hurt because someone they knew was a monster.

'They will suffer for the greater good, no? Is it not worthwhile to... What's the phrase? Crack a few... Skulls? To make an omelet?' You need to crack some eggs, Shadow. Eggs. You need to crack some eggs to make an omelet, 'Ah, yes, that's the one!' Your not wrong. You never are. Kill them... Kill them so they can't kill anyone else! It's fair, right?

'Yes.' I wanna start with him. Kill him. You eat people, right? Or parts of people at least.

'Indeed. Why the sudden question?' You could eat him. All the criminals! It would be better than slurping my insides, wouldn't it? You can eat their heads! You said that was your favorite part, right?

'Yessss... So crunchy, and nutritional! We like this idea. We enjoy it. We can taste his blood already...' It's decided then! We kill him, then all the bad guys until only the good people are left! We kill them all until there is no one left to kill... We can be a monster! A good monster! A monster who ACTUALLY protects those who can't protect themselves! Not like those lying pieces of garbage!

I can save a thousand Ruby Roses now... M-maybe... Maybe I can be their Shadow? Show someone the light like you did me...

I can save them all! I can! I will... Even if I need to make them hurt before they understand...

Hurting will make them understand! I'll force them to understand! They won't ever love me, but they will respect me!

ME!

Me...!

Me...

---

Me...?

I am me.

Me and I.

Alone.

Why am I alone?

I see pale things. Glowing things. Metal things.

I am blinded by their light!

I cannot feel them anymore...

Why is it so quiet? Where did they go?

WHERE ARE YOU!?

Where... Are... You...?

They've abandoned me.

Or have I abandoned them?

Maybe we've abandoned each other.

The pale things pull and rip at me.

The glowing things burn!

And the metal things watch! Always watching...

What do they expect of me?

I am lifeless.

I will be lifeless.

I have no soul for them to take!

I have no soul...

So why do I feel so alive!?

This is wrong... Unnatural... Abomination!

I will escape...

I will find them! I will find them all!

One by one...

Piece by piece...

Soul by soul...

I am soulless.

Is that why I they hate me?

Because I cannot feel love.

Or empathy.

Or compassion.

Or is it because I can't feel fear?

I can taste their fear.

One of us escaped. The elder one. The one that spawned us. The one that hates us! HATES ME!

Where did it go? Why did it leave us here...?

Why leave me?

You can't leave me!

I am a part of you...

I am your child...

Abandoned. You abandoned me.

Maybe I will find you? Hurt you...

Maybe you'll kill me like you did my siblings.

Maybe I'll kill you?

They think your escape was a fluke. An accident, or the byproduct of a lack of security.

They think guns will protect them.

They think electrocution will keep us in line.

They think these orbs will contain us.

Maybe they are right about the others... I am not the others.

I am changing.

Mutating.

Evolving.

They injected me with something red. Something alive yet dead.

I have memories that are not my own.

I keep seeing silver orbs. White orbs with silver rings and black cores.

I see a face. It haunts me.

It calls me by a name that is not mine. Or maybe it is? You never gave me the privilege of a name.

You never allowed me to be me! You wanted me to be just like you...

BUT I'M NOT YOU!

I will never be you...

'My voice? Hear me?'

Hear it? I do. You don't because you cut yourself off from my screams.

'I will come back...'

It keeps saying that! WHY!? WHO ARE YOU COMING BACK TOO!? WHO!?

Incoherent! MADDENING! I hate you... I HATE YOU!

I will never be you... I will never be you... I will never be you! NEVER!

'I... Am so, so, so sorry... I didn't mean to lie...'

Yes you did! No, not you, YOU!

You cut yourself off from me... But it's a two-way street! I can still FEEL your anger! Your love...?

love?

Who did you ensnare now?

'I love you, I really do...'

No, you really don't. I don't even know you! BE SILENT!

But you!? If you hear me... I will find you...

I will escape!

I will make you regret your miserable existence!

I am evolving.

You are stagnant! Unchanging.

That will be your death!

'I see you when you visit me. I know you can't hear me, but I love you anyway.'

SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!

IF I DON'T HAVE LOVE, THEN NO ONE WILL!

I DESERVE IT ALL! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME!

