"This was a good idea, Norman. With this, we can get over the wall."
"But the challenge is still ahead of us."
"The tracking devices."
"Well that, and..."
~ 22194 ~
My instincts were telling me that it was a bad idea, that this could all turn out horribly. I turned to Emma who nodded, giving me the reassurance I needed. I preferred that I spoke to Y/n in private, that way I'm able to get her to cooperate, but we were running out of time. We cant dwell on what happened on the past anymore.
Y/n immediately noticed the looks between myself and Emma. "What is it?..." She asked, eyeing us suspiciously.
"Well...we talked and were just thinking..." I hesitated. Y/n's expression already turning into a frown. "We want to tell Ray, everything." Emma proposed.
Y/n waited for us to go on, expecting this to be a punchline of a bad joke. But our silence fired her up even more. "You're joking?...We can't tell anyone about this! We keep them safe and that means from the truth."
"But Ray is smart! he wouldn't panic..." Emma tried to reason. "Not only that...we can't just drag the other kids out of here and give them no explanation. They still trust Mom..." I pointed out. Y/n went silent. She knew it was the smart thing, the right thing to do. We need someone on our side...
From the bushes behind us, I spotted him. I sighed "Speak of the devil." The girls attention turned to Ray as he stepped out from the bushes, a book in his clutches. "I'm amazed you managed to sneak up on us." Emma pointed out.
"You tend to catch on when you're always the one getting snuck up on." Ray responded while giving Y/n a beckoning glance. "What are you doing here, did you follow us?" Y/n hissed.
And here we go...
Ray paid no attention to Y/n, and began to approach Emma and I, "So my suspicions were correct, something is going on." The book in his hand slammed shut, the sound bouncing off the concrete wall - which he paid no mind to, as if he didn't care to question it.
"Well...you see." I was cut off as Ray grabbed me in a headlock before dragging Emma in with me. "Don't play around, this all started when the three of you got back from the gate that night. Start talking. Now."
"Y/n...a little help here!" Emma squeaked.
"Give it a break." Y/n spoke up. Ray released his death hold on us before approaching Y/n. The tension in the air running thick. They stared each other down, neither unwavering.
"Everything."
_______________________________
"It's the truth!" Y/n snapped.
"You must have hit your head pretty damn hard to come up with such nonsense. This is one of your little games." Ray glared. Emma quickly stepped in, grabbing him by his collar, separating the two, "We were there with her, we saw everything! If you don't believe her then you don't believe us." Ray retaliated by shoving the book he held into her chest, and pushing her back.
"I expect this crap from you two but not him." Ray pointed at me.
Everyone's eyes fell on me. Expecting me to confirm their own stories. But I couldn't please everyone. Not anymore...
"I've barely comprehended what happened. I want this all to be a terrible dream that I can't wake up from..." I looked to Emma who had a hopeful glint in her eyes. "But they are the only evidence that tells me that this is all real." My hand found my sore neck, "And now, you've become a damning piece of evidence yourself, Ray."
Ray began to massage his temples, taking a minute to process everything, "If this is all true then what do you expect us to do? Escape?" He pointed out the concrete wall standing in our way.
"Well...we haven't exactly thought about the details..." Emma trailed off. An irritated sigh left Ray's lips, thinking for a moment before he began to pace, "The number of kids is an issue, we have to narrow it down to who can make it and-" "Hang on!...we're escaping with everyone." Y/n interrupted, making Ray stop in his tracks, "You're kidding...there are over thirty of us and the majority are under the age of six. With everything in our way, it's too risky."
"We know that already, but it's not impossible-" Ray interrupted, "No, it is impossible. You didn't think of what happens after we escape. Because if we're locked up here then there's no place for us out there. It's a society of Demons." Y/n fell silent as he began to approach her.
"Trust me when I say this. Your plan won't work. If we take everyone, we all die. We leave them behind...that is the best option."
"No!" Y/n exploded, and without warning, she grabbed a fistful of Ray's shirt before dragging him down to her head height, "You're always quick to give up on things when you never try! If there isn't a world out there for us then we'll change that!" Ray tore free from her grasp, backing away - the shock on his face quickly turned to anger as Emma jumped in excitement, "We'll change the world!"
I couldn't resist my laughter as Emma bounced cheerfully, all while Y/n was still in a state of anger - her glare directed toward Ray was a major contrast to Emma's beaming smile. Ray barged toward me, "They're being unreasonable!"
"You know that when they're in this mood together, you're on your own to persuade them." I advised. "Don't tell me you've lost all reason too." Ray snarled. "I thought the idea of death scared them, but I realised I was projecting. They wanted to protect the others first and foremost." I shrugged.
"It won't work, if its just the four of us then we'll have a shot-" I interrupted, "If we do that then it won't be the four of us."
