The Midnight Train to Nowhere

[Fox of Hearts]

Written with Permission and Loads of Advice from @Fox of Spades

Onboard the Train: (Approximately 5 hours into the trip)

Second Class Carriage

Ran hugged Riley and Lelia close to him, trying his best to shield the girls from the madness that erupted suddenly. He looked at Inadi who was currently standing a little away from them. Based on how the young man was clenching his fists till his knuckles turned white, Ran knew that Inadi was feeling as outraged and sickened by the bloodbath once the four masked men made their way towards the door leading to the next Second Class carriage.

Boisterous shouts of "Nova Aetis" came from the two young university students, Japhet and Ellie, as they followed after their professor, a bear-sized man with bushy sideburns called Professor Cuddles Baker. Ran let out a long drawn sigh, wishing he didn't know that evil man's name. It left a bitter taste in his mouth, because back in Nowhere, a friendly teddy bear baker shared the same name. No, no, it couldn't be. This man wasn't ... he just couldn't be the same person as the bear they loved.

Ran rubbed Riley's back in a fatherly way and brought stroked Lelia's back in a similar fashion, while he let his eyes roamed the carriage. Dead just in front of him were a pair of twins. The young woman slumped at the edge wore a dark haired wig that had slipped off slightly to reveal chestnut brown hair underneath. Her twin lay sprawled across the opposite seat. The girl whose white wig had slipped off completely stared blankly at the ceiling with clouded eyes. Ran squeezed his eyes shut then opened them again. He saw the feet of the once jolly cello player jutting out from behind one of the seats further down. The man's pet cat kept mewing piteously as it rubbed against the shoed feet and ankles, but its master would never stir ever again.

A dark green frog hopped pass Ran. It stopped a little then turned back and croaked. The sight of the frog hopping around freely made the adult feel even sicker. Had these men no conscience at all? They had slain a five-year-old boy who wanted nothing more than go visit his grandma on New Year's Day. He pulled both girls tighter into his embrace.

"Shhhh," he said softly. "It's okay. Just don't look and it - it's over now." Turning back to Inadi, Ran noticed the young man's fists were still clenched. "Hey, Inadi, I think we should go back ... find the rest and warn them. I don't want them to see ... this." He said vaguely, not wishing to let the two girls start imagining the horrors that lay before them. It was bad enough that they had to hear all the screaming and crying earlier.

"Inadi ..." Ran paused as the sound of footsteps came from the front. The adult let go of Lelia and Riley so that he could turn round for a better look. His shocked eyes met Harper's and he opened his mouth. "Don't look," he yelled, but it was too late. By the way the boy's eyes began widened in horror, he knew that Harper had already caught a glimpse of the slaughter. With much reluctance, he pulled away from the girls after instructing them to keep their eyes closed. He strode over to the shocked boy and placed a firm hand on Harper's shoulder.

"Harper," Ran said in a voice thick with worry. "... are you ...?" He fumbled around for the right words, but the only thing that came to his mind was the same words he always whispered to his nieces and nephews whenever they were scared. Giving up, he chose to stick to what was familiar instead. "Harper," he repeated the boy's name. "Do you want a hug?"

 

[Capt. Blu]

​

[BCOLOR=transparent]Timey Wimey Confusion[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"See? I told you it was her. She even named her dog Colbat." Ace didn't bother commenting when Harper asked about normalcy. Since when was anything normal? Ace stood with the others to get a better view. Her gaze fell on each of the people that seemed remotely similar to ones they met in Nowhere. They all were so suspicious...And the tension in the air grew heavy. Even though it was just a memory, she could feel an unease growing. It was like watching a suspenseful movie. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Her hand rested on Colbat's head when he growled, only for it to quickly pull away when she saw the knife in Falkner's hand. "No way…" Her voice was soft and full of disbelief. She couldn't have been about to do what Ace thought. She couldn't have! Snapping back to reality, she realized Harper was struggling to help the girl. "It's a memory Harper. We can't do anything." Her voice was matter of fact, masking the horror of the inevitable. She cringed as Ise screamed. Each time, the knife seemed to get bloodier and bloodier. What was even worse was just how easily she had done it. Nothing in her eyes showed guilt or remorse. Her eyes showed just how heartless she was. The crazed look in her eye sent a cold chill down Ace's spine. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Guns were so much different from what she had seen. Guns were quick and to the point. The sound of it and then a person drop to the floor. This was much more personal. Falkner could watch as Ise's life escaped her. She could watch the terror and pain in Ise's last moments. It was terrifying. But as terrifying as it was, Ace watched the entire thing. She watched Falkner yell out in a crazed happiness. Her eyes never left the scene. Harper and Noe's conversation went unheard until the soldier's voice caught her attention. She looked in between Harper and the soldier before giving a nod. There was nothing she could say. There were no words of encouragement she could think of after seeing such horrible things take place. She couldn't tell them it would be okay, not when there were murders happening before them that they couldn't stop. The group just had to keep moving. There was nothing they could do but get the information they needed at this point. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Making their way to second class carriage, the first thing she heard was Ran's yells not to look. But Ace had already suspected the worst. She pushed past the frozen Harper and looked at the bodies. Twin sisters. The bunnies. She frowned, walking towards the horrific sight. Spotting the frog, Ace's eyes widened a bit. "No...no, no, no." There was only one kid she knew- Froggy. "Not you too…" The hyperactive kid was her first guide. They had fun getting lost together… He was just a kid! That didn't stop them from slicing a poor child's neck. She assumed his parents were the ones lying with bullet wounds next to him. These people were monsters. "Nova Aetis, Nova Aetis! What does that even mean!?" [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Her anger was growing. How could they have been right in front of the very murderers that caused all this!? They all were monsters and each of them needed to be punished. She paused, forgetting that she couldn't trip over the cat pawing at the unmoving body. Ace peeked, only for her heart to catch in her throat. "C-Cello?" The body looked calm, reminding her of the many times she had seen Cello. He was forever a calm and content person. The cello next to him was broken. By the looks of it, he managed to fight back with it- only to get stabbed in the chest. Ace started to reach for her favorite guide, only to pull away. She'd be just like the cat; trying to wake up someone she couldn't. It was a memory. All of this had already happened. There was nothing they could do. Ace's fists clenched and unclenched, and she let out a shaky sigh and looked at the group. "Come on. We have to follow the queen. We have to find the truth about this...The entire thing." There were no words of encouragement. No happy, hopefulness from her either. She figured at times like these, it was best to mimic Boss's firm and commanding tone. It was the only way she could think of in order to get them all moving and out of their frozen stupors.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]She couldn't breakdown now. They couldn't stop now. They had to finish what they started. [/BCOLOR]

 

[MixedUpGuy]

Inadi could only imagine the horror scene that played out in the train cars ahead of him as he felt his stomach sink to a new low as the masks were drawn and the knives continued to be used to cut and stab and stain the clothes and ground beneath all the people that stepped in the way of this Miss Falkner and her the other masked men that seemed to be as gleefully enjoying the slaughter as she did. Knowing he could do nothing but watch as barely a specter he saw every slash. Heard every cry and thud of the weightless bodies. Quelled every urge to vomit and scramble to try and prevent the terrible atrocity going on in front of him. But he knew that it was a memory. It already happened. And there was nothing he could do to fix that from changing.

The large man was what made his blood boil. Cuddles Baker. The same Mr. Cuddles no doubt from when he first arrived in Nowhere to see a large top hat wearing bear. Thinking about how he was basically being sold off by the bear and how badly he wanted to rip that bear apart after he found the newspaper clipping about him and the Hooded Figures going to him for whatever reason. A tear began streaking down his face as Ran's voice brought him back to reality. Shaking his head and gritting his teeth he kept his vision low to the ground and his voice hushed so to not scare the girls Ran was trying so hard to keep from seeing the terrible sight.

"I should have killed that bear the moment I suspected him," Inadi said as he looked back up at the masked man who continued chanting that horrid Latin, or at least what he only could assume was Latin. "I thought he was selling me off to the Hooded Figures once. Like a slave or a prisoner. I knew something was wrong with the whole thing and that he shouldn't have been as trusting as I made him out to be in my mind." Inadi said as his hands suddenly felt tighter and his knuckles grew even paler than they were when the killing first began.

Harper then needed attention after struggling to come to terms with what they all had to convince themselves to. They were helpless even though the stood only a few seconds away from the whole scene and had to watch the slaughter continue. He wanted to go to Harper and Ran to try and comfort the boy he had leaned on as the defacto leader of their group. He wanted to try and support Leila and Riley as they battled to come to grips with the whole thing. But all he did was stand still and let his glare take in more of the horrible moment before them.

He had watched Leon die, Lesley become crippled and lose his arm. Avian sacrifice himself for the betterment of the Humans and others throw away their chance at a happy life just to get them all home. And now this. Children. Women. Men. All innocent. All butchered like animals. The knowledge that this was even his reality now made his next decision not only reasonable, but the only logical one he could take.

"We find the Queen and we end this stupid nightmare once and for all. But if we get the chance and the bear ends up right next to us you leave that one for me," He said to the room and no one in particular. His rage had built up to the point that he could care less if others could hear him. He just needed to hear himself for a while. "The bear was the first one that blinded me. And I intend to get myself a new rug for my house. Hopefully I can freeze the same terrified look on his face as the victims he took on this night," Inadi said as he looked up at Harper and Ran in front of him. "Poetic justice and all that." He scoffed out as he began looking for the Queen and trying to find out where she had run off to and began following Harper as he went through to the second carriage.

 

[four]

Leila staggered pointlessly in little circles on the pavement, eyes cast towards everything of the streets around them - the stone buildings, wooden signs with carved lettering, old walls marked by smoke stains.

"If this is the past, we must be very careful," Leila said, to no-one in particular, in a tone of sincere concern while her brain wrestled the thoughts of how this can be possible, none of them satisfactory. "we may -"

Then she realized that she had staggered through the gentleman that she had failed to avoid bumping into.

"Everyone looks straight through us, that, or they do not look at all. We don't belong in this memory."

__________

"wh-?"

Failing to register for a moment that she had been pulled into an embrace and had her eyes covered, Leila let out several muffled sounds

"what - what just happened?"

She spun around on the spot inside the cabin. She noticed how her companions in the memory of the train cabin were all severely startled, but the atmosphere inside the train was, at that moment, eerily silent. No-one answered, and for one moment Leila questioned her own memory of hearing the screams of a child moments ago.

"Ran," she said, turning around again to face the adult, "what just -"

And then behind her there were gunshots.

She knew of gunfire, but never had she anticipated them to be as loud as they were heard at that moment. The cannons fired from the Star Fisher, the dragon roars atop the mountain, and the drumming in her head at the Stone of Sacrifice - this was just small batches of powder being ignited at the end of a barrel, but it felt like all of that, all at once.

"It's okay. Just don't look -"

Leila could not tell what was worse - having her eyes covered and allowing her imagination to fill in the blanks with images that matched the dreadfulness of what she had heard, or finally finding out whether her imagination had overstated reality. She could not tell even after Ran lifted his arms, with her realizing then that his warnings for her to keep her eyes closed had not registered.

When the gunshots died so did every other sound inside the cabin, except for the chants of two words in Latin that called for a new world but signified only an attempt to disturb the one that already was there.

Never before had she come across the thought that the amnesia induced by her stay in Nowhere could perhaps be helpful, for she could have not been able to place the names - these were strangers in a memory from a long time ago, she did not know them - but she recognized each and every one of them, and she cared about every one of them.

And that caring about them was a frustrating combination of consternation, sadness, and infuriation.

"- it - it's over now."

"-what's over?"

She asked, but by this point she didn't know anymore whether it was that she expected or answer, or if she only wanted expecting an answer as something to do other than processing what had just happened in front of her.

She felt herself shaking a little when she pushed herself away from the small group of humans. Her eyes met those of the soldier she met at the City of Cogs and Gears - but the student looked through her before turning away and carrying on mumbling his chants.

"When and where is this - whose memory is this?"

She dug her trembling fingers into her layers of messy hair. They were in a chamber, but Leila heard her own voice eerily devoid of echo.

"What is this?"

 

[Fox of Spades]

Collab between @Dear Karma and Fox of Spades

Memory of the Train: 2nd Class Carriage

"Shhhh... we're all here. A little rattled but safe," Ran reassured the shocked boy in his arms. What was he to say? Harper was older than his oldest nephew so it didn't feel right treating the boy like a small child. Ran decided to keep quiet for now and pulled the teen into a tighter hug. "Let me know when you're ready to go," he told the boy.

Harper stood frozen, his shaking hand clenched tightly around the hilt of his sword. Had it not been for Ran's warm embrace, he would have remained there, eyes glassy and mind numb to everything around him. "Ace is right," he whispered into the grownup's shoulder. There was no time to mourn the loss of several lives and no time to question the crazed chants that reverberated throughout the cramped train.

If they didn't go now, this memory would end and they wouldn't be one step closer to home. The first class carriage was where they needed to be, even in his foggy state, Harper understood that. He allowed himself to feel safe in Ran's embrace for a moment before pulling away with a steely expression. On wobbly knees, Harper made his way towards the door leading into the first class carriage.

After the carnage they had witnessed, no words of comfort would suffice.

Riley, whose glassy eyes were focused on the back of Harper's head, nodded numbly. Ran had shielded them from the worst of it, but those screams... a lifetime wouldn't be able to erase them. "We... we should go." Leila's questions went unanswered for it was all Riley could say. She walked past Ran and reached out for Leila's arm. The girl wanted to comfort her friend, she really did, but the words died in her throat and the only thing she could do was guide her equally horrified friend towards the door leading them towards the front of the train where the first class carriage was located.

As she walked onward, Riley heard bits and pieces of Inadi's enraged mumbling and she felt tears sting the corner of her eyes. The humans from the memory resembled many of their friends and she didn't quite know what to make of any of it. With her free hand, Riley wiped away at the tears and soldiered on. The Clockwork soldier, C, and the truth were waiting for them. "I'm sorry, Inadi... we have to go."

They could pick up the pieces later on.