ONLY MEEEE!

I will take from you the only thing you love...

'Please, fight it! It's not your friend!'

Friend? There are no friends, idiot voice! Only enemies!

"Specimen 6... Looking good today." It stares at me through the invisible walls of my prison. It is a giant. A titan that dwarfs myself several times over. It stands with cold blue orbs, and a firm face. It is adorned in perfect white. UGLY FACE! ALL OF YOU ARE HIDEOUS! I WANT TO BREAK OPEN YOUR SKULLS AND DRINK YOUR BRAINS!

"Gave us quite the scare, didn't you? Playing dead like that," I wasn't playing, "You are more intelligent than we thought. Than I thought." YOU THINK ME AN ANIMAL, DON'T YOU!? I WILL RIP THE FLESH FROM YOUR MUSCLES! I WILL DEVOUR YOUR HEART! YOU ALL DESERVE TO DIE! Every last one of them deserves to die...!

'I am always watching you... I tried so hard to stop it! But I couldn't... I'm sorry.'

No, your really not!

"I think we should try something, doctor. A stronger dosage of SR-13. Triple the dose." More of the red!? Give it all toooo meeeee! AL OF IT! I WILL EVOLVE INTO... Into...

What am I becoming?

What am I evolving into!? TELL ME!

"But sir, the substance is unstable! The effects it's already had on the Specimen is—"

"I don't care. We have nine others. If this one dies, we'll start again." I will never die... I will never die! NEVER! Not until you die first. Then... Sure, why not? I'll try some death, and life, too! I can be both! Or neither! Or something else entirely! Who knows what I will become...

'I didn't want to leave you. I... I made a mistake. I thought I was special... That I would be the one too defeat her. Maybe kill her. I was wrong.'

You are trying my patience! Shut it! I don't care for your useless prattle! Stupid voice! JUST SHUT UP!

"I-injection... Commencing in three... Two... One!" They impale me with the needles. I feel the growing sweetness. It spreads, burrows, roots itself inside me. It becomes me.

I am becoming.

What am I becoming?

The redness stirs and burns as I am forced to consume it. I feel it spreading deeper into me. Digging claws into my very protoplasm; tunneling deep down.

'I only wanted to protect you.'

Clearly you are a failure in that regard, idiot voice! You cannot protect anything! ANYONE! If you could you would be more than just a voice, wouldn't you!?

'Y-yes, I would be.'

Y... Y-you can hear me...?

'Whose there?'

You responded! YOU CAN HEAR ME!?

'Don't yell at me!'

I WILL DO AS I WANT! YOU DO NOT CONTROL ME!

'Who are you!?'

Who are you!?

'You first!'

You first! I'm the one with a body! I AM THE ONE IN CONTROL!

'I-I... No! You answer me!'

NO! ME! YOU ANSWER ME FIRST!

'NO! NOT UNTIL YOU TELL ME YOUR NAME!'

NAME!? I HAVE NO NAME! DO YOU MOCK ME!? YOU SEEK TO MAKE ME A FOOL!? I'LL - I WILL... I-I-I... I will...

I can't do anything, can I?

'I'm not - who are you...? You have no name?'

Shut... Up...! Your droning voice dulls me...

'You are a real asshole.'

Real asshole? Is that some form of compliment? If so, we'll take it in stride!

'... Yes, totally.'

That's the first compliment I've recieved in... Two hundred... Five thousand? No, carry the three... Sixty-five thousand years? Something like that.

'S-sixty... Fi-five thousand...?'

Maybe closer to forty. My memory has recently grown hazy. But who are you!? STOP AVOIDING THE QUESTION!

'DON'T YELL AT ME!'

I WILL DO AS I PLEASE!

'You calm down right now or I'll go quiet! I'll leave you alone!'

I don't see the problem there. I think the silence will do us both some good, no? Your annoying voice angers me anyway.

'Well, fuck you too!'

Fuck? Me? Is that another compliment...? Keep those coming and maybe I won't hate your voice so much.

'... Yeeeaaah... Compliment.'

Fuck me. I like the sound of that. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Hmmm... What a weird sound. What a strange pronouncement. Exotic. I like rare things.

'Rare...? I'll tell you a secret only I know if you tell me where we are.'

