The Perfect World

Chapter 14

He chuckles and uses his metal fingers to break it apart and drop it on the ground. You watch as the metal pieces fall to the floor.

You shiver, then eye the door. The one escape you could use. Your one way out.

You slowly turn your gaze back to the Manguer and put a determined look on your masked face. "I...I already know where the last eye is."

"Oh really?" The Manguer asks. "Then enlighten me."

You pause, then point to the door. "It's behind that door!"

"Oh, it is, is it?" He asks in a cold voice, walking over to it.

As he walks to the door you step back and look around the room. "Where are you?" You whisper.

Then you see it.

The small circle on the bug shelf, a mere few feet from the door.

"There you are," You whisper, your eyes filling with hope when the Manguer coughs up the key and gives you a smirk.

"Open it up!" You urge, looking at the door. "It'll be in there, alright."

He beams, then unlocks the door. "You're wrong, Dimentio," He sings, before swinging the door open. "It isn't there."

The tunnel glows green now, and it's littered with broken dolls and cobwebs. "Now," The Manguer says, turning to you. "You're going to stay here... forever!" He chimes, pulling out a needle and thread.

"No," You smile. "I'm not."

Then, you run to him and tackle him, digging your hands under his gem eyes and ripping them out. He lets out a scream.

Then you snatch the key, get up and grab the last eye while he screams in pain.

"YOU HORRIBLE CHEATING JESTER!" He screeches while you make a break for the door. But before you can reach it, suddenly the floor falls away, plunging you into a large spider-like web of string.

You let out a scream as you fall down into the center, your poncho-like cloak getting caught on the web as you fall and coming off, leaving you in nothing but a ripped back tank top and ripped leggings.

The Manguer lets out a loud laugh as he blindly crawls around the web, looking for you.

You quickly start to climb up as he frantically searches.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!" He shouts. "YOU SELFISH BRAT!"

His head cranks to the side as he feels the vibrations of you climbing up, then he jerks a little and starts coming for you, moving swiftly and robotically.

You panic as he grabs you by the ankle once you're near the door, you gasp and grab onto the door handle, trying to hold on as he tries to drag you down.

"YOU DARE DISOBEY ME?!" He screams.

You feel his grip tighten, those metal hands digging into your skin.

Then, you kick him back, and he falls down a few feet.

You let out a quick breath then crawl into the tunnel. But he's quick to follow. You immediately try slamming the door, but he gets in the way, sticking his head in.

He opens his mouth wide as you desperately try shutting the door, breathing heavily as his metal hands pry it open.

"GET AWAY!" You yell, panicking when you summon all your strength and slam the door shut over his metal hand, breaking it off.

You let out a sigh of relief and take a moment to catch your breath.

Then, you lock the door when-

"AHHHH!" The Manguer cries, frantically banging on the other end of the door, causing you to jump back and crawl away.

"DON'T LEAVE ME! DON'T LEAVE ME!" He screams as the hall shortens. The door gets closer and closer to you.

You crawl as fast as you can, before tumbling out the other end and quickly shutting the door behind you, locking it. There's a loud bang against it and you fly back, letting out a small scream.

You take a moment to catch your breath, before checking all the eyes.

Sure enough, all four are there. You let out a sigh of relief and shakily stand up.

"We made it," You whisper, hugging them to you. "We made it."

Your heart is racing. Your lungs burn. The scratches all over you ache and your face feels bare without the mask.

But you made it.

That night you go back to your cave with the eyes and lie down. The doll is nowhere to be seen, thank goodness. You pull out Blumiere and Timpani's eyes and smile. "It's time to set you free..."

You slowly lay them next to you, then fall asleep, but not before thinking of the alternate L.

Even if he wasn't real... he felt things. Things the real L felt. You can't believe you didn't notice it sooner. Guess you were too focused on everything else to notice or listen to him.

You wish the alternate L got to see the world. You bet he would have loved it. But in a way, a part of him did. Mr. L did... even though you cut his life short. You have to apologize to him for that.

You have to apologize to him for a lot.

And with those thoughts, you drift off.

_____

That night in your dreams you see Blumiere and Timpani, together in the Overthere.

You cock your head to the side as they smile at you. They're no longer Pixls, but who they used to be.

"Thank you," Timpani says, holding onto Blumiere. "It was a heroic thing you did for us, Dimentio."

"Well," You say, beaming. "I'm glad it's finally over."

Then, Blumiere and Timpani both frown.

"It is over," Blumiere slowly says. "For us..."

"Huh?" You ask, slowly frowning. "But... what about me?"

"You're in terrible danger!" Timpani says, with worry in her tone.

"What?!" You reply. "But how?! I locked the door!"

"It's the key," Blumiere points out. "There's only one, and the Manguer will find it,"

You eye the key, which you've placed back on the chain around your now exposed neck.

You shiver and look down, wanting to cry.

"It's not all bad..." Timpani says as she and Blumiere wrap you in a warm hug. "Your soul is still alive. Your soul is still living..."

They vanish, and you open your eyes to the darkness of the cave, before sitting up.

There are rat bites all over you, and your mask no longer covers your face. Your jet-black hair falls over your mismatched eyes, and your grey skin matches the darkness around you.

You look at the eyes to see that they're all broken and gasp. 

Then, you take off your black gloves and pull out the key from your neck. "I-I gotta hide this somewhere! Somewhere he'll never find it!"