Ran clapped a hand on Inadi's shoulder. "Come," he said firmly. "We still need to figure out how the train became what it is." He wasn't sure that was the actual purpose of the memory, but he remembered Inadi saying something like that earlier. It made sense in a weird way now that he thought about it. After all, the girl, Edith, looked too eerily similar to Queen Delirium not to be connected. Not to mention that a great number of Nobodies shared similar names to those who died aboard this ill-fated train. Ran gave Inadi's shoulder another squeeze.

"Edith," he paused to fish for the right word. "I can't remember who ... but someone mentioned that the Nobodies were imaginary friends. It's freaky, but what if .... if Queen Delirium created a number of them. These first Nobodies aren't related to their human counterparts and..." This thought made a chill run down his spine. If those Nobodies were named after dead people, does that mean that the Queen was alive....? Dead? Ran shook his adamently, but he couldn't shake the feeling the Queen was dead too. No, he couldn't, or rather didn't, believe that. He needed to see this for himself. "Hurry up," he cried. "Something bad's going to happen. I can feel it."

Having lived in Thailand for most of his childhood, Ran believed spirits and demons existed, so the thought that an evil spirit ruling over an imaginary realm was believable but he didn't want to. It was too horrifying. He swallowed, as he barrelled towards the end of the first class carriage. Maybe that's how they could end this? They were supposed to figure out what made her unhappy and finally put her to rest for good.

"Eh ... hurry up?" Ran was about to reach the door when he noticed the rest were missing. He jogged on the spot and turned around. His eyes widened a fraction, as his steps faltered then stopped altogether. "Gosh..."

The first class carriage was empty. Not a single body nor blood stain could be seen. More disturbingly, the entire scene, save the Lost Souls, was like a clip from some black and white silent movie with the far end of the drab corridor fading into white. Nothingness. Ran shuddered. "Is someone trying to tell us that there are no more memories here?" Ran asked no one in general. "This reminds me of the greywashed world from ... Cora... Coraline? Yeah, the world was disintegrating when she found ... yeah."

He took a deep breath then dashed forward to grab Lelia by the hand. "I don't want to be here if anything else happens." He swallowed again, as he pulled the girl forward. "Let's go find the Queen."

It appeared that they couldn't return to the second class carriage, so the humans hesitantly walked into the door leading them toward the cab of the steam engine. The only thing blocking their way now was the mountain of coal sitting in the tender.

---

Memories of the Train: The Place It All Began

"Noe!" Ran yelled between gasps. The man slide down the other side of the coal heap and came to a stop slightly behind Noe, Clockwork and C. He doubled over with one hand pressing against his side. As his mind cleared with each gasp, Ran sighed. Fighting his way up the cascading slop of black had proved how unfit he was compared to someone like Ace. He really hoped this was the end of all the excessive physical activity for now.

Standing up straight, he noticed Noe, Clockwork and C were too engrossed with something to really acknowledge the rest of the Lost Souls who were now standing beside him. They continued staring with their backs towards them.

"What are you ... where's the queen?" The latter question was the one he really wanted to know, but his mind was so frazzled that everything tumbled out when he opened his mouth. He took another shuddering gasp. "Where's she?"

Noe turned around and shook her head. By the way she was biting her lower lip till it turned white, Ran knew she was too distraught to speak. He braced himself and pushed pass the girl to get a better look.

Standing beside Noe were an equally horrified C and the clockwork soldier. The latter had look of disgust plastered to his face, and for a being who could control time, he looked horribly, horribly lost and helpless. "Where it all began..." the soldier wheezed, knowing no matter what he did, the outcome would always be the same.

He could turn back time, yes, but he could not alter memories. "Nothing you can do," he whispered as Ran pushed past them.

The scene made his stomach churn. Two men, the drivers that kept the train chugging, laid dead. Jean stood in the center covered head to toe in blood. A stained knife was clutched firmly in his right hand.

"Edith," he spoke sternly. "We have less than seven minutes till midnight." As Jean took a step closer towards the sobbing Edith, the girl backed away. Unknowingly, she stepped into one of the many crimson puddles and she slipped. Jean stopped right in front of her. "Edith, don't you love me?"

Edith stared at him with frightened eyes. Her current position placed her at a great disadvantage and she began to shake. More tears sprang to her eyes, as she covered her face with blood stained hands. Dull red streaks remained on her deadly white skin as her hands slipped downwards.

"Don't you remember wanting to be part of a new era? A better world. A place where everyone is friends. A place where we could be together." Jean's gentle voice did little to soften the ugly glower marring his handsome face. "You told me you wanted this."

"I .. I," Edith stammered. "I don't know." She allowed her eyes to fall to the ground. Slowly, she shook her head. "These people are innocent. They don't deserve this." She pressed her lips together as tears streaked down her cheeks, turning redder and redder as they reached her chin. "There has to be another way. There has to!"

More heartbroken sobs escaped her lips and Edith buried her face in her hands again. Nothing justified the killing of children and the elderly. Nothing, not even the promise of a wish. She sniffled, wiping a mix of tears and snot on the back of her sleeve before staring up at the man she had loved and admired with red-rimmed, puffy eyes. Her idol who was slowly turning into yet another disappointment in her life. "Please... we can stop this." She faltered a bit more. "We don't even know whether the wish demon will come or if it exists."

"Stop? Then what?" Jean demanded coldly. "If we fail, we are no better than insane mass murderers who are condemned to hang. We are, Edith dear, far too deep to back down now. We shall go through with the summoning even if it kills us." Seeing Edith clutching his pants, Jean gave her a hard kick in the chest that caused her to end up a gasping mess on the ground. "I don't have time for you, woman. Let go so I can fulfil my destiny."

The happy twinkle Edith always saw in Jean's eyes were gone, and in its place was nothing but guilt and disappointment. "Please, Mr. Morrowind," she begged. Each of them wanted something, yes, but was it worth all this? As much as she wanted to see her parents again... this wasn't right in the slightest. "We... we can try something else. I miss mom and dad, but I can't do this. I just can't."

A humorless chuckle left the gentleman's throat. Was she really this naive? Here they were, standing on the precipice of greatness, and she wanted to throw it all away? Their hardwork, the years of sacrifice... it was stupid, unforgivable, but also expected of her.

"Your faith had always been shaky, dear." There was a hint of gentleness in his voice and it sparked a bit of hope in Edith. "I always found your kindness fascinating, you know?" Jean commented fondly. "Perhaps it's why I asked you to join us even, and you love me, don't you, dear?"

Through teary eyes Edith nodded her head numbly.

Jean's eyes twinkled as a kind smile stretched across his face. "Splendid, it's just a shame I never really loved you back." He relished the broken look on her face and the terror that crept into her eyes when he pulled a silver revolver from one of his coat's pockets. "Perhaps, our paths will cross again in another lifetime." He aimed the gun at her chest. "A brand new age has no need for courage. Our faith is all we have, and if yours is a shaky one then there is no room for you here, Edith."

"Mr. Morrowind," the girl was blubbering. Please--"

A gunshot echoed throughout the train as a red patch began spreading across Edith's chest. She spent a split second gaping at the man she had given her heart to before falling onto her side like the other two unmoving bodies within the room.

Harper stared numbly at the scene before them. If this was the truth... then how would it save them?

 

[Capt. Blu]

[BCOLOR=transparent]

[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Murder Train[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ace headed into the carriage first. She had to wait a few moments for everyone else to file in, however she was fully prepared to drag them along too. They couldn't stop now. They had to keep moving. She wasn't trying to be cold hearted about everyone's fear, in fact she was far from it. She was as terrified as they were. And because of it, she kept moving. When they all got to the first class carriage, the redhead looked around. There were no bodies, there was no blood, everything looked relatively clean. And somehow, that was much more terrifying. It was like the fear of the unknown or the fear of what was to come.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Of course, Ace didn't think of the empty carriage that way. She only thought of it as an unnerving, waiting for something or someone to show up and ruin the eerie silence with chaos. It didn't help that once they got to the carriage, they couldn't go back to the last one. It was as if they were trapped and forced to watch whatever was about to happen next. Moving forward, Ace climbed the pile of coal with ease, pulling Leila and Harper along with her. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"What's going on?" [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ace was almost afraid to ask. The answer could have been another mass murder- something she wasn't prepared to witness again. And yet there she was, pushing to the front of the crowd to see the drivers laying dead. All that were left had been Morningwood and Edith. However, the latter was in a fit of tears and confusion. That wasn't right though… Wasn't she evil too? This was nowhere close to being an accident. Wait, why was the Amiel person being cruel to Edith? Wasn't she the one behind all this? Question after question whirled through her head as the scene played out. Amongst the Lost Souls, there was a deafening silence as they waited for the scene to end. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ace felt as if she was holding her breath the entire time, up until Edith- Queen D was shot and killed as well. "...Wh-" SHe started but couldn't finish. What do we do now? The looks of horror and shock weren't going to help in this situation. No one was sure what to do now. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"So Queen is innocent…" Ace started, breaking the silence between them. "She's just another pawn in this? And that guy is the real enemy? What do we even do with all this?!" She took her hat off and ran fingers through her hair. Ace wasn't cut out for things like this. She was a heavy lifter, she was a straightforward kind of chick. If anything, she was just the tank of the group! This was way beyond her. She couldn't even come up with an idea- not even a completely bad one![/BCOLOR]

 

[MixedUpGuy]

Inadi let his anger stew as the others began their trek to follow down the rest of the train. Riley's call to him may as well have been a whisper from a thousand miles away as he was too lost in his own mind to hear those around him and their difficulty in absorbing the whole ordeal they had just been forced into. This vision, the memory. The nightmare more like. This much blood and death. Was this really what gave birth to Nowhere? All Inadi could think of is the great empires of some of the world's greatest conquerors. Alexander the Great. Genghis Khan. Xerxes. The emperors of Rome. Each had created and controlled unthinkable amounts of land. The Queen made her own. Yet just like those emperors, the same ingredients were needed to make it so. Blood and death.

Ran's grip on his shoulder finally took him out of his daze and brought his focus back to the task at hand. The train was the key to the whole thing. It was what brought them there. It was what brought the Queen there. But what about it made the train so special that it did all this? It was still a human train after all. And Nowhere wasn't a real place. A child's fantasy come to fruition was more accurate to some degree. But the train was the only thing that connected them, the humans, to the Queen herself. Surely there had to be answers somewhere further down the memory.

Later Ran mentioned that the Nobodies were imaginary friends, and that perhaps they weren't similar to the human forms. Somehow Inadi doubted that. Perhaps at this point he had just grown so tired of being let down by optimistic thoughts that it finally broke his positive thinking. With this place, it was better to just assume the worst and be wrong than to give someone or something the benefit of the doubt and end up paying for it. Patting his friend's hand away he gave him a quick nod. "Perhaps, but I'm not willing to stake my ticket home on that." He said as he began following the rest of the group further down the way.

He stood nearby Ace as he watched the scene between Amiel and the Queen play out. Her confusion was mirrored in his face as well. Suddenly it seemed as if the Queen didn't have the stomach to handle the whole scenario. And what was all this nonsense about some god? Or was it a demon that she had mentioned. Was this all some ploy of some fanatical cult or something? Was Nowhere really just an end result of a ritual killing that needed so many lives to accomplish? None of that made sense, but quickly those questions seemed to matter little as yet another life was taken before them.

Now the Queen suddenly lay dead. And Morrowind seemed content in continuing on with the ride on the train. But as the feeling of despair wallowed in the pit of his stomach, Inadi continued to ask why the killings even happened and how they connected to the train? Was it necessary for death of some sort to summon the train now after it was made? If so, why did it come for them in their world and picked up the humans it had. Was it controlled now by Morrowind or the Queen? And the man now toying with the machine's working parts seemed ever so pleased with himself. He had mocked Edith about meeting her in the next life, but if they had does that mean that he controls the Queen perhaps? She seemed more than against this whole plan in retrospect. Turning to Ace he shook his head as he looked her dead in the eyes.

"There's too many questions and not enough bread crumbs to crawl towards an answer. Everything seems a little more foggy now with this information," Inadi said as he looked back and forth between the group and the memory around them. Perhaps Morrowind would be a better place to start in Nowhere, as the Queen now seemed like a dead end in regards to understanding her entire deal. Looking towards where Harper stood he figured it was a better idea to ask the group rather than keep his more obvious questions to himself. "Does anyone seem to recall the last time we ran into Amiel? I seem to be drawing a blank myself. Perhaps he knows more about this memory than any of the other Nobodies that are connected to this scene." Inadi suggested as he continued to ponder. Perhaps he thought he was onto something. More likely he was simply trying to ignore the other murder that took place in front of them just moments ago. Either way, the smell of fresh blood now seemed slightly more in the distance.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Ran felt a heavy heat building up in his chest, as his eyes fell on the gasping Edith. Each breath she took could very well be her last and her companion didn't even seem to care. Ran clenched his fist tighter, digging into the violent emotions that plagued his early youth. Forgetting that this was just a memory, Ran swore loudly in a mix of Thai and Japanese as he attempted to tackle that Morrowind celery-licking brussel sprout. Really, he was dying to smash the guy's jaw then gouge out his eyes.

As violent as that sounded, the act of simply rearranging the guy's face was nothing compared to the ferocity of the hate and resentment coursing through him. This punk streak in him (aside from his bad grades) had been the very reason his parents decided to send him away for his own good. It was a smart move on their part, because it turned into that quiet, pessimistic middle-aged man stooped at the shoulders by age and burgeoning responsibilities. But now, compared to the dead-eyed man who stepped out of the train, Ran's eyes were positively shining, as they glowed with the flames of his youth.

With a might roar, Ran leaped forward to tackle Jean. As he threw out his hands in anticipation, a nagging thought called out to him, warning of something. Shock flashed in his eyes as he realized a little too late that he couldn't harm this specter from long ago. Ran tried pulling back, but his current momentum sent him pitching injured side first onto solid ground. He felt his temple smack down shortly after followed by his cheek kissing the marble cold floor. Ran's mind blanked as he felt his nerves going into overdrive. Slowly, as pain began registering in his brain, the man curled up and gripped his bruised right side with his left hand. His right arm stretched uselessly somewhere under his head.

