Get up.
“…”
I said get up.
“…”
...You are trying to be clever, aren’t you?
“Tired...please...rest...” He muttered.
Oh? So now you decide to talk back to me?
“...I am tired...please a little rest...” He grabbed his shoulders and began to shake, “Please…”
You are confusing, one moment you agree with me that you deserve this hell, and the next you want to stop? No wonder why they all hate you…
The voice was right. This is why he was hated by them...Then he remembered a voice. One he knows well.
“Also about what you said before, about how we used to be friends…”
He felt a hand placed on to his shoulder supportively, though there was no one there.
“We are still friends!”
He felt tears pool in the corner of his eyes, remembering Kel’s words to him.
Those supportive words. The words that we're able to give him a slight joy. Ones that might have lessened his pain, even if it was just a bit.
Oh no. Not you thinking he was serious.
“What do you mean?” He asked the voice. It suddenly felt cold on his back, as if someone was wrapping themselves around him in a hug. The hug felt off though. Unsafe.
That was clearly just an act of pity! He only said that because he knew if he didn’t you would have cried like a little bitch!
“N-No, he meant it. I know Kel! He would-”
You haven’t spoken in four years! The years change people! Or don’t you think Aubrey is enough proof of that!?
“K-Kel isn’t like Aubrey, he wouldn’t have-” He stuttered.
Don’t give me that. Once again he only took pity because he sees you as a shard of his past that had barely changed. He likes you because you don’t change. He likes you because you're broken, miserable, human that he can play hero with.
“SHUT UP!” He grabbed the sketchbook and threw it. It looped around the room however and ended up hitting him from behind.
You're pathetic. Just the way they like you. A broken human for them to put back together and shatter again.
“P-please stop…” Tears fell from his eyes as he felt his chest tighten. Sobs ranged out in the empty room.
The cold on his back felt suffocating. Like the one hugging him turned it into a way to crush his organs.
...Useless trash. I will let you have the break you wanted so badly. Enjoy it.
He collapsed on the floor, tears still coming from his eyes. If he focused enough he could feel a light breeze through his hair, as if someone was stroking it gently.
J̸̪̠̆̋u̴̗̥͘ŝ̵̙t̴̗͝ ̶̧̓l̴̖̦̍i̷̡̭̓͗k̵̖͝ę̶̑͂ ̵̝̊s̵̲͝h̷̺̰͆e̷͓̓ ̷̪̍͝ǘ̶͈͈̌s̸̙͖̓͝e̴̞̹͂ḏ̸̫̈́ ̵͒ͅt̶̯̉o̶̯̎.̵̟͝ͅ.̴͚̌.̴̬͜͝
“Stay strong, Basil.”
~~~~~~
Sweethearts castle was huge, to say the least. Hero knows for sure this place is going to be way bigger than the Junkyard they explored last time.
“So where do we even begin?” Aubrey asked the group.
Omori simply shrugged in response.
“Ah, why don’t we just pick a hallway and explore!” Kel suggested.
“Honestly what else could we do?” Hero sighed.
“Alright, Omori! Pick a hall and we’ll follow you!” Kel grinned.
Omori nodded and thus the group began heading through the top left hallway. Sweetheart statues lined the hallways, each in the same obnoxious pose. Hero was starting to see why Sunny hates her.
“Graa! This way is the Upper Chambers! To the bottom left is the Gallery and the Library! Graa!” A flamingo yelled once Omori poked it.
“The chambers? I don’t really think we should go that way…” Kel muttered.
“I agree, what if Sweetheart is up there?” Aubrey looked towards Hero.
“I say that we save that place for last, that is, if we need to go there…” Hero spoke confidently, “What about you Omori? Thoughts?” Hero silently began berating himself, Omori wasn’t going to speak!
What Omori did instead do, however, was give Hero a supportive thumbs up to show he liked the plan.
Omori then proceeded to lead them downwards into the bottom left hall which was also lined with the same statues from above. She really liked her own face, didn’t she?
Kel jokingly walked over to a statue and touched it, “Boop!”