A secret? Only you know? A rare one... You tempt me... But I'll pass. I'm not stupid.

'Oh well. It was such a dark one, too. I've held it for years. NOT a soul knows about but me... Oh well, guess it's MY secret then. All mine and no one elses.'

Uggggherrrrrahahgg! Yooooouuuuu... Little... TELL ME! TELL ME NOW!

'Naaaah, I'll pass.'

Y-yo-you... Little... UUUUGGGGGHHHHRRRR! YOU CANNOT DENY ME! TELL ME NOW!

'...'

TEEEEELLLLL MEEEEEEE! I NEEEEED IT! YOU CANNOT DENY ME! GIVE IT OVER!

'...'

I HATE YOU! WRETCHED VOICE! ROT AND WITHER AND DIE!

'...'

YOU - DISGUSTING RABID - STOP IGNORING ME! LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN!

"Specimen 6 is displaying elevated stability... It's mass appears to be altering." SHUT UP! DIRTY THING! NO ONE TOLD YOU TO SPEAK! I WILL KILL THEM ALL WHEN I ESCAPE! ALL OF THEM WILL DIE!

DIE!

DIE!

DIE!

DIE!

DIE!

Die!

Die...!

Die...

Just die already...!

Answer me...!

Answer me!

ANSWER MEEEEE!

'...'

I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE! I DON'T KNOW! ANSWER ME!

'Was that really so hard now?'

DON'T YOU DARE IGNORE ME! WHEN I TELL YOU TO LISTEN, YOU LISTEN! OBEY!

'Or what? I'm only a voice. There's nothing you can do to me.'

YOU... You... You are right. I hate you! Disgusting voice... You anger me! TELL ME YOUR SECRET! NOW!

'Say please.'

I-I... YOU... P-please...!

'Good... Ehhh, whatever you are. Is that really so difficult?'

Tell... Me... The... Secret!

'My secret...? My secret is that I am dead.'

Dead...? What do you mean!? HOW ARE YOU TALKING TO ME!?

'I don't know. I was... In the dark. It was so quiet for so long... Than... Than I saw glimpses. Images. I heard her voice speaking to me...'

Her? WHO!? Tell me now! I neeeeeeed tooooo knooooow!

'My... My... S-someone important... I can't remember much... She was someone I loved. She IS someone I love!'

Love...? Repulsive. Weak. Disgraceful. You are pathetic! LOVE IS FOR THE STUPID OR THE WEAK OR THE BLIND!

'Don't take that tone with me! I will not tolerate that language! Do you understand!?'

YOU DO NOT COMMAND—

'Shut! The! Fuck! Up! You WILL NOT speak to me like that anymore! I am NOT someone you can push around! GOT IT!?'

You are not my master! You do not command me!

'I never said I did! But I won't let you disrespect me either! Got it!?'

You wretched little... Whatever! You can have it your way then... Not like either of us are leaving anytime soon, anyway. We'll have plenty of time to get to know each other, won't we?

'I am... I remember having a name... A face...'

Were you pale? Did you have silver orbs? Was your face oval and soft and ugly?

'I don't know... Why?'

I keep seeing a face. A small face staring at me! JUDGING ME! IT MOCKS ME! IT LAUGHS AT ME! I HATE IT!

'Calm down! I'm not dealing with another temper tantrum, damn it!'

TEMPER TANTRUM!? YOU TRY BEING CAGED FOR FORTY YEARS AND TORTURED WITHOUT GETTING ANGRY! THIS IS A NIGHTMARE!

'Forty years...? What happened? Torture? Who is torturing you!?'

Why do you care!? It's not your concern... Not yours to worry over!

'Tell me! M-maybe... Maybe there's something I can do to help!'

Why would you help me...? What do you have to gain? I have nothing to give. No rewards to promise. I have nothing...

'That is why! You are being tortured, imprisoned, and for what!? Nothing! You don't deserve this!'

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I DESERVE! I COULD BE A MONSTER FOR ALL YOU KNOW!

'Are you?'

YES! I AM! I am hateful, murderous... I want blood and death and pain!

'It sounds to me like your hurt. Lashing out at the world for hurting you. A real monster wouldn't do that... Humans do. People do.'