"Fresh garlic and chopped chili," he swore through gritted teeth. "I –"Ran's mind blanked at that exact moment when a fresh wave of adrenaline was pumped into his body. Despite the temporary relief from his paralyzing pain, Ran found himself unable speak. He was, for the first time in his life, afraid.

Like in some nightmare world that rivals Ito Junji's, all of Jean's handsome features began spiraling rapidly inwards towards the black hole where his nose should have been, leaving a pale, featureless oval reminiscent of Slender Man. He gulped and he looked at the drivers' bodies through the gap between Morrowind's legs. Their faces had been wiped clean too. He didn't have to see the rest to guess they probably felt just as horrified as he did.

If Morrowind was the one behind this memory, why was he fading away like the rest of the scene? By now everyone else was looking around in utter confusion, as the drivers' bodies and Morrowind's proud form turned into smoke and cinders which swirled pass them and faded away into the growing white nothingness. Even the poor Clockwork soldier looked just as afraid, because the memory was so unlike any he had ever seen since he came to be. This one, he admitted quietly in his heart, was truly sinister.

Soon the colors began melting from the rest of the scenery to reveal the drab greyness underneath. The drips melded into one another before evaporating into colorful smoke. These wisps lingered about for a bit before they too were sucked away into the nothingness that was less an arm's length away from those further behind. The Lost Souls looked around in confusion before slowly turning back to Edith, who was the oasis of color in this monochrome world.

Tick … ba-dum … tick … ba-dum …. ba-dum …..tick…..

Ran, who had just picked himself up, froze. He listened carefully again. Yes, he really wasn't imagining it. There appeared to be a clock nearby and its faint ticking interspersed the silence following each of Edith's sluggish heartbeat. He swallowed, turning to the rest as he wondered if they heard it too. It was there, just not that audible if you focused on Edith's broken sobs.

"It's almost midnight," a soothing voice whispered from behind Harper. The voice was so alluring the boy turned around expecting to see a kindly man much like his father or grandfather, but instead, the boy stared into red, lidless eyes. Bunny eyes.

You've Been Warned

 

[Fox of Spades]

Collab by @Dear Karma and Fox of Spades

A frightened yell echoed throughout the room, but the bloodied bunny man slipped past Harper.

Harper swayed dangerously and Clockwork and Riley rushed over to steady him. Their eyes, though, remained fixed on the bizarre creature - a human whose head had been replaced with that of a huge cartoon-y rabbit head. Riley bit her lip nervously. The patchy fake fur covering the bulbous head sewn to the neck with crude black stitches reminded her of those creepy animal suits people wore in kids' shows.

"Celery ... us," Clockwork squeaked. "It is nothing like what is from the dark side. Nothing .... even the witches shall quake before it."

The entity turned around briefly, making Riley suck in her breath sharply. Crushed in her arms, Harper did the same. Those glowly eyes made them feel completely naked in the baleful gaze. The rest of its bunny features seemed to be a melty blob. No mouth, no nose... nothing. Just a blank mask with red eyes and framed by tattered droopy bunny ears. Both teens found themselves wondering whether the thing saw them for the eyes seemed to linger a little too long on each Lost Soul in turn before its red eyes focused solely on Edith's prone form.

Let it consume you...your fears, your desires, your hatred.
What do you wish for, mortal? Speak and you shall be heard. ​

The voice was dull hum inside her head, distorted but oddly comforting. Edith's glassy eyes flitted to the bunny-headed apparition that towered over her, but she was no longer afraid. In a way, its presence was soothing and the shadow it cast over her made her eyes grow heavy with sleep. If she closed her eyes, there would be no more blood or hardships, just darkness... eternal sleep.

Surely, you aren't giving up now, mortal?
​

The same voice echoed in her head, and a spark appeared in eyes that had long grown dim.
​

You have a wish, don't you? A wish you would die for...
​

Edith searched her mind for answers, but it was getting so difficult to concentrate on anything other than her heavy eyelids and the way each breath sent a wave of pain all throughout her chest. Breathing and staying awake were starting to become a chore and thinking clearly was almost impossible 'I don't remember,' she said to the honey-sweet voice inside her head.

For something so terrifying, he sounded soothing. The spirit was glass of cold water on a summer's day, a human whispering words of comfort to a dying pet. The bunny-headed apparition mentioned her mother, her father, and her little sister and a sense of purpose filled the dying girl.

She had done this all for them.

The cult...

The demon...

Edith wanted nothing more than to see them again. To braid her sister's hair and to tell her mother and father that she loved them. Can I go back?

The demon stood still, its eyes focused on nothing at all.
​

No, you cannot.
​

She tried to reach for her chest, but her body would not cooperate. A strangled sob left Edith's pale lips, but she couldn't even cry anymore and it was more a faint whimper than anything else. In her last few moments, an all-consuming hatred for Jean Morrowind filled her. She had trusted him, had given him her secrets and her heart. If she could not get her wish, could not see her family ever again... then he was going down with her.
​

He deserves it.
​

The fact that it could hear her thoughts did not unnerve her in the slightest. Edith clenched her bloodied hands into fists so tightly that her already pale knuckles turned even whiter. All her life, she had been powerless, defined by her social class and the decisions that everyone made for her. This was her chance to make a choice that mattered. And with one wish she could turn his life around.

It was power, and it felt utterly liberating. Make him pay.
​

Your wish is my command.
​

Dull thumps echoed throughout the engine room as another scene play out before them. Before the bunny-headed apparition, was Amiel, bloodied but proud of his handiwork and even prouder still to see that the summoning had been a success.
​

"My, my, someone's fashionably late." There was crazed glint in the gentleman's eyes, and he spoke rapidly, like a child that had had one too many candy bars. "I hope it pleased you, my lord." Jean got down on one knee, a knight before his liege lord. "If it pleases you, your humble servant has but one request."

The demon took a step forward, but it didn't say a word.

The following moments were hazy, Edith heard several thumps, a curse and at one point Jean... powerful, dignified Jean begging for his life. The sounds drifted in one ear and out the other as the world around her began to dissolve into hazy patches of light and dark. There was the sound of a body crumpling to the ground followed by the screaming of wheels going off the tracks.
​

As Edith closed her eyes for the final time, she felt her body free falling. Distant screams from the passengers still safe from the mass murderers was the crashing finale to death's symphony. More pain .... then a wet cocoon ... a bubbly gasp ... then nothing ...

The horrified Lost Souls found themselves standing on the surface of the river the train disappeared into after it plunged from the bridge. Bits of cracked ice drifted away, showing them just have fast the waters ran beneath the once solid surface.

"G-guys ...." Ran called. "Get off the river now!"

Before the group could get their stiff limbs to move, the waters bubbled beneath their feet as a harsh glare blinded them. A train whistle sounded twice. That was all they needed to get the blood flowing again as they dashed towards the banks.

"Look, it's the train?" Someone whispered.

Following the finger pointing into the sky, the hoomans stared at the train, still dripping wet, climbing skyward at a steady clip. From the windows, they could see shadowy figures they could only assumed to be the first Nobodies. The imaginary friends that came into existence once the pact has been sealed.

"It's ending," the Clockwork soldier said. "I hope ..."

The poor Nobody had every reason to be doubtful because the blurring colors didn't fade away. The pastel hues deepened slowly before rearranging themselves to form a new scene - the true finale!

---

Midnight Train to Nowhere
​

​

"Where... where am I?" Edith's eyelids fluttered open and she found herself in a plush carriage devoid of life. There was only her (slumped in one of the many seats), and the bunny man who was standing motionless in the center of the aisle.
​

Every wish comes with a price.
​

She eyed the apparition once more before her eyes flitted towards the window. Outside was an abundance of stars and constellations, and while it was the most beautiful thing Edith had seen in her life, it filled her with a sickening sense of dread and a longing for a place called home. She watched as a shooting star shot past, leaving a white, hot trail of fire in its wake.

There were flying whales and ships that sailed through the skies instead of the seas but she was filled with only emptiness.
​

You wanted power, did you not? Mortal, you will be the queen...
the queen of nobodies, of nowhere, of nothing.
​

She rested her forehead against the cool glass and willed back the tears that had sprung into her eyes.
​

Do not cry. We will play a game, and maybe one day you will come to enjoy it, to find comfort in the familiarity. Once a year, you will have the chance to return home.
​

Edith watched as the bunny-headed apparition lifted a clock.
​

You will summon others just like you into this strange world, and you will lead them on a treasure hunt. Gather all the items to create the key to wind up the Last Clock. Only when the rewinding clock runs forward can you escape.​

"That's all? A treasure hunt...?" Edith shrieked before dissolving into a teary hysterical laugh. "A treasure hunt.... a stupid treasure hunt. That's a child's game."

Oh no no no. Not a child's game but a game of chess. Your wits against mine. ​

"What do you mean?" She asked, falling quiet as suddenly as she started laughing earlier.

Well, my silly dear, you cannot leave the castle without my permission. You, like a chess master, must send your pawns out there and pray they are smart enough to reach your goal. ​

Edith's pallor returned and she bit down on her lip then released it to speak again. "What if we lose?"

Their delicious souls are mine for keeps. A perfect treat for the deserving victor, don't you agree? ​

By the way the demon sounded, Edith imagined it to be smiling if it had a mouth. Edith shook her head, she didn't want to be a part of its twisted game, but there was nothing she could do. The demon vanished into a puff of black wisps and Edith's eyes shone red. She was to be her pet, and he would be with her every step of the way.

Delicious souls .... delicious souls ...​

Movement seized up and those ominous words looped continuously like some broken record. Suddenly, a glass-shattering shriek rang out and it left the Lost Souls deaf for a moment. Large red eyes opened before them and then it fluttered close.

---

Back in the Tower

With that the memory ended in a whirlwind of colors and sound and the group found themselves rousing from where they lay on the cold marble floor. Mica and Howl's shadows shaded them from the glare of the gentle light coming from the painted stars winking from the domed ceiling above.

"Do you think?" Ran hugged himself before crawling over to pull Riley in a reassuring hug. "Do you think it knew we saw that ... memory?"

​

​

 

[Capt. Blu]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Who knows what's real anymore. . .[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ace could only stare in disbelief. The Queen was dying, the Ameil guy who escorted her, Riley and Lesley around had been evil! She remembered once, way before, when they had met the girl in the lake that she rambled on about plenty of conspiracies. 'We can't trust the Guides! We probably shouldn't trust the Nobodies! That mayor Tuna guy seems pretty suspicious…' [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Who knew some of those would have been true?[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]She remembered the old weary mansion they went into, searching for clues and answers. She could remember the splattered message on the wall written in what looked like dried blood. She even remembered the pieces and parts of bunnies sprawled around and abandoned as they were being sewn together. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The soulless eyes of the dead ghost fish haunted her memories too. They had nearly lost people then. Riley and Jasper had been turned into zombies. Just what would have happened if they couldn't stop it? If they couldn't save them? [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]If anything, she cursed her memory now. At this very moment, everything seemed to run through her brain- everything except home. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ace remembered the witch they fought, right before losing two friends and even cracking the bonds of friendship and camaraderie with the other Nobodies. They literally were sacrificing themselves for a bunch of humans, but why? Even though she tried forgetting, she would always remember the witch reminding her: 'You can't save them all. You can't save any of them.' Was. . .Was the witch right?[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ace broke her gaze with the girl that laid dying and hesitantly looked at each of them in the memory. They all practically shared the same fear-ridden expressions. No one knew what to do or who to go to. This wasn't what they had signed up for. All of them just wanted to go home- or anything close to it.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]She began to take a few steps closer to Riley, her partner in crime, her other half to the dynamic duo, but the sudden voice that pierced through the silence made all of them turn around. What none of them expected was the...dead bunny. Ace felt the cold chill go up and down her spine like a shockwave. She had instinctively grabbed onto Riley's arm since she was the closest thing to Ace. However, she quickly let go reminding herself not to be afraid. "It's just a memory. Just a memory. Just a memory." [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Her chanting was soft and yet still loud enough to be heard by the others. She was trying to remind them and herself that everything that was happening had already happened and they couldn't stop it. Instead, they had to watch it all before their very eyes. Ace reluctantly watched the- creature. She refused to call that thing a bunny. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she found Noe had drifted closer to her and out of panic, clutched her sleeve. Ace took a heavy breath, afraid to make a sound, and hugged Noe. The Nobody was terrified and Ace couldn't blame her. So, she did her best to try and keep her calm. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]It was definitely hard to keep someone else calm when she was trying her hardest to keep from freaking out too especially after the eerily long time it seemed to stare at them. "It's just a memory...just a memory…" She mumbled and continued rubbing Noe's shoulder. The demon thing talked, more trying to calm Edith. He tried coaxing her on to make a wish, but she was gasping for breath way too much. Ace didn't realize all of this had been through some mental connection as Edith made her wish to take Amiel down with her. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]They didn't move in time, there was no where they could run either and at the last minute, the scene changed once more. "When does it end…" Ace had released Noe from her grasp after the scene had changed once again. Now next to C and Cobalt, the latter who had been growling at the summoned monster that stared them down. C was the quietest one of them all. Her gaze was intense. Her usual blank expression had become more concentrated as she found out the truth as to why she was trapped here. She was still holding tight to the few memories she did have, but if they didn't do something soon, she feared it'd be too late. Too late for her, Luke, Sacha, Gar… She didn't want to turn into a bunny guard. She didn't want to die. She may not have shown it, but the fear was in her eyes. There was little comforting words would do, so Ace simply rested a hand on her shoulder for a few seconds. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The memory played on and this time Ace listened rather than watched. She focused more on everyone else who had more than likely been scarred by all that was happening. "Leila, stay with us okay?" It was hard to read Leila's expressions and emotions and Ace was worried enough to believe that the girl could have actually broken down- something similar to a computer crashing, or something even worse. When she finally earned a strained and soft as ever "okay" from her Ace nodded and gently squeezed her hand. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The whirl of colors was a mix of reassuring and unpleasant. She was hoping for it all to finally be over, however she dreaded seeing another memory. No, but this time- this time it was finally over. This time Mica and Howl were over them. There were several soft sighs of relief, only to be silenced by Ran's unnerving question. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]No one answered, all too afraid of the possibilities. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ace stood, helping Leila and Noe off the ground. Instead of answering, she looked at the soldier. "We need that clock." He couldn't possibly take it from them now, not after what they had just witnessed. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Fire girl is right...I-..I want to go home."[/BCOLOR]

 

[Fox of Spades]

Collab by @Capt. Blu @Fox of Spades @Dear Karma

The clockwork soldier didn't say no. How could he, after all they had seen? The beginning of Nowhere, the slaughter on the train, and the creepy bunny demon had unnerved him almost as much as it had unnerved the humans. This was something he had no knowledge of, and the sudden realization made him feel as if he had been lied to ever since the beginning.