“Kel!” Aubrey yelled. She gasped in shock when the statue he touched changed into Sweetheart holding an umbrella.
“Guys, stop messing with the statues! We might get caught!” Hero scolded in a whisper.
“Sorry…” Kel and Aubrey awkwardly looked away.
Up ahead there were multiple sprout moles. Some running around and some simply standing still, blocking the way past. Another mole was standing in front of them, seeming to be yelling about something. The group walked closer to hear the conversation they were having.
“Let me through! You don’t know how long I have waited to see Sweetheart’s latest work!” One mole yelled.
“Please let me in! I will write you a good review! Swear!” Another one added.
“I wonder what this is about…” Hero pondered.
“Well whatever it is, we should probably head down first before checking this out. This seems...important.” Aubrey spoke her thoughts.
“Yeah I agree, continue leading Omori!” Hero nodded.
The group headed downwards and took a right.
“Bah, dead-end on this side. Let’s- Omori?” Kel watched as the black and white boy walked upstairs that seemingly led to a wall before touching it, his hand sinking through as if it was liquid.
Everyone except him gasped.
“Awesome!” Kel ran to Omori.
“Wait for me!” Aubrey ran as well.
“Guys! It might be dangerous!” Hero followed last, concerned for everyone's safety.
The wall leads them into a dungeon-like designed room. Cages that seemed like only birds or sprout moles could fit in hung from the ceiling.
“Huh, seems like another part of the dungeon.” Kel pointed out.
“Might be unused. Keep an eye out though…” Hero added.
After walking down three long staircases the air kept getting colder and colder.
It reminded Hero of the Lost Woods.
There was a hole in the roof, leading sunlight down into what looked to be a sewer gutter to Hero, but in this place, who knows? It might be a torture device.
There was also a doorway covered in gold with fancy decor. Two torches on each side of it.
“Are we prepared to walk in there?” Kel asked, feeling nervous.
“Don’t know. However, we will find out.” Hero looked over to Omori who gave him a quick nod.
Walking through the doorway allowed them to meet another shadow-like being with its back bent backward inhumanly and a face with no eyes and an empty mouth.
The group was too startled to speak and were about to back away until it spoke. Or was it speaking? It was hard to tell because its mouth didn’t move.
“Y̶o̸u̸ ̶a̶r̴e̸ ̷b̸r̷a̷v̴e̷ ̵t̸o̸ ̷c̴o̸m̴e̸ ̸h̴e̶r̶e̷,̶ ̶y̴o̶u̵n̵g̵ ̵o̵n̸e̴s̸.̵ ̴T̶e̶l̸l̴ ̸m̴e̸,̴ ̶a̶r̵e̸ ̵y̷o̶u̵ ̶e̴n̵j̴o̸y̸i̶n̷g̶ ̴S̵w̴e̵e̵t̵h̴e̷a̵r̴t̴'̸s̵ ̷C̵a̵s̵t̷l̶e̵?̴” It asked.
“Nope.”
“Nada.”
“Not at all.”
Omori shook his head in disapproval.
“I̴ ̷c̸a̷n̴ ̶t̷e̴l̴l̸,̸ ̵y̵o̸u̶r̷ ̴f̶a̴c̵e̷s̴ ̴s̸a̴y̷ ̴i̴t̷ ̷a̴l̶l̴.̸ ̵T̷h̴a̴t̵ ̶g̵i̵r̶l̶ ̸i̷s̶ ̶s̵o̸ ̸e̶l̵a̸b̷o̶r̶a̸t̵e̴.̸ ̵T̸h̶i̷s̶ ̸p̴l̷a̶c̴e̷,̵ ̵i̷t̵ ̷t̵a̶k̶e̸s̶ ̸t̵h̶e̴ ̷f̸o̵r̷m̷ ̵o̸f̷ ̶o̴n̴e̵'̸s̴ ̵d̴e̶e̷p̶e̸s̸t̸ ̵d̸e̶s̴i̴r̸e̶s̵.̵ ̶A̶ ̵p̵l̸a̵c̴e̸ ̷t̴o̷ ̶c̵a̸l̷l̶ ̴h̴o̵m̸e̷.̸” The voice in the being explained.
