𝙾𝙼𝙾𝚁𝙸 ~ 𝟷𝟶 𝚈𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚂

a dream once more.

TW: struggling, bruising/blood, violence, hanging, mentions of trauma, light language, slight cliffhanger ending.

I woke up to the sound of cheering. At first, my vision was blurry, but I adjusted to the view quickly. Thousands of sprout moles stood in front of us. But, I still had no clue what the hell 'us' was supposed to be.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and everybody who happens to be otherwise! Do I have a show for you all today!" a rather frustrating voice yelled. "Today is a very special episode of Sweetheart's Quest For Hearts, because we're featuring some rather special guests!"

When I finally properly came to, there was a stage in front of me. And, my vision was obscured by some bars. I was in a cage. And, Hero was next to me, rattling the bars back and forth. He was also, notably, tied up and forced to sit next to a manic Sweetheart.

"What are we doing here?"

"Yuki, it's getting bad. We need help."

He gestured over to the stage, where a certain three were kneeling with sacks over their heads, facing the audience and too afraid to move. There were sprout mole guards holding spears, armed and ready in case they fought back. The audience was roaring wildly, and I could feel the tension in the air. I wasn't that far from the stage, but I could feel their pain.

Choking on my saliva with shock, I banged my fists against the bars, but they were bloodied and bruised. "Let me out! Please, please, let me go!"

She turned to me, a demented smile on her face. "Hmm, seems like he's woken up already! Well, good morning. I hope you had a nice sleep. But, this is inevitable." Standing over the crowd, she raised the megaphone she was holding into the air. I continued to scream pathetically, hitting the bars as hard as I could in hopes of them breaking from the force.

"Please!! Please, I need to see them! I need to see them!!"

"Everybody, I am so happy to see you made it out here to witness such an important event! Yes, today is the day I'm proud to announce the end of a certain reign of terror. Yes, we have finally captured the one they call Omori! And, he deserves a punishment, don't you think?" She was met with uproarious agreement, and it made her laugh. I continued to fight, slamming my body against the bars and feeling my muscles weaken. "Ohoho, yes!! That's why I've finally captured his pathetic little gremlins, and my dearest Hero alongside them!! And, I feel it's their time to go... as he watches it all from the sidelines. My dear followers, listen to him beg!"

She held the megaphone to my lips as I struggled, and I took the opportunity to try and make my point. "Everybody, I swear, I am not guilty!! I wouldn't do such a thing to anybody!! Please, PLEASE!! I NEED TO SEE THEM! I NEED TO SEE THEM! PLEASE!!"

"Aww, how quaint. I vote we should get this over with. I may let you go, just a little, so you can watch the show."

A sprout mole guardian opened the door, making me jump out and attempt to run, but I was quickly apprehended by gentle embrace. Hero was holding me back and keeping me from getting out. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, S... Yuki. I have to do this." He leaned in closer to my ear. "We're gonna find a way out of this once I can get whatever stupid power I've got to work again."

"Wha- Your power's broken??"

"Sort of. I-I just can't get it to work. Maybe it's because I'm awake now. I promise, I'll try my best to make it work."

"Are you kidding me-"

I looked to the stage again after I was silenced by Hero slapping his palm over my mouth, and my heart sunk in my chest as I saw the display. Kel, Aubrey and Basil had the sacks pulled off of their heads, revealing pieces of tape over their lips as they stood up, looking over the crowds. And, I finally noticed the frame above them. What was hanging from them?