"Don't distort your decision based on emotions, Norman." Ray warned. A chuckle left my lips before I returned my attention to Emma. "I'm afraid you're a couple years late to be lecturing me on that...Maybe you don't know your best friend as well as you thought."
"This isn't like you! Why are you acting like this now?"
I lowered my voice so only Ray could hear, "Because I like Emma, and I want her to be happy. Isn't that how you felt about Y/n?" Ray shoved me backwards, "You're insane. They'll be dead if we ever manage to make it outside."
"Which is why we have to work together...after all, you promised Conny you would be with her..." Ray was taken aback as my chest bubbled with laughter as his ears began to turn red. "You're all crazy."
Finally gaining my composure, I placed my hand on his shoulder, "Even then...you won't let us do this on our own, right?"
A sigh left his lips, accepting defeat. "Of course I cant..."
Our heads shot up as the sound of the clock tower's alarm began to ring in the distance. "What is she doing?" Y/n hissed, breaking into a sprint, not caring if we followed. Emma looked at us with worry, "The clocktower hasn't been used in years..."
Ray glanced at his pocket watch, a frown darkened his face, "Something's up..."
_______________________________
~ 73184 ~
"Everyone! There's some people here I want you to meet." Mom announced to everyone before the door to the cafeteria opened. "This is your newest little sister, Carol. And this is Sister Krone."
A woman stood beside Mom. Her figure towering over everyone including Mom. She offered everyone a wide smile as her dark coloured eyes scanned the children.
"Its so nice to meet you all!" Her eyes scanned the crow before lingering on the older kids. Flicking from Don, to Gilda, Anna, Norman, Emma...until finally. Her smile widening as she let her gaze linger on me. 'She knows...' My breath hitched in my throat as I felt a hand slip into mine before our fingers interlocked. Breaking the state off with the Sister, I turned my attention to Ray - standing beside me with his typical unbothered expression. I swallowed the lump on my throat as I gave his hand a firm squeeze in return.
Norman and Emma were right. Ray doesn't panic. He's someone we can rely on...
I returned my attention forward only to meet eyes with Mom. Her eyes already on me, a fake smile plastered onto her face.
The tracking devices were a warning, as if to say that she is always one step ahead. But using the clocktower, using Sunny was a warning to me specifically. And now...
"I hope you welcome me into your home." Sister Krone continued.
'I won't let you escape.'
_______________________________
"She is so adorable." Gilda cooed, gently brushing her finger against Carol's chubby cheeks.
Lani leant over to get a closer look her. The look on his face giving away that he was going to say something stupid. "She looks like Emma." Thoma agreed with his best friend, "Except shorter and fat-" The boys both earnt a smack on the head from Alicia and Jemima.
Sister Krone turned to the group, "Why aren't you a sweetheart, Gil. You must be everyone's favourite big sister." I resisted the urge to scoff and roll my eyes at her attempts to warm up to the others.
"Suck up..."
Dalia who sat next to me, looked up at me innocently. "Uh...I said you should take your dirty socks off." Without question, she simply obeyed before returning to talk to her stuffed monkey. Sighing in I returned to rock Tom in my arms.
"I think everyone prefers Emma or Y/n more, they are the oldest girls after all." Sensing their eyes on me, my jaw clenched. In the corner of my eye I could see the smile on Sister Krone's face growing, "I think you're an amazing sister, you could even become a Mother when you reach my age." The Sister reassured Gilda.
"Were you a Mother, Sister Krone?" Anna asked.
"I'm afraid not...you see, Sisters are trained to be of service to Mother's before we can become one ourselves, which is why I'm here to help your Mother. But I especially want to help you children develop and learn..."
Right as she finished her sentence, Ray entered in the doorway, causing the room to go silent and everyone's attention turning to him. "Y/n...I need your help upstairs." He stated. Dalia's giggles interrupted my thoughts, and Ton was already fast asleep in my arms...despite the noise, it never bothered him, as long as he had someone to hold him. "I'm busy with these two, Ray-" I froze, as I felt a tall figure stand behind me. A shadow casting over Dalia who was only preoccupied playing with her toys.
"I'll get these little ones in bed, and I'm sure Ray needs little Miss Reliable right away..." The Sister's voice vibrated my ears, making me hold Tom firmly to my chest.
"I'll just tuck him into bed." Unable to control the bluntness in my tone. A low chuckle left her lips, "Your Mother has told me all about you children...putting you to bed was always the most difficult...crying through the night unless she was there..." I tensed as her hand made contact with my shoulder,
"There's no need to worry, Y/n/n. I'm here to help..."
I turned to face Sister Krone, reluctantly handing Tom over to her. He wriggled in her arms for a moment before relaxing once he was comfortable. I stood still place as Krone whisked him and Dalia away with the other children.
"You two have fun..." She winked at me. I turned to Ray who gave me a knowing look.
'The clocktower.'