A shaky hand held out the last clock he had taken from Harper back on the memory train. There was still a sliver of doubt in his heart, but he was certain that if he didn't give it to them, they would die. And he would not be able to carry on with that on his conscience. "Take it," he sounded like a child who had broken his favorite toy. "Please take it and make things right. I don't need it anymore, it's such a treacherous thing." He waited for someone to take the last clock from him, hoping they would do it before he changed his mind. "Please."

Ace watched patiently, knowing just how traumatized everyone. Even the soldier himself looked torn and confused. Leila and Noe were silent as ever, still trying to process everything that was happening. A stone-faced Riley reached out with equally shaky hands to take the clock from him, and she gave the soldier a nod of the head. "We'll... we'll try our best." With everyone breaking down, she tried to be stronger but her voice cracked and it took a moment to compose herself. With the clock in hand she mustered up a grin, a weary one, but a grin nonetheless.

"It's about time we get home."

"Right you are, Rils." Ran said encouraging as he laced his fingers round C's trembling ones. Caitlyn tightened her hold and he winced slightly before he shepherd her towards the rest. "We are still missing the key to wind the Rewinding Clock." He suspected the demonic rabbit would do what it could to break its promise to the queen, but for now he preferred to savor their small victory.

"The key ...." Noe spoke up, but her voice was no louder than a whispering breeze. "We have every item on the list. And oh," she gasped. "We might need an incantation."

The clockwork soldier tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I haven't encountered a spell or incantation that baffled me," the Nobody spoke with some pride.

"You mean?" Noe asked, suddenly feeling a lot more hopeful that they were about to get a new ally. She blushed and flapped her arms about as her words failed her.

This made the clockwork soldier flash her a smile before his face returned to its solemn mask. "Yes, I -" He broke off a turned in the direction of the soft chuckle. The boy he had given the clock to early was now laughing despite his tears. How interesting.

A teary-eyed Harper chuckled softly at the stupid pun. Somethings didn't changed. "Yeah, we'll get home." He wiped away at the tears with his sleeves and stood with just a bit more confidence. "All of us, together." His eyes flitted to the clockwork soldier who was figeting nervously between Howl and Mica. "Thank you--"

"I was thinking," he didn't wait for Harper to finish and he kept his eyes focused on the checkered tiles beneath his feet. "Howl, Mica, and I... we want to help you. To make things right again."

"Then you should come with us." Riley extended the invitation without thinking twice and paused to look at her friends. "I mean... it's fine, right?"

Ran, who had been whispering words of encouragement to Caitlyn, reared up his head. He studied the Clockwork Soldier thoughtfully. His intent gaze made Howl and Mica take a step forward only to be asked to stop. Ran nodded finally, a smile brought cheer back into his face. "More allies would be great and these three have proven themselves."

His words were met with nods from those around him and Cobalt let off several delighted roars. The black dragon began running round the Golems' feet like an overexcited puppy. Colby's action elicited chuckles from a few Lost Souls, save Lelia and Inadi. The latter remained awfully quiet. Seeing their bespectacled friend looking unhappy, Lelia hunched over and stared at her feet, as she shuffled towards him.

"In ... nadi?" She squeaked, preparing to dart towards Ace should the older Lost Soul snap at her. She never got an answer from him, just a blank expression. Leila tried to say something else, but her voice was lost. Instead, she hesitantly touched his shoulder in an attempt of reassurance before gravitating back towards the others.

No one protested. Inadi scowled a little at the thought, since they couldn't exactly go around trusting everyone, but if the soldier was willing to hand them the clock without much of a fight then he was an okay guy in Inadi's book. "We need all the help we can get." Was all he added in.

"What better help than the time keeper himself?" She smiled and looked around the room. "Well, we can't stand here thinking about the 'what ifs'. Like Harper and Riley said, it's time to go home." There was a new determination in the girl. She was hellbent on getting home. There was no 'die trying' in her mind. "Say, how fast can those boulders of yours move Soldier? Walking all the way back may take a long time after all."

"They don't seem like much, but their height gives them an advantage," his voice trailed off when he saw the skeptical looks on Inadi's face in particular. "You'll see."

On cue, the lift dinged and the huge double doors parted. Ran nudged Inadi forward, as he pulled Caitlyn along. Lelia glanced nervously to the rest then followed, bridging the small gap that appeared between the first three Lost Souls and the rest of the group. Last to enter were Mica and Howl.

"Down, down, we go." Clockwork exclaimed.


Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the number over the doors turned to one. The squeezy ride was pure torture, but most kept silent, allowing the last passengers to exit first. Next out was Inadi, who was desperate to step out and slip on his glasses that had been knocked askew by someone's over excited gesturing. As the frame rested in place, the blurry colors sharpened dramatically and he gasped.

"Guys, we're outside!" He exclaimed with loads of sputtering.

No matter how familiar it felt, Nowhere was determined to upset any logic he used to make sense of this chaotic hell hole, an inner voice mused sarcastically insde his head. Inadi took several deep breaths only to yelp once more when he caught a glimpse of Howl and Mica. The two golems had shot up so much that they were nearly reaching halfway up the Tower of Demise. His mouth moved with a goldfish worthy precision.

Catching sight of Ace, after commanding Howl and Mica not to play with the nearby Dandelions, Clockwork gave her an impish smile. "Didn't I say their height would be an advantage?"

Ace looked up at the two golems, shielding her eyes from the sun. "Huh, they're much larger outside than inside." She noted and looked a little eager to see what the world looked like from that high up.

"Time's awasting," he chimed after sometime. "Up, up, we go. Howl, Mica, give us a hand up please."

As the hoomans queued to mount the golems' outstretched hands, Noe tugged at Ace's sleeve. "Cobalt wants to know if you'd like to ride with me."

The golems knelt down, stretching their hands out in order for the humans to climb on. "Go on Leila, you won't fall. I promise!" She sported her usual beaming smile, letting a few others climb onto the golems before she started to climb on as well.

Hearing Noe made her pause in her attempts to climb onto Mica's (or was this one Howl?) hand. "Ride with you and Colbat? Of course I want to!" She might as well have had the last of her fun before it was too late. Ace couldn't remember the last time she rode one of the dragons either. "I call front seat." Colbat bounded next to the two, prepared to take off on command. The redhead hopped onto Colbat, making sure Noe had enough room as well.

When she was sure Noe had a tight enough grip, Ace whistled. Colbat took to the skies and the golems followed after. "Tooo the Hobbit Hole!"

Slowly, the forest of dandelions began to disappear behind them, and Harper sat on Mica's shoulders with the last clock clasped between both his hands. It was hard to imagine how one clock would be their ticket home, and it was hard to imagine how plenty of their friends any many others before them had died in pursuit of it. His gaze flitted to a keyhole behind it, and the clockwork soldier, who was seated beside him frowned.

"How odd, I wonder what it's for."

The questioned earned a shrug from Harper, but like the soldier he too wondered what it was for, or how a clock was supposed to get them home. They had all the items now, but they didn't what to do with it or what sort of role it would play in getting them all home. Maybe Garret and the rest of the guides would know. They had the items and now they would deal with things one step at a time.

"Please don't worry," the clockwork soldier spoke up from beside Harper. "Howl, Mica and I will do our best to make things right."

Perhaps they'd succeed, perhaps they wouldn't. What mattered now was that they had the guides and the clockwork soldier on their side and soon they would all get to go home.

 

[Capt. Blu]

Collab by @Dear Karma, @Capt. Blu and @Fox of Spades

Hilltop: Ace, Ril, Ran, Harper, Lelia, C, Inadi, Clockwork, Howl and Mica

The hobbit hole was now in sight as Howl and Mica clambered up the last hill that stood between them and the rebellion's makeshift base of operations. All appeared to be well, but from Howl's shoulder, Riley noticed that something seemed off. The hobbit hole hadn't been burnt to the ground or torn to shreds, but the windows that were usually left open had been boarded up and the door was shut as well--but the most alarming thing about it were the bunny guards the seemed to be patrolling the area, and the giant bunny guard that pounded on the hobbit hole's door. It towered above its comrades, an axe strapped to its back.

"Duck," Riley hissed when she realized they had not yet been seen. "Duck now."

Mica and Howl were stunned by the sudden command, but thankfully the clockwork soldier understood and intervened. "Howl, Mica," he spoke in a gentle but firm manner, and his voice seemed to calm down the flailing and worried golems. "Get down, please." The crystal golems obliged, falling slowly to one knee. They were still quite visible, but by a lot less.

Ace had seen the intruders as well. "Cobalt, to the trees." The dragon nodded and dived towards the ground. Noe held a little tighter until Cobalt stretched out his wings, landing on Howl's knee. Ace patted the dragon's head and carefully climbed off to watch the bunny guards hop back and forth.

"I never knew they could grow so...big." The soldier finally whispered as his eyes flitted from Riley's worried expression to the giant bunny guard who continued to pound away on the hobbit hole's door.

"They don't," Harper had hopped off Mica's shoulder and onto the grassy hill that overlooked the hobbit hole. "I've never ever seen a bunny guard that big before." He was worried about the others. "And I've never seen any of them wield axes either--the others need our help." Thankfully, they had the element of surprise on their side.

"Unless of course they have super-sized bunnies that they're hiding for special occassions." Ace mumbled, eyeing the axe in particular.

Riley locked eyes with Ran before they flitted towards Ace, her partner in crime. "Do we charge in? Hit the big one over the head--" Riley paused in mid-sentence when the door of the hobbit hole began shuddering violently and an army of bunny guards (giant axe-wielding bunny included) quiver in silent anticipation.

As much as Ace wanted to rush in, she knew that wouldn't have been the right idea. Especially not now with the army charging in. "We need a distraction." Her gaze turned to the soldier. "One of your boulders as to do it. I'm sure with one clean sweep of the hand, they can send most of them out of the way." Her attention turned back to the army. "The other should stay hidden. We can't let them know how many of us are here. The element of surprise normally works with larger groups." There was a brief flash of thought, a particular memory making her rethink her idea. "If we do this, we have to act fast. If we're spotted, those bunnies will surround us. Innnn that case, yeah, take out the big one first." She gave her suggestion and then hopped back onto Cobalt. "Other than that, I've got nothing."

Inadi hated to admit it sometimes, but Ace was right. "If we just jump out now, we'll be caught within seconds. Those guards may not be tough but there is a lot of them." He adjusted his glasses and nodded. "The best way to go is sticking to our element of surprise."

The soldier's face fell upon hearing Ace's proposal. He didn't like it, but it was definitely their best plan so far. He ran a hand gently against Mica's leg, as his finger rubbed against his chin. "Howl or Mica may look strong, but they are harmless babes compared to the rest of their kin." He paused for a bit, trying his best to ignore the snort coming from Inadi. "I fear sending a toddler into battle won't do us any good, unless someone is willing to guide him along." Immediately, all eyes fell on him. "Right ...."

A loud squeal escaped Noe's lips, as the skittish healer bounced around, pointing to the bunny army surrounding the Hobbit Hole. "I - I - I .... the bunny guards are up to something. A-a-and we need to help them fast." Noe continued sputtering uselessly, while she watched the ringleader charging towards the door with his head lowered.

Ran tensed his shoulders and waved to Inadi. "There's no time for planning, they need us now!" Fear crept into Inadi's eyes, as he thought about Jasper hiding inside with only Victoria and Gary for protection and he started running off. Howl reacted by lifting Inadi up into the air and cuddling him like a teddy bear, while the soldier locked both Ran's arms behind the impatient hooman's back. Ran cussed endlessly before calming down enough to speak. "What are you doing?" He raged. "We don't have time."

Annoyed by the lack of results, the giant bunny bunched its two paws together and slammed the door repeatedly. Wood splinters flew in the air and, with one last hard hit, the hinges buckled, causing the door to smash onto the ground. The big two-eared boss's eyes flashed a bright red before he pointed into the gaping hole. Multiple pairs of gleaming red eyes followed the white paw and peered into the darkness. Then as one multitude of white and red, the rabid bunny guards charged right in. Their guttural thrills an omnious contrast to their usually silent cower.

"See! We're too late now," Ran hissed as he struggled to break free from the Clockwork soldier's staying hand. The man glared at the Nobody. "We need to help them."

Instead of giving up and letting go, the soldier had Mica wrap a huge fist round Ran to restrain the hooman even more firmly than before. "If I let you go," the soldier said with a soft sigh. "You'd only land up hurt or .... dead." He pointed to the huge axe with brownish stains covering the axe blade. "I don't think that's rust ..." He trailed off, allowing Ran to draw his own conclusions about the substance caking the axe.

Loud protests and shouts rang from inside. This was followed by a loud crash, as a chair flew out of the boarded window followed by a pink haired hooded figure. Three bunnies leaped down after Gary and they pinned her to the ground until another came with a pair of shackles and handcuffs. With the best fighter in the group incapacitated, the rest of the hoomans (and the only Guide with them) appeared to be out of options --- or so the hilltop group assumed.

"Out!" Cello's breathing was ragged as he shoved a bloodied Numair and Lesley out the door. The former had his arm in a sling and the latter looked close to catatonic. "I said out!" Cello shoved them harshly, but with good intent, and as the dazed humans stumbled out the door he began yelling for Sacha and the rest to make a speedy escape.

Cello stood his ground, but before he could do anything, several bunny guards tackled his legs and clung to him like a mob of koala bears. Cello staggered back and tumbled to the ground when another bunny leapt onto his shoulders.

Unlike before, all the bunnies had red eyes and they were much for violent. Cello let out a loud yell when the one on his shoulder bit down on his flesh just hard enough to draw blood. Several more attempted to take a bite out of him, but Sacha swooped in with a broom and yanked the now bloodied guide along.

