Same Story, Something New

27 - Angel's Past: Part Two

As Wally played with Helen, Susan decided to give Allison and Tom a tour of the Lost Harbor. This left me alone with my thoughts, and I found myself taking another trip down memory lane...

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7 Years Ago...

It was a week after I had discovered the Lost Harbor, and met my little Acolyte. It had taken me some time to come to terms with the fact that she was all that remained of Susie. The Studio was being subjected to an investigation, and I couldn't wait for it to end. The investigators were clever, and at times it was difficult to make sure they didn't discover our inky world.

I was chasing a pair of Lost Ones who earned my wrath after they made the mistake of trying to reveal themselves to one of the investigators. I tricked them into a dead end by making sure they ran towards one of the Ink River's ports, one that didn't have any barges. They were trying to beg for mercy, which I found rather amusing.

"I'd say the fact that you two are begging for mercy is pathetic, but to be honest, I find it adorable. You knew the rules. You knew what the punishments for breaking them were. Yet you chose to defy me anyways. We can't let the outside world learn about us. We have to keep our inky reality a secret no matter what it takes."

"This is wrong!" One of them exclaimed.

"Tsk-tsk. How disappointing. What will it take for my point to sink in? I am the Ink Angel. My word is law."

I then grabbed them, then tossed one of them into the river so I could watch him dissolve. However, as he tried to swim back, a giant hand emerged from the river, then grabbed him and pulled him under. I was so shocked, I ended up dropping the other Lost One.

Holy snow angels! What the heck was that?! I wondered. Then I noticed the Lost One I had dropped was trying to run away. "Oh no you don't!"

I grabbed him, then tossed him into the river. Like it had with his buddy, the giant hand grabbed the Lost One then pulled him under.

So I wasn't seeing things. I mused. I walked to the edge of the dock and looked down. "Hello?" I called out in my normal voice. "Are you still there?"

Suddenly, the hand emerged and grabbed me. It then rapidly dove back into the river.

"HEY!" I yelled, causing it to freeze, just before my head ended up underwater. "Put. Me. Back. NOW!"

To my surprise, the entity obeyed, then the hand went back into the ink. However the way it gave me the impression it was sad.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, but that was wrong. You can't just grab people without their consent." I chided. "Now how about you come out so I can see you?"

I didn't think it would work at all, but to my utter shock, it did. In the process, I discovered the entity wasn't just a hand. It was an entire person... sort of. The entity had a distinctly female form. Her liquidy form made it seem like she was one with the river, and the only parts of her that weren't black ink were her giant four-fingered gloved hands, and the huge golden orbs she had for eyes.

"Hello, my name is Alice." I greeted her. "What's yours?"

Her head tilted and she gave me a frown.

"Do you have a name?" I asked, then frowned at the clueless look she had. Can she even understand me? I wondered. "How were you born?"

She seemed to understand this, then reached out to grab me, then stopped. An unsure look in her eyes.

"You can grab me this time," I told her with a nod.