Tales Across the MultiBurst

The Red Snake and Drops of Sugar, Part Three

In which as he settles into his new role as the eighth Masked Blader, Shu finally discovers the truth of the Snake Pit and makes a hard decision.
(Continuation of Drops of Burnt Sugar, set during early Evolution. Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach crossover, set after the V.I.P. Ending.)

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I shove my communicator back into my bag and throw it under my bed, heaving a sigh and slipping out from under the covers. I pace around the room like a lost puppy, hoping that it will help clear my head to no avail- the aching pain permeating in my chest just won't fade. It's taking everything I've got not to actually cry, because- because... How could Theodore say that to me? How could he tell me I'm nothing when I'm trying my damn best to help him take back his facility?

I don't know. Maybe he's in a bad mood tonight and will apologize in the morning? I shouldn't hold my breath, though- adults never want to be held responsible for what they said in a bad mood. I can count on one hand all the times my parents actually said they were sorry for their hurtful words.

This hurts so much worse than that, though. I thought Theodore knew better than this. He was so kind to me while I was training as a Raging Bull. He said he could always trust my judgment in a battle because I was just so smart- how is this any different?

Gods, I- I have to get out of this room, I realize, wiping away the tears stinging my eyes. I open the door and peer out into the hall, finding the details hard to decipher but that the overall layout is intact in the pitch black. I slip out of my room and trek into the dark, taking comfort in the fact that it obscures my tears.

In the halls, there's only a heavy, oppressive silence that weighs down on me and only worsens the hurt I feel. It's utterly unbearable, and before I can stop myself for fear of being caught, the lyrics fall softly from my lips into the nothing around me.

"At the eeend of the rainbow, there's happineeess. And to fiiind it how oooften I've triiied, but my life is a race! Just a wild goose chase..."

I bite down hard on my lip to keep from sobbing, letting only a weak whimper slip through. "And my dreams have all been deniiied. Whyyy have I always been a failurrre? What can the reason beee? I wonder if the world's to blaaame? I wonder if it cooould beee meeeee?"

As I turn a corner I slow to a stop, leaning against the cool, steel wall and closing my eyes. "Iii'm always chasing raaainbooows, watching clouds drifting byyy. Myyy schemes are just like aaall my dreams- eeending in the skyyyyy!"

"Some fellows look and find the sunshiiine, I always look and find the raaain." I open one eye, noticing that the words are beginning to echo off the walls and wonder if I'm being too loud. "Some fellows make a winning sometiiime. I neveeer even make a gain, believe me," The last line ends in a strained sob, the tears spilling from my eyes and down my cheeks uncontrollably.

"I'm always chasing raaainbooooows, waiting to find a little bluebiiird..."

I lift my head as the echo grows even louder than before, realizing that the voice carrying back is not my own- it's one that's low and rumbles like a beast's growl. The feeling it brings reminds me of when I first heard Spryzen's voice...

But I left Spryzen in my room.

"In vaaaaain," The voice finishes alone, my own having petered out at the realization that I'm not alone. "Oh, little one," It whispers, the quieter tone only bringing a deeper rumble. "Why are you out of bed so soon?"