The small group began runnig up the hill, but they were tired and injured and the bunny guards quickly gained ground on them. Soon, two of the guards went for Sacha's ankles and the hooded figure fell face-first into the ground. Immediately, his hands shot up to his bloodied nose. Sacha didn't even have time to ask for assistance because soon a mountain of fluff was upon him and a swearing Numair hit the ground soon after.

"Ran's right," Riley hissed from their hiding place. "If we don't do anything now, they're going to get hurt!" Her eyes flitted to the soldier and the crystal golems. "If none of you are going to do anything, we'll save them ourselves." She locked eyes with Ace as if asking if her friend was on her side.

Watching their friends get attacked made Ace frown. "They're already hurt. We need to go down there and make sure it doesn't get worse. We have the amulets, we can at least slow them down." She nodded in agreement with Riley before pulling her along towards Cobalt. "Noe, Leila, I suggest you two stay behind with soldier. We'll probably need someone to play doctor." Noe looked frightened, ready to protest their plans, but she knew it was no use. They weren't going to listen. Honestly she couldn't blame them after seeing the disaster going on below.

"Pl-Please be careful." Leila, with eyes full of shock and confusion, nodded. Staying as back up. That sounded like a good plan.

Ace grinned and saluted. "Me and Riley'll try and distract as many as possible! You guys get the others." There was no time to wait for protests or agreement, their friends were getting attacked. "Come on Cobalt!" The dragon took a running start before jumping into the air and flying towards the Hobbit Hole.

"We can't just let them go alone." Inadi adjusted his glasses and started to go down the hillside. He kept his halberd on his back, but he was always prepared to attack if it was necessary.

"Since when did those bunnies actually fight anyway?" It was a question left unanswered, because soon after Ace was devising a plan. Well, another plan. "How good is your aim? When Cobalt flies low enough, I'm going to jump down. I don't think they can hit you from the sky." She patted the dragon's head and pointed at the ax-wielding rabbit. "Take us down!"

Being as reckless as she was, Ace prepared to jump off Cobalt- similar to how one would jump out of a moving car. Riley would have protested, but it was a bit too late. As the dragon swooped closer to the deadly rabbit, Ace jumped, her gloved hand sparking in the process.

The sparks of electricity made contact with the large rabbit, sending it backwards. When Ace landed after, she ungracefully tumbled, only to raise a thumbs up to signal she was okay. "Hopefully that'll keep you down for awhile." She rushed over to the pile of bunnies on top of their friends and began knocking them away. "Get off of them!" These rabbits weren't like the ones in the castle though, they actually fought and bit back, making things a lot harder.

The girls provided a decent enough distraction for Inadi, Ran, and Harper to sneak behind the Hobbit Hole. If they were going to get the others to safety, they first needed to get their attention.

-----------------------------------------------

Hidden in the Forest: Jasper, Toby, Victoria and Riders (Riders: Garret, Ise, Luxa, Dune and Dragons: Lull, Sasha, Xerxes)

"Commander," Luxa stated hesitantly, lowered her telescope. "They're back," she whispered, as her eyes drifted towards the bobbing blonde who was currently being restrained by Victoria. She summarily ignored the punctuated "geoff" coming from Tobs, as she focused on her commander. "What do we do?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Gaara drawled rolling his eyes. "We wait." The sniper waved off any potential protest from his bossy platoon mate as he continued tightening the strings of his mounted crossbow.

"I know that," Luxa retorted with a frown. "I'm not stupid," she sniffed then pouted and crossed her arms.

Gaarami shrugged, earning himself a glare. He smirked and reached out to ruffle her blue hair. "There, there... ow!" He rubbed the sore spot where Ise cuffed him at the back of the head. "That hurts!"

Ise's eyes narrowed further, which made Gaara hold back. He shook his head stubbornly, but when their unofficial leader placed her hands on her hips, he baulked. "Alright, alright! I'd be quiet."

"Good," Ise nodded before heading off to join a very nervous looking Jasper. The rider kept a comfortable distance between them and waited for the Lost Soul to acknowledge her presence before speaking. "It looks bad, but we won't let them get caught, promise."

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Collab by @Dear Karma, @Capt. Blu and @Fox of Spades

Nearing the Hobbit Hole: Ran, Inadi, Harper
Backup (Nearby): Riley, Ace

"Ran, Harper, we need to try and flank," Inadi almost barked to his two companions, but he managed to change it to a very loud hiss. Along the way, the introverted young man had become more aware about his inner state and currently he was very worried about Jasper. He knew, based on Victoria and Garret's carefully laid plans, that the mission group should be back from their saboteur mission, so the fact they weren't ... did that mean Jasper ... Toby ... no, he can't afford to think about this, he told himself sternly. Everyone was like family, and cheesy at it sounded, he wasn't going to leave any of the hoomans, Lost Souls or Hooded Figures, behind. "Ran, tackle them while Harper and I give you backup," he ordered.

"I'll do the best I can." Ran took a deep breath, taking several steps back in the process, then he barrelled forward with his arms outstretched without stopping to inform the other two that he was charging in. Inadi and Harper exchanged confused looks before Inadi's eyes widened dramatically. The latter shoved his glasses up his nose ridge till the rubber stoppers were dangerously close to his eyes.

"No," Inadi choked. "This is no good." Inside a storm raged as Inadi's mind failed to think of something he could do. They've lost the element of surprise and ... and... what can they do? He ran his fingers through his hair, pulling out a bunch while his foot thumped incessantly. "Yes, yes, I got it! Yeah, let's do it." He said cryptically to Harper.

While Inadi and Harper were recovering from shock, crusty earth plates creeped over Ran's arms and hands, forming an imperfect armor with loads of fissure and cracks, but it was good enough for him. "Chaaaarge," the team tank yelled. He flung himself head first at the nearest minion bunny.

Alerted by Ran's battle cry, the bunny twisted head then body by a good angle. The demonic critter got into a crouch with arms outstretch already pre-empting impact. Ran was as blind as he was deaf thanks to the adrenaline, so rather than backing off, he continued at his insane break towards his intended target.

"Konbu-no-carrato yasai!" Inadi shouted shortly after his garbled instruction, as he broke cover to provide backup for a doomed confrontation. This wasn't how he used to be, but it didn't matter anymore. They were going down too easily and he had to do something! A nagging feeling at the back of his mind intensified, but Inadi only realized the reason behind it when he saw Harper running to his left.

"Harper?" He asked looking confused. Didn't he instruct the boy to keep hidden? "Why are you .... ACK!" A giant paw threw a growing shadow over the Japanese man. Next, he found himself dangling useless above the ground before he was flung in the direction of the Hobbit Hole. A huge crater formed behind him and a trickle of blood oozed down the side of his mouth. The young man's eyes became unfocused, as groaned loudly and he slumped face down onto the ground. Flakes of paint cascaded around him as the walls continue cracking long after he had slammed into the wall. "Harp .. er .... Jas...er," he called weakly before finally giving into the darkness.

Riley and Ace had been relentlessly fighting the rabbits off, however with so many of them surrounding the two, they were being pushed into a corner. Fortunately, calvary came along to aid them. The three guys made a clear pathway for the girls to escape and recharge. As they prepared to aid in battle, their calvary seemed to have faltered as well.

Things weren't looking good for the group.

"Inadi, no!" All thoughts of remaining safe fled Harper's mind immediately when Inadi went still. No, no, no! Seeing his friend lying there unmoving made him assumed the worse and he charged at the towering monster with his sword raised. The vengeful anger coarsing through him made him deaf to everyone - Ace, Riley and Ran. "Die!" He roared only to be swatted away with a sweep of the same paw. Harper flew straight into the same spot Inadi hit earlier but instead of joining his friend on the ground, the boy plunged his sword into the loamy earth and leaned against it as he fell to his knees.

Harper began zoning out as the pain numbed. He could hear his heart's pitter patter intensifying, while his breathing grew short and sharp. He let off a scream that vibrated his vocal chords but it was drowned by the sound of his violent heartbeats. He forced himself up and sprinted with a single-minded determination towards the boss bunny once more. However, this time round, the pesky minions have begun closing in on him in a bid to protect their leader.

"I won't give up .... I WON'T!" Harper declared loudly to the beast. "We're going home and you can't stop us. And... and ...." Words failed him then. He was going to avenge Inadi... Haku .... Leon ... everyone who died. Yes, he was or he'd die trying, because he had enough of these mind games and he didn't care anymore if they were devised by the queen, the demon or both.

At that adrenaline pumping moment, he perceived things slowing to a crawl as he practically fell into two red-eyed bunnies. He wrestled drunkenly, murmuring "led go, led go". Then he felt it; sharp teeth pierced the tender flesh between neck and shoulder hard enough to draw blood. "Aaaaaaaargh!"

His screams pierced his stupor and time speed up. White spots danced around his field of vision, as nausea washed over him. Harper groaned, but he was unable to clutch his rumbling cold stomach due to the fact he was pinned, spread eagle on the flattened grass covered ground. "I don't feel so good," Harper murmured with a child's whimper.

First Inadi fell. "Come on RIley! We need to help them!" Ace tried rushing forward, but the endless amount of bunnies were stopping her. She and Riley electrocuted and burned as many as they could, wiping out groups of them and then knocking them out one by one. "I don't care how dangerous you've gotten. You're still. Just. A bunny!" Ace kicked one off to the side, making it knock into others.

"Harper!" Both Riley and Ace yelled. Ace rushed over, jumping over the rabbits and trying to avoid them however one caught her leg causing her balance to falter and send her to the ground. When she sat up to kick it off, she noticed the group sneaking behind Riley. "Riley! Watch out!" But it was too late.

Riley stumbled backwards, only to be jumped on by a hoard of rabbits quickly pinning her down. She tried to fight back, but there were too many of them.. Ace on the otherhand wasn't going down so easily. She used every bit of mana in the amulet she could until she too was bitten by the rabbits- twice. Once in her leg and the other in her shoulder. Her flails and kicks slowed and her resolve began to fade. "No... We're going to get home... We're going to get-" Too dizzy to continue, Ace had fallen as well.

From their hiding places, Noe, Leila, and the Clockwork Soldier watched in horror as their comrades were defeated. They had to go help- they needed too! But the three knew that if they went down there, they would have met a similar fate.

"We can't just sit here." Leila voiced. Those were her friends. She had fought with them, for them too. There was no way she could watch them get taken away. Even her rational mind was telling her that they should have gone down there. But maybe that was the effects of Nowhere. Her logic and rationality could have started to blend with the confusing nature of Nowhere.

"We have to find the others. W- We need back up first." Noe commented, never taking her eyes off the scene. Mentally, she was counting every bruise and injury they had gotten, wanting to know before hand so she could heal them...if she had the chance.

"Our best bet is to retreat and find more comrades," Clockwork stated firmly. He could see the panick growing within Lelia and Noe's eyes and he worried they'd want to do something rash. "A tactical retreat, tick-tock! Better chances of a successful mission."

Lelia looked doubtful. She struggled to find a solid reason that would give her current desire to stay some legitimacy, but the internal struggle ended up with a prolonged silence. This brought the adage "silence means consent" into full effect and the soldier ordered his daisy-picking wards to carry the girls up. Howl obliged and placed both girls onto his shoulder before kneeling down with his palm open so Clockwork could climb onto it.

"Thank you, Howl, and now we will get help, tick-tock! Big help that can't be ignored." His reassurance only caused more confusion and, with a sigh, the soldier felt slightly miff at needing to explain the obvious. "We are seeking out the Vesuvius."

The name brought up an image of a smoking black rock formation seen from all angles in Lelia's mind and her mouth parted. "A volcano?" Her words dragged towards the end, making sound like she was drawling. She swallowed and repeated herself a little more clearly the second time. "Are we .... seeking a volcano?"

"Volcano?" Clockwork scratched his head. "Oh!" His eyes lit up, as he realized that Lelia was probably thinking that the Versuvius was a volcano. "No," he told the two girls gently, stopping for a bit to nudge his golems in the right direction then continuing again. "The area might be called Versuvius too, but it refers to the stone guardians living close to the magma pool. It's their home." He pointed Howl and Mica in turn.

"Magma!" Noe squealed and pushed her balled fists tightly into her jaw, while she stared at the insane soldier with horror-filled eyes.

The soldier tilted his head, feeling a lot more confused that he was before. Why were these two girls making much fuss over bubbling molten rock? It was hot but not that exciting or scary. "What else do you expect to see in a volcanic valley?" He asked rhetorically before turning away to end their conversation abruptly.

Noe shook her head mutely then slid closer to Lelia. "I'll try to think of something if .... th-things get bad." She squeezed the dark haired archer's hand, refusing to let go even after receiving a small nod from Lelia. Both girls remained sitting in companionable silence while the golems headed back in the direction on the Tower of Demise and beyond. Towards the hot unknown, the unexplored region simply known as the Versuvius. It was supposed end of the world where the earth ascended into the heavens.

----------------------------------------

Back in the forest: Jasper, Tobs, Victoria, Garret, Ise, Dune, Gaara, Luxa and dragons (Lull, Xerxes, Sasha)

"He looks like he's gonna be sick," Luxa commented, looking a little put off at the thought someone would empty their stomach in battle. So unbecoming and (frankly) gross. "And they continue falling one by one. Noe is still missing and --- hey!"

Gaara and Dune lifted their heads to look at the chatterbox. Luxa glares suspiciously at the round-headed bolts in Gaara's head. As her eyes studied them intently, she saw a greyish powder leaking gently from it. "I HOPE," she emphasized the last word dramatically. "You aren't settling off one of Dune's hair brained inventions because now is ....mmmph mmmmph!"

"Thank you, Sasha," Gaara laughed when the little red dragon pressed the end of her tail firmly across Luxa's mouth. "Anyway, Dune, what's this grey stuff?" The sniper rolled a small dab between his fingers experimentally. A yellow spark jumped between the fingers when pried them apart and he yelped in pain. Slowly, his hair began rising in huge tufts making him a scowling Frankeinstein. "Funny... I want my bolts back!"