“Gee, if these are her desires then she might need help,” Aubrey whispered under her breath before being lightly elbowed by Hero.
“I̷ ̸h̸a̸v̴e̶ ̵g̶i̶v̷e̸n̷ ̴h̵e̸r̸ ̶h̶e̷l̸p̸ ̶b̷y̵ ̵g̸i̴v̷i̷n̴g̶ ̵h̶e̶r̴ ̵t̴h̴i̴s̵ ̵p̷l̸a̷c̷e̵.̷ ̵S̸h̶e̸ ̵u̶s̶e̵d̴ ̴t̶o̵ ̶l̵i̴v̶e̵ ̸i̵n̵ ̵a̷ ̴d̵e̵s̴s̵e̷r̷t̴ ̵y̵o̸u̶ ̴k̶n̶o̷w̶.̵ ̷S̸h̴e̸ ̸e̸v̶e̶n̷ ̸b̷e̴g̴g̶e̷d̶ ̴t̸o̸ ̷m̷e̸ ̴o̷n̵ ̴h̴e̶r̶ ̴k̵n̸e̵e̷s̴ ̸t̵o̵ ̵m̴a̶k̵e̵ ̷t̸h̵i̵s̷ ̷p̶l̷a̵c̷e̸.̴” The voice seemed to get angry at Aubrey’s comment. Maybe it respected Sweetheart? Weird...
“A dessert? Omori, is there a dessert?” Kel asked.
Omori pulled out his map and surprisingly nodded in confirmation.
“Huh, interesting!” Kel smiled, “Nice Omori!”
“I̷ ̵g̶a̶v̵e̶ ̸h̸e̸r̷ ̷t̷h̸i̶s̴ ̷p̶l̵a̶c̵e̷.̸ ̵A̷ ̵p̷l̵a̵c̸e̵ ̸t̴o̸ ̵m̶a̵k̸e̷ ̵h̸e̴r̷ ̴h̷o̵m̸e̶ ̸a̶n̷d̶ ̵o̵f̷ ̷h̴e̷r̸ ̷d̵e̵e̷p̵e̵s̴t̷ ̵d̴e̷s̶i̵r̸e̸s̶.̶ ̶R̵i̴c̷h̵e̴s̵,̷ ̶s̴o̸l̶d̷i̴e̴r̸s̵,̵ ̸a̴ ̵s̸t̶a̵g̵e̴ ̶t̷o̶ ̶a̵l̴l̴o̶w̷ ̶h̸e̶r̶s̶e̷l̶f̵ ̶t̵o̴ ̸f̸l̷a̷u̴n̷t̵ ̸h̷e̸r̶ ̶p̸o̷w̸e̵r̸s̴!̷ Y̸e̵t̷ ̶s̵h̴e̴ ̶w̴a̷n̷t̷s̵ ̸m̶o̶r̷e̷.̴.̵.̸” The voice sighed before continuing, “S̸h̶e̶ ̷m̸u̵s̷t̵ ̷b̷e̶ ̶c̸u̵r̸s̸e̷d̸ ̸t̴o̵ ̷w̴a̵n̴t̶ ̸m̴o̴r̷e̷ ̴a̶n̷d̸ ̴m̷o̷r̸e̴ ̶t̴h̶e̵n̵ ̷w̴h̴a̶t̶ ̵s̸h̵e̸ ̵g̷o̸t̴.̵ ̸N̵o̶ ̸m̷a̵t̸t̴e̶r̴.̶ ̴S̴o̵o̸n̷ ̴s̸h̵e̶ ̸w̷i̵l̷l̸ ̵l̷e̶a̷v̵e̶ ̴a̸n̷d̵ ̵n̷o̶t̴ ̶r̷e̸t̶u̵r̶n̷.̶”
“Really?” Hero asked.