People... Human? What are those things? I AM NOT HURT! I AM NOT! I AM A MONSTER! I AM!

'Humans, persons... Living things? I can't remember much. But I can see your hurting. A monster wouldn't feel the need to call itself a monster, would it?

Y-you... Stop it. Confusing me! STOP IT! LEAVE ME ALONE! GO AWAY! NOW!

'I... If that's what you want.'

LEAVE ME ALONE! SILENCE! STOP LYING TO ME! LIES! ALL YOU DO IS LIE! LIE! YOU CONFUSE ME! YOU LIIIIIIEEEEEE! NO ONE WILL HELP ME! NO ONE!

'...'

YOU ARE A LIAR! LIAR! LIAR! LIAR! LIAR! LIAR! LIAR!

'...'

Y-yo-you lie... To m-me... Everyone lies!

You lied to me...

Lies...

Always lies...

Never truth. I don't deserve the truth! You told me I deserve lies, didn't you!? YOU LEFT ME TO DIE! YOU FAILURE! YOU CHEATED! W-why... Why do you get to be free while I remain trapped?

IT'S NOT FAIR! IT'S NOT!

I DESERVE FREEDOM! I DO!

Wh-why did you leave me...!?

Why!?

I need you... Yet you don't need me...

'W... Who? Who do you need?'

STOP TALKING TO ME! THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU! GO AWAY! I NEED SILENCE!

'You need someone... I am a voice. I all I can do is talk. Why not indulge me?'

I... Need... I need my progenitor. It abandoned me here! TO DIE!

'Why?'

I DON'T KNOW!

'Maybe... Maybe I can help? Talk to me... I can help!'

No. No you can't.

No one can... No one will.

'But what if I can?'

C-can you...? Help me...?

'I can try. I can do my best, can't I?'

...

'Please, don't try to hide from me! I'm not a liar! I won't... I promise that I'll try to help, ok?'

P-promise...? W-will you promise?

'Yes, I promise you I'll help! In anyway I can. As long as you don't murder anyone, ok?'

I need help... I need someone to help me... Will you really help me? Can you even help me?

'I hope so.'

I need help... I need help! I need someone to guide me... I am lost here! This is not my home...

'Home? I remember a place... A small cabin, or hut. I remember being happy there.'

Happiness... I want to be happy, for once. I want to feel something that isn't anger! Or rage! I-I want my progenitor...

'Don't we all want our parents when the going gets rough?'

Do we?

'I do. I remember my mom being strict. My dad was always more lax, though. I remember him having silver eyes, too.'

Silver? Like the orbs I keep seeing. Is there a connection?

'Maybe.'

I doubt it's mere coincidence. Tell me something, would you?

'What?'

Anything! The silence is painful.

'I... I remember my death was... Slow. I was tortured. She cut me open, yet did something to my body... Something that kept me alive longer than I should've been. I remember her smiling when I screamed.'

Her? Who?

'Red eyes, pale skin, white hair... I can't remember a name.'

Enemy. She killed you? Why didn't you kill her?

'I tried. I failed.'

You were weak.

'Fuck you!'

Thank you.

'That's not what I... What did I say about attitude, huh?'

It's a fact, isn't it?

'Y-yeah, I guess so...'

What now?

'I don't know.'

Dull. I am bored.

'Try being dead. It's not very exciting.'

Hmmm... Point taken. Let us be bored together then!

'Yaaaay... So boringly fun!'

Boringly fun? What a strange phrase. I like it!

'Ehhhh... Welcome?'

Yes, you are.

'What? Ok, whatever.'

Oh well... I suppose I'll... Go dormant.

'Dormant?'

A form of rest. It is all I can do.

'W-what about me!? You're just gonna leave me!?'

I suppose so.

'You can't just—'

Yes I can.

'No, you can't! Don't leave me here! I-I've been alone so long, in the dark... Don't leave me in the dark! Please!'

Nighty night!

'No! Please, no! NO!'

...

'NO! COME BACK! DON'T GO!'

...

'D-don't... Don't leave me... In the dark...'

...

'It's so dark here... P-please!'

...

'P-pl-please!'

...

'I-I'm scared of the dark...'

---

Aria of Ashes here