"Okay, lads and girls," Garret boomed, cutting Gaara off. "Victoria agrees we should get going." He paused and nodded in the direction the Lamia was marching off with two protesting Lost Souls yanked firmly by their collars. "Gaarami, Ise, Dune, get ready," he ordered. His eyes glowed with fierce pride as he eyed each fledging rider in turn. They were his kids and he knew they would do him proud. He just knew. "We've got one shot," he reminded them and began mounting Xerxes. "Luxa continue being lookout and relay our movements to the backup. Gaara, stay hidden no matter what. We need you to provide fire cover."

He broke off then clapped Ise on the shoulder. "Ready?" He asked, sounding very concern. This would be Ise's first time as his second in command on a very important mission. He had faith she could do it, despite the doubt showing on her serious face. "Remember all of us have your back, k? Even Milo."

-------------------------------------------

Footnotes.

1) Clockwork still on the hilltop with Howl and Mica
2) Backup Team (Riders): Milo, Felix, Lotus, Chevra, Air and Aurora
3) Victoria is headed towards Aven until the coast is clear. She plans to head to the station and meet the rest.

 

[Fox of Spades]

​

It was over, Harper didn't want it to be, but as he stared at his fallen friends and the never-ending army of bunny guards, he understood that it was. They were bloodied, beaten and tired, and there wasn't much a bunch of humans could do against something as crazy as this. They'd had tried their best, but their best hadn't been enough and now they weren't going to go home. The sooner he accepted it, the less painful it would be.

But try as he might, he couldn't accept it. He refused to accept it.

Maybe he was being a hopelessly optimistic fool, but he and Inadi had made a promise. They had promised to get everyone home and the others had believe them, so he'd fight to the very end, even if it cost him his life to get them home.

"GET OFF!" Harper screamed, his voice cracked, but he didn't care and he flailed wildly in an attempt to knock the mountain of fluff of his chest. One of the bunnies bit into his shoulder and another into his arm, but his anger numbed the pain and for a moment, he felt invincible.

And then the rabbits fell off and he wondered if maybe he was.

The dazed boy sat up only to see several gray static bombs skid across the soil. Each time one detonated, the bunnies would turn into giant cotton balls of fur and fall harmlessly to the side. At this point, Harper realized it wasn't his doing, but he didn't question where the backup came from and instead scrambled to his feet. Without thinking, he rushed to aid his fallen friends, but Harper froze when a dark shadow fell on them all.

​

"Time to cage these bunnies!" Garret dropped a net onto the fluffballs and hollered enthusiastically when Xerxes dove downwards and snatched a handful into his claws. With him and his trainees on the case, they'd be able to wrap this up and save the humans in no time flat. "Come on, kids, wrap this all up so we can go home, alright? The one who catches the most bunnies gets a reward."

Garrets voice boomed across the plains and an excited Milo immediately responded by yelling about how he was 'so going to win'.

Not longer after, the trainees (not including Luxa and Gaara), with Ise in the lead, left their hiding spots and rushed into the scene.

From their hiding spot, Luxa scoffed. "Please, this is barely even a challenge. Bunny guards? We've seen worse during practice missions."

Gaara rolled his eyes, it was easy because Dune had handed him a handful of those stun bombs and the little rabbits were bursting into defenseless puffballs left and right. He shot several more rounds into the battle field and looked on contentedly when even more bunnies fell victim to the static.

Up ahead, Milo was yelling excitedly about how he'd already nabbed a dozen and not too far ahead Ise was clearing a path with her spear.

She swept the spear around in huge horizontal strokes, knocking back any of the angry guards that tried to get too close. And Dune was right beside her throwing nets on the bunny guards she had managed to knock over.

"Great work, team!" Ise spoke encouragingly. "Soon enough we'll get rid of all of them."

"Hells yeah!" Dune added in as he threw down another net. "Judging by the progress we're all making, we'll be done before suppertime."

Dune's cheer was contagious, but Ise didn't let their winning streak go to her head. "Focus, don't let your guard down."

"Aw," Dune pouted but continued charging after their team leader. After Ise managed to knock back the bunny guards who were piled on top of both Ace and Riley, she rushed ahead and attempted to assist whoever needed it the most.

Dune on the other hand, stayed behind and helped both girls to their feet.

"We'll make things better, somehow, we promise." He eyed the wounds the bunny guards had given them and a look of worry flashed across his face. Something was definitely off, for all of his life, he'd never seen a violent bunny guard, but now, there was an abundance of them.

"Hey, you two should get to safety. Near the forest, Luxa and Gaara should be waiting. Your friends Toby and Jasper are there too, Toby really wanted to help, but he almost passed out during the last mission so Vicky made him stay." Speaking of Lamia, Victoria was moving gracefully across the field, dishing out ferocious attacks left and right that left mountains of incapacitated bunny guards in their wake. "We'll catch up."

Dune was a little surprised when both girls refused.

Ace and Riley really were fiery people.

"Okay, but be careful—"

A loud crash reverberated across the fields and what happened next made Dune's eyes go wide. "Milo!"

Milo was lying immobile by shattered glass and boards of wood. The axe wielding rabbit had thrown him into one of the hobbit hole's walls with enough force to shatter a window and the house's side. And now, the menacing rabbit stalked towards the unconscious rider with axe in hand.

Ise had also noticed the predicament Milo had gotten himself in and charged forward with her spear drawn.

The rabbit didn't even look over his shoulder but he spun around just in time and deflected the incoming blow with his axe.

Metal clashed against metal and Ise dug her heels into the ground to stop herself from skidding back. "What... what are you?" Narrowing her eyes at the giant bunny, she prepared herself for a lunge that she never managed to execute.

Not too long ago, the giant rabbit had been slow and brutal, but now it moved with a speed and finesse that Ise didn't expect it to be capable of. Quickly, the young rider found herself on the defense, bobbing and weaving through the attacks in an attempt to dodge the heavy blows.

She'd underestimated her opponent and had made a fatal mistake.

Spears were great for ranged to mid-ranged combat, but she'd expected the rabbit to be slow and had gotten in too close. There was no way to slash or jab at it and Ise gritted her teeth when the rabbit unleashed a series of rapid and deadly blows. She ducked to dodged the first swing, stepped back to dodge the second and raised her spear in attempt to block the third blow, but instead of clashing against the metal spear head, the axe caught it a little lower and Ise's weapon snapped in half.

A murderous glint flashed across the giant rabbit's face and he pulled his arm back for what he hoped would be the killing blow.

Seeing the glint of steel, Ise instinctively brought an arm up to shield her face. There was a stinging pain when the axe dug into her metal gauntlet, and the force of the blow sent her skidding back and tumbling onto the ground not far from where Milo was lying.

A burning pain shot through Ise's arm and down her back, and the trainee found herself temporarily paralyzed by the pain. Her unfocused eyes flitted to the bloodied mess that was her arm, but she could still feel the pain, and Ise figured that was a good thing because it meant her arm was still working, and if it was working, she could still fight.

"You'll be okay, Milo." The girl whispered hoarsely as she sat up and reached for whatever object she could. Eventually, her fingers wrapped around a piece of broken glass. She would stab the rabbit as many times as was necessary if it tried to get to Milo or her. A shadow fell over them once more, but instead of coming face to face with the giant rabbit, Ise came face to face with Dune.

"Garret's handling it." Dune reassured. "It'll be over soon."

And sure enough, while Victoria hauled the injured Inadi and Ran to safety, Garret and the giant rabbit were locked in combat.

Blow after blow was traded and Garret found himself huffing and puffing. The giant rabbit was far more skilled than it had appeared to be and the man realized they had been tricked. But he had been trained for almost all his life, and he wasn't going to lose. No way, now how. The day he lost to a giant rabbit, would be the day hell froze over. Mustering up years of training, Garret feigned a slash to the rabbit's right, only to spin around and slash at its chest. Blood oozed out of the gashes on the rabbit's chest and a look of satisfaction wormed its way onto the man's face when the pest dropped its axe and fell onto its knees.

"We're getting you kids home!" He hollered.

Tick, tick, tick...

What had started as an almost unnoticeable tick turned into a rapid clicking sound and Garret's eyes flitted to the fallen rabbit before him. A pink glow began to emanate from their enemy's chest, and it was only then when Garret realized that it had indeed been a trap.

A brilliantly planned, masterfully crafted trap.

"XERXES, THE KIDS! NOW!"

Confusion and terror flashed across the faces of the humans in the vicinity, no one really understood what was going on. But no one questioned Garret either, and without thinking Cello threw himself over both Ace and Riley, shielding both humans with his body. He wasn't the best guide out there, he skipped out on work to go on dates with pretty girls, he dumped his responsibilities into Song's and Brandy's hands and he just wasn't very good at his job—but this time he would do something right, and the humans... the humans would finally go home.

Like Cello, the desperation in his Garret's voice made Xerxes stop mid-flight. The dragon had been hauling the nets filled with bunny guards away, but he dropped them without looking back. Once he was near enough, the dragon's eyes fell on the glowing time bomb that was the fallen bunny guard and he understood what he had to do. He wanted to rush to his best friend and partner's aid, but he knew Garret would never live it down if anything happened to the kids, so he rushed towards Milo and co instead. With wings wide open, he crashed into the ground and wrapped them around Dune, Ise and the unconscious Milo in hopes of forming a protective barrier. They didn't know how strong the blast would be but he hoped it would be enough.

The seconds wound down to oblivion.

There was an explosion, and then there was nothing.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Collab by @Fox of Spades and Dear Karma

Closest to the Blast Site
Ran, Inadi, Harper, Ise, Dune, Milo, C and Nums

​

The loud blast left a ringing silence in its wake. The numb humans and young riders lay where they fell earlier as their eyes remained fully dilated. Ise's good hand reached slowly outwards, only pausing after they touched the sweat drenched flesh of another human hand. She wasn't sure if it was Milo's or Dune's. She shifted slightly, but felt a viberating silent scream shaking her vocal chords at the pain shooting up from her injured upper arm.

Gentle arms pulled her up and the girl remained there sobbing silently. Whoever this was - Garret? Dune? Milo? The gesture was greatly appreciated. Never in her life had she felt so scared and ... and helpless. The bomb. Life ticking before their eyes. They could have died.

​

The ringing dimmed and Dune's scraggly voice filtered through. His words were slurry almost as if he was talking and not quite hearing what he was saying, but that was okay. Ise opened her mouth. "Thank you," she had wished to say, but her words lived and died unheard. Ise swallowed harder. The pressure shooting back up caused an audible pop in her ears and she could hear normally again. Her eyes picked out a darker shadowy thing pulling away. "Xerxes?" She called, while rubbing her eyes, as panic began building up. Why was he leaving?

"No, Xerxes!" She shrieked dropping to her knees, when the once magnificent beast came back into focus. The proud dragon lay gasping on the ground, as blood spilled in thick rivers from the deep gouges in his back. Flesh hung in long shreds from white bone that was gradually turning pink from the blood seeping through the cracks. Ise pulled away from Dune's gasp and flung her arms across his snout. "No, no, no," she sobbed. "You can't die."

A blink came from single eye that remained open. Gradually, though the life began dimming from within and Xerxes breathing began slowing down. "We - Noe! Noe, we need you," she shot up and began shrieking. "NOE!"

"Can't you see it's too late?" Dune shook his head silently, as he remained kneeling before the dying Xerxes. His shoulders shook violently and tears began to slid down his face. "He's gone. Garret's gone ... too." The young inventor didn't have to look to know it in his heart of hearts that their commander, their father, was gone just like that. "He," Dune's voice broke. "He was closest to the blast."

"No," Ise screamed. "No, he can't be dead. HE CAN'T. He," she wept openly, as the truth began to hit home. Xerxes was no longer breathing. No! She refused to believe that. Xerxes, Garret, NO! Any minute now, they'd hear Garret call to them again, just like he always did, and it would be okay. It had to be. They - they needed him. He promised he'd be there till they were ready ... and they weren't. "Stop lying Dune, stop."

"Yeah, Dune," Milo croaked, as he pulled him steadied himself by gripping onto Dune's shoulders. "It's not funny. Xerxes's ... he'd be okay. Like Garret, right?" He forced himself to smile, but it dimmed when no one returned it. "Right?" He repeated hollowly. "I mean, I'll just go over that way and check and -"

Ise stared vacantly ahead, shaking her head, but she hadn't the strength to stop Milo slipping pass her with his same knuckleheaded stubbornness. Milo, yeah Milo, he'd tell them they were wrong. He always did. He knew Garret more than they did. "Dune, I'm going ... Milo?" She saw the color drained from her cheery friend's face as he clamped a hand tightly over his mouth. "Milo!" She screamed, practically fleeing to his side, where she remained rooted to the spot as well once she saw -

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Ran scrunched his eyes shut, knowing that the young riders had caught a glimpse of their fallen commander. Tears slid down his own cheeks, as he and Inadi continued hugging Harper. Harper fought violently against their suffocating pressing, but neither adult wished for the boy to witness the horror before them. Amidst the fluff, red paper streamers and pools of blood, a bloody Garret lay with most of his skin melting off his exposed face and neck from the sheer heat of the blast. Ran had only seen Garret briefly but here he was unable to move, think or react. The sight was - no, Harper, he shouldn't see it. He was far too young. "It's okay," Ran lied. "It's okay..." The screams and anguished sobbing from the riders contradicted his words, but he couldn't let go and tell the poor Harper the truth. It was too terrible. "We're here. Still here," he choked.

Soon two more bodies were added to their group, an unconscious Numair and a dazed C. The latter stared worriedly at her fellow hooded figure before Ran pulled her into a hug. It felt warm... safe. Artist man had a warm aura to him that C had grown fond of and seeing the destruction around them made her realize that she didn't want him or anyone in their newly formed group to die. Like Sacha, Luke, Gary and Numair, they were her friends too.

She hoped Luke and the others were alright...

A chilling sense of dread washed over her. "Artist man?" She wanted to ask him about the emptiness inside, the ache in her chest that wouldn't seem to go away, but she couldn't find the right words--she'd lost the words for many things long ago, so she looked away instead.

Ran passed Harper to Inadi and pulled C closer to him instead, pressing her face against his chest. "Caitlyn, are you hurt?" He asked hoarsely, shaking his head like he was in denial. "I - we, we all feel bad too."