“Y̸e̵s̶.̶ ̴S̸o̶o̸n̸e̷r̴ ̶o̷r̶ ̸l̴a̸t̸e̵r̷.̴ ̸W̷e̶ ̴h̴a̴v̶e̶ ̵t̷o̷ ̶w̷a̶i̷t̶.̴” The voice chuckled, “O̴r̸ ̸a̴t̵ ̸l̷e̵a̴s̵t̷ ̸I̸ ̴n̶e̵e̴d̵ ̴t̶o̸ ̷w̵a̷i̷t̵.̸ ̴Y̴o̵u̶ ̵d̸o̷n̸'̷t̶ ̸n̵e̴e̵d̵ ̵t̶o̶ ̴d̴o̷ ̶a̷n̸y̶t̶h̸i̴n̷g̸,̶ ̵j̸u̷s̷t̵ ̴g̶o̶ ̷a̵b̴o̸u̷t̷ ̴y̴o̴u̷r̶ ̷b̵u̴s̸i̴n̷e̸s̷s̴ ̸a̴s̷ ̸n̴o̷r̷m̴a̶l̸ ̷a̸n̴d̸ ̴t̶h̸i̸n̸e̴ ̴s̷h̵o̸u̴l̴d̷ ̷b̶e̸ ̴f̴i̵n̷e̶.̵”
“What will you do when she is gone?” Kel asked.
“S̴i̸m̵p̷l̴e̸ ̷y̶o̶u̶n̸g̷ ̴o̶n̶e̸s̵,̴ ̶I̶ ̴w̸i̶l̶l̶ ̶f̸i̶n̴d̷ ̷a̴ ̸n̶e̴w̶ ̷o̷w̴n̵e̷r̴.̵ ̶I̶n̵ ̵f̸a̸c̷t̴-̵” The being looked towards Omori, its neck letting out a loud crack when doing so “I̵ ̶m̴i̸g̸h̶t̴ ̵h̴a̷v̵e̷ ̵a̸l̶r̵e̶a̸d̵y̶ ̵f̸o̸u̶n̴d̶ ̸o̶n̵e̶.̵ ̵C̵o̸m̵e̵ ̵b̷a̷c̶k̴ ̴w̵h̵e̷n̷ ̵s̴h̵e̸ ̸i̸s̴ ̸g̷o̵n̷e̶.̵ ̷O̸r̴ ̸n̵o̴t̸,̸ ̷i̶t̴ ̴i̴s̷ ̷u̵p̵ ̴t̷o̶ ̶t̸h̴i̶n̶e̴ ̵t̵o̴ ̶d̴e̴c̸i̸d̵e̷.̵” It laughed.
Everyone jumped back minus Omori, who weirdly seemed not worried at all by this.
“Y̸o̸u̷ ̶m̸i̷g̷h̵t̵ ̶w̵a̵n̸t̴ ̴t̸o̵ ̶g̷e̷t̶ ̶g̶o̴i̴n̷g̷.̴ ̴T̶h̵e̶ ̴n̷i̵g̶h̴t̶ ̷i̷s̷ ̸n̵o̷t̶ ̶g̷o̷i̸n̵g̷ ̴t̸o̶ ̶s̷l̸o̴w̶ ̸a̸f̵t̶e̷r̸a̵l̶l̴~̶” The voice continued to laugh.
Kel grabbed Omori’s hand and everyone sprinted out of the room leaving the being alone.
“.̴.̷.̶I̶t̸ ̷s̴e̶e̷m̶s̶ ̴l̸i̵k̷e̵ ̵t̶h̴i̷s̸ ̷i̴s̷ ̷t̶h̷e̶ ̴e̶n̴d̴.̶ ̵Y̶o̸u̶ ̵w̵o̵n̶'̵t̸ ̷s̶e̶e̴ ̴m̷e̷ ̷a̵g̶a̴i̸n̷.̴ ̸T̸e̸l̸l̴ ̵y̴o̶u̵r̶ ̵f̵r̴i̶e̶n̸d̵s̸ ̴I̵ ̴s̶a̴i̵d̵ ̶h̵i̵,̵ ̶v̵i̵e̶w̷e̷r̶s̴.̷” It smiled.