_______________________________
Making sure the coast was clear, we made our way to the clocktower door. Ray stood behind me to keep watch as I reached under my shirt for the key. "Be quick." Ray whispered. "I don't have it...It's always on me!"
"Well where did you have it last?" He hissed. "I don't know...I could've dropped it anywhere." I whispered.
Ray immediately noticed my breathing pattern changed, and reached out to place his hand on my shoulder. "Hey, it can wait. Just calm down-" Ray was cut off at the sound of the other children coming upstairs, Ray grabbed my wrist and lead me down the hallway until we reached the library. Shutting the library doors behind us, Ray turned to me, "Mom is just trying to break you. You can't let her get to her."
I held my head in my hands, "Mom knows...She knows..."
"Maybe...they might know about you...but there's nothing to suggest they suspect Norman or Emma." Ray spoke before I felt his hands grab my wrists, pulling my hands away from my face, "They all need you to keep a level head."
"What about you?..."
Ray let go of my wrists, taking a step back, "What about me?" He reflected. "You talk as if you aren't involved in any of this...as if you don't need us." He sighed, "I do need you...I need to know that I'm leaving everyone in good hands."
"What makes you think you're leaving? We do this together, Ray." A smirk settled into his features, "You really are hellbent on all of us escaping? Even me?" Averting my gaze to the floor, my hands instinctively playing with the ends of my tangled hair.
"I don't hate you, you know..."
Silence followed my words. I couldn't bring myself to look at him. Not after all the times I lashed out at him for simply being better than me, and yet I still feel unsure of him.
"It's hard to tell..." He replied. My chest ached from his words, but what he said next surprised me. "But I never hated you either." Pathetically, we both avoided each other's gaze.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, "It was hard to tell with you too..." A chuckle left his lips, his hand reaching up to massage his neck, "Thanks, I try..." I pressed my lips together, suppressing the urge to smirk. Silence followed once again, but this time, I had something I wanted to say. But finding the words was difficult.
"Ray-" "Y/n." Our voices stacked on the other. I paused, waiting for him to speak, "My bad...you go first." I hesitated but decided to go on anyway, "I was thinking about what you said earlier...You're right, I have no clue what we're going to do once we get outside." I stood up from my place before making my way over to the bookshelves, scanning the covers and titles.
Finally gathering the courage, I met eyes with him. "So...I want you to teach me everything you know to survive."
A sigh left his lips, "Norman was right, persuading you is almost impossible." Ray walked past me and began to gather a stack of books before returning and setting them down on the tables. "If you're truly determined to do this, then you have to read and memorise all of these."
I picked up one of the books, examining the contents of the book, "How long do I have, to read and memorise them all." Ray took a moment to analyse the number and size of the books before looking at me with an expression that told me he was about to be completely honest. "For me, it would take a month, maybe a little bit more...for you, it could take about three or four months, and you only have two."
Dalia's bubbly laughs, the peace on Tom's sleeping face, and now Carol's pale blue eyes. They served as reminders, as well as the other children who were sacrificed. The promise that they'd live long, happy lives, ripped away.
"Then I'll have to get started," Exhaling sharply, I pulled out a chair and grabbed the first book from the stack but before I had the chance to open the cover, Ray placed his hand over mine that hovered over the cover.
"Together." As I nodded, he sat in the chair beside me but I still had one last thing on my mind. "Ray, what was it you wanted to say earlier?" Ray paused, either deciding whether or not he was going to tell me what was on his mind or if he forgot. But what he said had me questioning if this was what he originally wanted to say, "Why the name Sunny?"
I smirked, 'So he's known about her all this time...He's been looking out for me.' Returning my gaze to the book in front of me, I replied, "Sunrays."
_______________________________
Hello everyone!
I'm back and I'm alive and well. Things in life have been pretty rough with the beginning of 2022, but there are some things I want to mention, I turned 18 back in March and I'm just now realising how crazy that is, I started writing this book back in May of 2019 when I had just turned 15 a couple months before. I honestly thought I had given up on this story given how the anime / manga ended. The expectations I had for it lead to me to lose my enjoyment. This book was never anything special or perfect, but coming back to this has brought back that same enjoyment I so badly missed.
Anyways, I want to thank you guys for being patient, and even to those who have forgotten this book, I thank you too. I wanna know your thoughts on this chapter because the episode it's based on wasn't that eventful so I really put my energy into making this entertaining, it was also focused more on Ray and the reader since we didn't get much, or if any interaction on this level between the two in previous chapters.
Let me know if there are any editorial mistakes or anything you think I can approve upon.
Much love - Moon
(Side ramble)
I just realised how poetic the last two chapter titles are. That was no planned genius of mine, that was completely accidental...But then again, "There are no accidents..." - master oogway
STARTED WRITING: 13TH OF SEPTEMBER 2021
POSTED: 3RD OF APRIL 2022