She understood why. They had lost, and Dragon man was dead. She and the hooded figures knew death all to well... they'd seen it with their own eyes countless of times, but it never stopped sucking and she figured it never would. Seeing the broken riders brought tears to her own eyes but she shook her head. It wouldn't solve anything. The hooded figures knew that, she knew that. "No, but Dragon man is."

C wiped away the unwanted tears with the back of her hand. She'd seen plenty of people come and go, she'd known them more than she had known Garret and she hadn't shed a tear so why now. She found herself voicing out her own question.

"Because we are human," Ran explained. "We are human and we care. We feel sad ... scared and lost." He would have said more but he was already breaking down. He hugged C tighter and both humans cried, united in sorrow, fear and despair.

------------------------------------------------

The Forest Surrounding the Hobbit Hole - the bushes
Victoria, Luke, Sacha, Jasper, Toby, Luxa, Gaara, Lull

​

"Stay," a panting Victoria commanded, shoving Luke and Sacha in front of her. Toby and Jasper's shocked eyes met her steely ones, but the Lamia was in too much pain at the moment to care. She pressed her two hands against the tree and leaned her weight against her straightened arms. "Anyone," she bit back a wince. "Anyone who doesn't listen will -"

"Yes," Jasper whispered, nodding rapidly to show she understood what Victoria wanted. "We need to get you first aid, please?" The pale girl pulled closer to Victoria, only to have her hands slapped away. Jasper recoiled as Victoria's fiery gaze bore into her blinking eyes. "Victoria?" She asked even more softly, feeling totally overwhelmed by the anger that radiated from the soldier. "Why?"

Victoria's face became impassive, as she tried to reign in the pain she felt at losing yet another cherished one, this time her friend. Oh Garret, she thought deep down, why? Why did you hae to leave too? She closed her eyes and rested a palm across her eyes. Slowly, the woman breathed in deeply. One... two ... Her eyes flicked open again before three. "Reinforcements," she hissed sharply, pointing to the top of the tree. "Climb now."

After Lull flew up upon hearing Victoria repeat her orders, the young ones knew better than to argue with Victoria. So, despite their apparent confusion, they helped each other climb up the tree. Last up was Sacha. He then leaned down to give Victoria his arm. Using Sacha's arm as a support, Victoria ran up the tree then did a backwards somersault and landed gracefully on a branch above the rest. She pressed a finger firmly to her lips and Toby, who was almost squealing, fell silent.

"Look," she whispered. "Here they come." For once, Victoria was glad she had listened to her instincts, even though she had been feeling numb inside. Numb, sad and deeply hurt. Losing two of her favorite men so soon sucked, but she'd live. Somehow. Maybe even get revenge or ... die trying.

Dozens of bunny guards hopped below. Behind them was yet another executioner bunny. This one, though, was closer to Sacha's height rather than his giantic twin. Still, the hoomans swallowed hard, as he passed below, because the double headed axe sitting in his arms looked even more deadly than the heavy axe wielded by his brother.

------------------------------------------------

Across the Battlefield
Riley, Ace and Cello

​

"Ril, Ace, are you alright?" Cello flashed them a warm grin, while he clutched tightly to his arm that dangled uselessly to his side and the cast he wore earlier disappeared in the scuffle. The bunny bites were starting to hurt terribly, but he had to be brave for them. For the riders. He had to now that Garret was gone. "We need to ge-" He panted, feeling curiously weaker by the minute. "-et the others. A-n, head to the station. You'll be safe." He stood up and more blood stained his sleeve.

"Cello, you're bleeding." Riley scrambled to her feet in an attempt to help their battered guide, but he dismissed it with what he hoped was a nonchalant wave. "

"You're both bleeding too, and we..." Cello's knees buckled beneath his weight and he nearly fell flat on his face. "We have to go." He was no soldier, but he knew that soon enough the Queen would send reinforcements and with how shellshocked everyone was they'd be toast.

"What?" Riley's unfocused eyes flitted from Ace to Cello. "What about the others?" Everything was a blur, and while she was terribly confused, she had enough clarity to know that a few of the others were still back there. "Cello, the rest of them are still there."

From where they stood, they couldn't hear everything that was happening, but faint sobs and yelling still managed to reach them. A sickening sense of dread washed over Riley and she rushed forward, but Cello stopped her and shook his head.

"It's not something you'd want to see." The guide stared at Riley and then Ace, the expression on his face, one of utmost seriousness. He knew the two could be rebels, but now wasn't the time and he had meant every word. "Please," Cello begged as he stretched out an arm. "Don't question me on this... not now."

Riley thought about rushing past Cello to help Ran, Harper, Inadi and the remaining riders who had risked their lives for them, but the look on the guide's face stopped her dead in her tracks. Whatever had happened down there, she had a feeling she didn't want to see it either. Clenching her fists she mumbled a silent apology to the others for being so weak. Riley turned around and offered Ace a helping hand instead.

Things were getting crazier by the non-existent second and Riley hoped to Celery that The Clockwork soldier, Noe, Leila, and C would return as soon as they could.

"Okay, okay," she sucked in a breath of air and steeled herself. "Let's head back to the forest, regroup with Gaara, Luxa, Tobs and Jasper so we can come up with a plan--?"

Before Riley could say another word, Cello let out a flurry of curses and stared helplessly at the army of bunny guards that started marching towards them from several directions. They came pouring out of the woods without so much as a warning and soon both Cello and company and the the riders and remaining humans by the hobbit hole were surrounded.

"Run," he barked. "Listen, run and don't look back." Cello's cat ears twitched then pointed upwards. His tail swished angrily from side to side, as he eyed his new long eared opponents with their spotless red suits and gleaming buttons. He hissed, readying himself for his final stand. Garret, he led by example and he, Cello, shall follow. These hoomans are going home no matter what. And, by Celery, he'd stake his life on it. "Keep safe!"

Claws flcked out and Cello licked the upper part of his hand. His right ear twitched involuntarily and his tail tensed. With a loud yowl, the cat guide leaped with his claws extended at the nearest bunny guard. He swiped both claws inward and down. Streaks of blood ran in a Y-pattern across the rabbit's face and its mouth opened in guttural agony. It threshed about as its paws rubbed uselessly to clear its ruined eyes.

"Ha!" Cello yowled, leaping sideways to dodge the next incoming bunny. He twisted round, biting back a wince, as his injured arm, particularly the shoulder, began hurting again. "You need to do better than that if you want to get me." He cried.

Seizing the opportunity to thin the mob by another three, the cat hopped onto the shoulders of middle bunny then pressed down on its head. Next, he leaped up and outwards, pushing his feet explosively in opposite directions. The bunnies that were flanking the right and left fell sideways onto the ground and they were soon joined by their friend. Cello rubbed his nose then grinned as he braced himself for the next bunny to come at him.

"Is this all you got?" He taunted, flicking his tail at them. "You're supposed to be the Queen's shoulders and I - " A high pitched shriek tore itself from his throat as something cold, hard and sharp dug into his back. Cello's vision grew dimmer and he pitched forward onto the ground as the thing was torn away. An axe? He thought for a brief second, as visions of the giant bunny came to mind. Everything faded after that. The last thing he registered was Riley's screams. Or that's what he believe he heard ...

-----------------------------------------

Back at Ground Zero aka Closest to Bomb Site
Ran, Inadi, Harper, C, Nums (unconcious), Ise, Milo and Dune

​

"Riley," Ran shouted. He looked up from where he had been kneeling with C held in his arms. Where? How? He thought numbly, staring as more bunny guards began pouring out of the bushes. Celery! How are they going to survive this? "We need to RUN!"

The adult leaped to his feet and dragged C along, while he did his best to tug Inadi up. The Japanese frowned deeply, not quite letting go at Harper. The Lost Souls continued struggling to organize themselves, debating how to move Nums, when several heavy nets were thrown over them. C shrieked wildly, cursing everything, as Inadi tried to take charge. Eventually, though, even the two fell silent, as they stared wide-eyed as the executioner bunny's axe sliced down.

The cleaner side of the double headed axe cleaved the ground between Inadi's feet. Inadi swallowed hard. There was blood on it! Blood, Ril, no. Ace, no. He blinked stupidly then slumped into a fetal curl with his legs on the ground and his back hunched in the air. He didn't even know where the girls were and they could be dead for all he knew. No, they've lost. It's over, really, really over, he thought. Anger welled up inside. Anger, frustration and failure. Soon, the usually stoic young man began to cry. His first time in a very a long time. As he was lead away, the rest fell in line and marched meekly behind. There was no use fighting when Inadi himself had given up.

Off in the distance, the last group tried fighting the bunnies off, but it was all in vain. The riders were still too shell-shock to give it their best and soon they were overpowered and shackled too. Unlike the hooman's, each rider was bound hands and feet then dragged off by their collars, or in Ise's case, by her braid.

Celery, save them!

 

[Fox of Spades]

Collab by Fox of Spades, @Capt. Blu, and @Ryver K. Stella

Gallows - Cells
Harper, Ran, Inadi, Ace, Riley, C, Nums, Ise, Dune and Milo

"Where's Cello?" Riley asked hollowly.

Not being able to tell the passage of time was a boon for once. Cello had been gone for - ? An hour? Half a day? Two days? The only thing the deflated girl knew was that they hadn't seen him since he was marched bleeding and battered out of their shared cell. And right now, the only thing keeping her sane was the thought that it couldn't have been as long as it felt.

Ise looked up briefly from where she sat with her knees pulled towards her chest. She hugged her legs tighter to herself, as she tried her best to break free from this numbness that kept weighing her down and clouding her usually clear mind. "I remembered they said Queen D wanted to see him," she murmured. "The guard said so... he, yeah." The rider almost said that she sensed the man with the eye patch wasn't too happy to see Cello, but she was glad she didn't. It would probably worry Ace and Riley even more.

Ran watched the two bunny guards hopping up and down the corridor in front of their cell and he sighed. "I hope he isn't in too much trouble," he told the group. "The Queen, she won't do that to one of her own right? He's one of her subjects too." Deep down, he was worrying about the rest. Victoria, Jasper, Toby, Sacha, Luke, Gaara and Luxa - he didn't know if they were safe or dead. As far as he knew, they weren't in the cells in this block. Or this floor, at least.

Ace had been uncharacteristaclly silent for the past day, or at least what she thought had been the past day. When they first arrived, she tried with all her might to fight and escape the shackles they were put in, but that was to no avail. Now she was sitting, leaning against a wall and staring out at the hall. Ace was trying to convince herself that Cello would be alright. It was easy convincing herself that the others had escaped. The bunnies didn't see them. They were safe...But even though she was told not to look back, she saw Cello get attacked and get taken away like the rest of the Nowhere group. And now he was taken away again.

It didn't help her resolve to know that one of the coolest dragons and dragon rider had died in order to protect them. Hearing the news threatened to make her break down just as Inadi did, but she couldn't do that. Not yet. They had to get out of their imprisonment. They worked their butts off to get this far and couldn't stop now.

"A-Ace...?" Milo thought of the redhead as the go to human for motivation and positivity, so seeing her so quiet and distant was unnerving. After getting her attention, he wasn't sure what else to say to her. His mood had not gotten any better after seeing the horrors of the dead Garret and Xerxes. He couldn't even say something as simple as 'Things will be okay' because at this point...Would they?

Off in one of the corners, Inadi's face was in his palms and his glasses were sitting on the floor next to him, until Ran picked them up for him. He didn't want them to get broken after all.

"So...What do we do now?" Nums looked at everyone. He was sitting next to C and rubbing a sore spot on his head after being hit...or was it from the explosion? He didn't know. Fortunately, it didn't hurt as bad as it did before.

"We get out of here of course." Ace was still staring at the guards hopping back and forth. "How? I'm not sure yet..."

Ran nodded slowly. "The fact we are still breathe says something." The pronouncement hung in the air, a snapshot of the current mood. No one was particularly relieved to be alive, because things were grim. The man attempted to get up despite being chained to the wall with heavy chains. He struggled once, twice, thrice then gave up. "I have faith the rest will come." He reminded the rest.

Hope stirred inside him at the thought of Victoria coming for them; her eyes ablaze as she gave them a piece of her mind. That is, of course, if she hadn't been apprehended by the swarm. He leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Yeah, they still had the tiniest hope. They needed to keep it alive.

"Listen," Dune hissed loudly. He shifted gently, mindful that Ise was leaning close by, but a spark came back to his dull eyes. "I hear keys. Someone's here." A youthful smile spread across his face. "Ran's right, someone's here." Finally free of Ise, the platoon maverick scrambled to his feet, but only to land in an uncoordinated heap as his shackles tightened unexpectedly.

"Dune!" Ise crawled towards her fallen platoon mate. After seeing he was fine save for several scrapes across his cheek, tears sprang in her eyes again and she hit him vigorously with fisted hands. "Don't," she cried. "Just don't. We already lost..." Garret, their commander was gone for good. Just thinking about him an Xerxes was enough to send her back over the edge again.

Her words became a shivelling sob and she buried her face in her hands like she did when they first arrived. Grief had reared its head once more and this time she had no strength to fight it. No matter how confident she tried to be, the truth was that they weren't ready to be alone. Not yet by far, but Garret won't be there anymore. Hands wrapped around her waist. Long hair fell gently across her shoulders and Ise froze. "Who?" The confusion was understandable given that Noe was the only rider with long hair in the platoon and the healer wasn't here with them.

Answers weren't neccessary, so Ise allowed herself to fall into Riley's embrace. "Thank you," she told the kind person. Nobody, hooman, it made no difference right. All that mattered was that someone out there cared. The realization made the pain ease a little, but it continued weighing down her heart. Her body responded by filling her eyes with more tears and she was reduced to a helpless wreck once more. She didn't need to look to know Dune and Milo were grieving too. Dune probably lying with his back against the wall and staring blankly at the ceiling and Milo trying his hardest not to cry.

The sudden tear stricken Ise made Ace look over at the girl. Her gaze fell on RIley next when her partner in crime tried to comfort her with a hug. She stayed silent at first, but eventually moved closer to touch Ise's shoulder in order to get her attention. "Look, Ise. You're tough, remember? We're still alive. We've still got plenty of chances yeah?"

