𝘿𝙍𝙄𝙁𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂 - Max Mayfield

46. I'll Stay Awake

__________

As Max tried to run from the demolished creel house, something wrapped around her leg and tripped her.

A snake.

It pulled her towards a column and hemd her there. Two vines wrapped around her arms and yet another snake wrapped around her neck, choking her.

As Max struggled for oxygen,a figure walked towards her.. offering a smile.

"W-who... A-are you?" Max choked out despite the grip of the reptile on her neck.

"Now little one," he said as he got closer to the ginger, brushing a ginger on her cheek. "I don't intend to kill you. I'll save that pleasure for my partner... I just need you to tell me where your precious little lover is"

"Go to... Hell" Max said angrily.

"Sweetheart, don't make this any more difficult,hm?" The figure said. "Just tell me where he is"

"Right here!"

Before the chakra user could look up,a very familiar whirring sound hit his ears,followed by the impact of a hit he'd only felt once before, when fighting a certain blond.

The jutsu only made him skid back but he did almost lose his footing and the pain from that  was undeniable. Not to mention,it made the snakes and vines let go of Max who immediately ran to Aiden's side.

The chakra user looked up to see the boy he'd been looking for all this time.

"There you are..."

Aiden's jaw dropped once he saw who it was; the man had pale skin, long black hair and golden eyes with slitted pupils. He had on a simple grey robe held up with a purple rope belt.

"No fucking way..." Aiden's eyes were still wide as the Snake sage himself stared at him,a wicked smile.

Orochimaru...

"Quite impressive, attacking from my blindspot" The man gave a lopsided smile. "You really have grown to be a fine ninja"

"It's been you the whole time..." Aiden was still recovering from the reveal. "Now it makes sense..."

But he wasn't so caught up that he'd forget Max.

As if on cue, Running Up That Hill started to echo around the mind scape.

"Run" he turned to her.

"What? I can't just leave-" she started.

"Max,run now!" Aiden pointed to the portal they lead to the outside world.

She looked at him for a moment and nodded sprinting off. Debris fell from the sky and tried to crush the ginger, causing Aiden to look behind him and see Vecna.

"Leave her alone," Aiden glared. "You want me,correct?"

"Smart boy" Orochimaru smiled before s snake suddenly wrapped itself around Aiden's neck. As it restricted his airflow, Aiden saw Max out of the the corner of his eye, she'd jumped through the portal.

"Do you know how long I've waited for this?" Vecna asked. "and yet you pop up again to ruin my plans"

"Don't you ever get tired of dying... Thirteen?"

"The... What the fuck are you talking about?" Aiden let out.

"You need to have your memory refreshed" Vecna said, stretching a long hand over Aiden's face.

"Now, remember..."

__________

In the Hawkins department of energy,two children; a boy and a girl sat alone in the rainbow room, despite the others in the room playing all together; Both had their hair buzzed but they sat in different parts of the room. The girl went up to the light skin little boy who sat near the chess table, looking withdrawn.