"Ace is right. We will get out of here just as we said." Riley nodded with a weak smile. It was hard to believe it herself, but if Ace could be so optimistic in such a dire situation, so could she. They were a duo after all. Milo smiled a little brighter when the optimism returned. It was warming and definitely needed for him.

Ise nodded and wiped away the new burst of tears with the back of her good hand. "Yes, we need to." She swallowed, allowing herself to bask in glow of renewed hope, a feeling that distracted her from the sorrow threatening to pull her further into depression. "We promised."

Inadi glowered in the girls's direction. He understood it hurt, hell he could feel it too, but he didn't want them to show any weakness to whoever was outside the door. He didn't like how the person had paused to listen when Ise began sobbing. He sighed. In his mind's eye, he saw a smug evil furball with sadistic smirk. The lingering mental picture caused anger to swell in him again. Cold or not, he won't give their enemies that satisfaction. "Enough," he ordered harshly. "Stop crying. You aren't a child anymore."

The forlorn silence ceased and a tensed uneasiness replaced it, but Inadi didn't care. He preferred this. Let them be angry with him, he thought stubbornly, as he tried staring down Milo, Dune, Riley and Harper in turn. He allowed his heated gaze to bore deeper into Harper's green eyes. Yes, this was infinitely better than them showing their captors an weakness. Enough was enough! "I speak the truth and you know it." He addressed the room, though he continued focusing on Harper's outraged face. "We came this far and lost so many. Another death doesn't make a difference."

Inadi's harsh words had cut deep and like most of them Ran was pissed. The boy could be so insensitive at times, but right now he knew that escalating this matter into a much needed spat won't make things easier. Keeping his face downcast, he balled his fists tightly and focused on his forced breaths. "You know, Inadi," he said with as little anger as possible. "We are all stressed, so let it go, alright?"

Inadi's words bore deep in everyone, and everyone reacted a bit differently- especially Riley and Ace. "You don't have to be a jerk about-!"

"Don't tell me you've lost sight of what our goal is, Glasses. You've got to be joking right?" Ace frowned right back as he kept his cold glare on her. "Another death doesn't matter, huh? What was all that talk about being so sorry that a Nobody died for you, huh? What about all those people we lost? They don't matter anymore?" Ace never broke her gaze. "Another death doesn't matter to you? So Leila, Toby, Vicky...Jasper? None of the others matter to you?" It was Inadi who broke eye contact first. Tears threatened to stain his cheeks again. "You're hurt, I get it. But don't you dare say someone else dying won't make a difference."

No one said a word. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. Everyone sat. Riley and Milo were comforting Ise, Ran debated trying to comfort Inadi- though the latter being much too stubborn, and Harper and Ace sat side by side quietly watching the group. Both had similar thoughts. They needed a way out and soon.

Keys jangled again from outside the door followed by a pause. A tall long-eared head through an unmistakeable rabbit silouhette against the roughly hewn brick ground. Milo shook his head, muttering something under his breath. His eyes stared worriedly at the door. "We need ... out. Ya," he repeated. He glanced round looking horribly lost. Ise? Harper? Ace - won't someone come up with a plan? Not even Dune wished to meet the young warrior's eye. "Come on?"

Inadi let off an exaggerated sigh. "Don't be stupid. That monster is wielding an axe and I rather keep my head on my shoulders." A very sarcastic "thank you very much" was suppressed out for the sake of saving some of his remaining pride. He doubted he'd be completely happy with himself letting Ace have the last word, especially when she had to be right. He was just so sick of everyone dying and his earlier out burst was him expressing his helplessness, which was began to mount with each twist of the key in the rusting lock.

"We could try negotiating. We have the upperhand right now, as we have that "thing"." His eyes flit towards Harper's messenger bag and everyone knew Inadi was referring to the Last Clock.

A look of concern flashed across Ran's face. Negotiate? He wondered whether the demon possessed Queen would even indulge them those few precious seconds, because he remembered distinctly the demon made itself crystal clear; it wanted to eat their souls. "I don't know, Inadi. I feel this is a decision we should all vote on. Harper?" Ran looked at the boy sitting in a corner clutching the messenger bag like his life depended on it. "What's your vote?"

Harper's eyes flitted from the clock in his hands to Inadi. He didn't like confrontations, he'd never liked them, but negotiating with that thing? It was out of the question. "We're not negotiating with a demon bunny," he whispered. "This is our only ticket home, there's no way of knowing whether it'll play fair or not."

Riley suppressed a humorless chuckle. Of course it wasn't going to play fair. One of its friends tried to KILL them--one of its friends had succeeded at killing Garret and at stabbing Cello in the back. This wasn't some fairytale, they couldn't make it better by saying please. "Harper's right," Riley added in. "That thing isn't going to play fair, we can't take our chances."

Their replies made Inadi scowl. "Then what do you want us to do? Sit here and rot?"

The cell went quiet. What could they do?

"We'll play it smart," a pale-faced Harper responded. "We'll take things one step at a time, but we'll play it smart." He turned to look at Ace. "We won't rush into things, we'll wait for an opening." It was a horribly vague idea, but they didn't exactly have much to work with either.

Inadi was about to speak his mind but before he could say more the door flew open and smashed into the wall. Everyone stared dumbly, as the freakishly tall bunny in the executioner's mask stood there with its pole axe. Its lips curled into an unmistakeable sneer and the Queen's executioner thumped the ground with the end of the pole. On the third thud, dozens of rabbid bunny guards swarmed into the cell ready to attack any Nobody or hooman stupid enough to fight back. No one did. They simply allowed themselves to be shoved or yanked to their feet before the group was force marched with a regimented line. They were a chain-gang, the Queen's chain-gang, enroute towards an uncertain fate.

Clank, thunk, clank, thunk. The rhythm of the chains jangling between each step was interrupted by the occasuonal scraping of the lower mental links against the floor. Ace squirmed occasionally, sending the chains binding her hands whipping outwards. This action displeased the executioner. He brandished his axe threateningly. That was the end of any more squirming from the hoomans, though Ace glared at the tall rabbit who resumed his position at the very front.

Milo licked his lips nervously. "Ran," he asked finally. "Is it stupid to be scared?" He looked down on the floor. "Garret thinks we should always be brave."

Ran kept silent. This was getting a tad too awkward for him. He understood that he was the only other adult close to the riders, but he wasn't sure he was capable of giving them a prod in the right direction. Victoria would know but she wasn't here. "Being afraid is natural, when you don't know what to expect." He gave the boy a smile. "Look at Harper. He is brave because he doesn't let his fear paralyze him. I think you should ask him how he does it." He gave the boy an encouraging nod then fell silent. The executioner didn't look too happy they were still talking.

"Guys," Riley hissed. She really didn't like how annoyed the stupid rabbit looked. "I think we should--" before she could finish her sentence and warn everyone to stay quiet, the rabbit spun around and stomped down, hard.

It made several grumbling noises and brandished its axe.

No one could understand it, but none of them were stupid enough to egg the giant-axe-wielding bunny on, and an oppressive silence hung over the group.

Everyone shared hesitant smiles as the rabbit led them towards the end of the hall and whatever fate awaited them on the otherside of the double doors.

It was time for a date with destiny.

 

[Fox of Spades]

​

Execution Grounds:

The sight that greeted them was one of utmost confusion. Harper's eyes first landed on the gallows that towered over them, the nooses that hung side by side, and then on the guillotines on the far left with its sleek wood and shiny metal blades. They were really going to die, weren't they? The thought made him feel sick to his stomach, and it not for Riley yanking on his arm, he would have crashed face-first into the dirt.

"What the hell," Riley hissed over and over again before letting out a flurry of curses.

Before them, in front of both the gallows and the guillotines was a long table filled to the brim with pastries and all the sweets one could ever hope for. It looked like something out of Alice in Wonderland, complete with teacups that poured their own tea, but that wasn't the object or Riley's fury. No, it was the queen who was seated at the far end of the table, eyes an eerie red and feet propped onto a bloodied and barely breathing Cello.

"My, my, look what the cat dragged in."

Riley's shoulders shook with rage, but she wasn't a big enough idiot to rush in and play hero.

Harper didn't move an inch, but a quiet anger burned in his eyes. "Do you think," he stared at the queen's red eyes. "Do you think it's the bunny... the one from the vision?" Edith didn't seem like a bad person, she'd had made some bad choices, but the vision had shown them another side of Queen Delirium, and if he were to be honest, he almost felt sorry for her.

Bunny or no bunny, he was through caring. That witch had hurt his friends in more ways than one, and was the reason people like Hakuren and Leon were dead. If they wanted to go home they were going to have to be just a cruel as she was, maybe more. "I honestly don't give a damn, and neither should you, Harper." The giant bunny guard nudged them along and Inadi scowled. "We can take them."

One by one they were pushed into their seats, and when they were all seated, the queen smiled.

"I'm going to make a deal with you." She sipped on her cup of tea, laughed.

The riders' grim gazes fell on her, did they even have a choice?

Readjusting her position, the queen made sure she stomped down on Cello's back, hard. The cat let out a pained groan and she continued. "I would like to collect something of mine, the living list, you remember it, yes? I believe it's still with you. I would like to have the clock as well. Such important things shouldn't remain in the hands of children after all."

"Fuck you, you old hag." Numair, who was seated beside Harper shot to his feet, and he would have given the queen a piece of his mind if not for the heavy paw that pushed him back into his chair. He was clenching his fists so hard that his knuckles had turned white.

"It's ours," this time the voice was C's. Her expression was as unreadable as always, but her voice shook with rage. "It's ours, and you CAN'T have it." She slammed both hands into the table, knocking one of the teapots to the ground and breaking it.

If only Luke and the others would get there soon. C wasn't very smart anymore, emotions confused her, things barely ever made sense, but she hated the queen, hated her guts, her pastries, and everything about her. And she understood that if the queen managed to take the clock and the list away from them, she'd strip away their humanity as well, turn them into more of her mute little bunny guards.

The Queen frowned at the broken teapot then narrowed her eyes at C.

"Such naughty children," the queen's pleasant voice turned into something deeper, more distorted, a broken radio sort of sound. "It won't be long now before you turn, you and the rest of those hooded troublemakers."

The words seemed to cut deep. C didn't want to become a bunny guard.

"Now," the queen rose to her feet and made her way towards Harper with a kind smile. "Hand me the list, and things will go much smoother for you, maybe I'll even spare you friend."

Before Harper could respond, Dune leaped out his chair and rushed towards the queen. What was the queen against all of them? One well timed punch to the face, and she'd probably fall to ground! Anger burned in Dune's eyes. This wasn't just for the humans, it was going to be for Garret and Xerxes as well! He pulled back his fist, but the anger he'd felt moments ago was replaced by an all-consuming fear when the queen's eyes glowed an even darker shade of red. She snapped a finger, and without warning, he was propelled back by a crushing invisible force.

Dune flew a good ten feet into the air before hitting the ground with a loud thud.

Pain shot throughout his body and he found himself lying on his back, paralyzed. White flashed across his vision and he let out an even louder gasp when he was flung over the giant bunny's shoulder like a bag of flour. He could hear Milo's and Ise's worried voices but the next thing he knew he was dumped beside Cello and given a hearty kick to the ribs. The world around him spun.

"Please," the queen spoke in two voices instead of one. "Do not test my patience. GIVE ME THE LIVING LIST."

The Mad God

It only lasted for a fraction of a second, but Harper swore he had been staring into the eyes of the demon instead of the queen's. It rendered him speechless, and effortlessly, Queen Delirium lifted him by the collar of his shirt.

Terrified, Harper locked eyes with Ace and tossed her his messenger bag. "It's ours."

"Such a shame, such a shame." Harper was tossed to the ground, and the queen reached for the table, grabbing a knife that had been embedded in one of the cakes. The queen's expression grew grim as she pulled her arm back.

There was a glint of steel...

Ise slumped forward, falling into the queen's arms as blood began soaking her shirt.

Harper remained on the ground, horrified that someone else had taken the hit for him. "I-Ise," the scene before him reminded him of the vision. First Cello and now Ise...

The queen allowed the rider to crumple to the ground before turning her sights on Harper.

 

[Fox of Spades]

Flashback: Sometime before the hoomans are brought outside (Team Guides)

Collab by @Yakamoz and @Fox of Spades

Time never existed in Nowhere but something had changed the moment the hoomans stole the Last Clock. Observers and scholars noticed that the sun began climbing the sky from east to west and occasionally the moon appeared when the sun had disappeared. A frightening phenomenon that affected everywhere - dark side included - and an unease had began spreading virus-like among even the most loyal courtiers.

News of such oddities even reached this corner of the realm. And, like those still residing in the palace, a sense of forboding weighed down the air, making tempers shorter than usually. Even the rookies were not spared.

Eloi, in particularly, tried to feign sickness earlier when the sun peeked over the horizon, but his protests had been promptly quelled by the grumpiness that his commander, Rook, exhibited earlier. Much to his dismay, the boy found himself stuck patrolling the kitchen halls with Arno to make sure the no one stole the Queen's heart shaped tarts. It was just the thing to make his day.

The teen continued plodding along deep in thought. His steps out of sync with Arno's. Between them, large padded paws thump against the rough earthen floor. Inevitaby, puffs of dust rose in small clouds, tickling human and canine noses alike. Eloi sucked in copious amounts of stale air and ended up sputtering. Arno shot his assigned guard buddy a glare while he kept his handkerchief clamped over his nose and mouth. The sullen teen thought he was in the clear when he found himself nose to nose with his bumbling partner.

Arno hissed loudly, not enjoying the intrusion into his personal space. He stepped back then sneered. "Ask the mutt to stop," a muffled indignant whisper came from behind the makeshift mask. "He's making my eyes water."

Eloi stepped closer. He wanted to retort but he ended up sneezing all over Arno's face. The offended trainee's eyes lit up and he shoved Eloi away roughly. The poor hellhound trainer slammed painfully into the wall. He sat there slightly dazed, as adrenaline flooded his system. Before Arno could mock him further, the usually cowardly Eloi let off a roar and launched himself at Arno and both boys began rolling in the dirt.

Howls, loud oofs and larger dust clouds filled the expanse of the kitchen hall. Pretty soon footsteps came from the other end and a very disappointed looking Aimee raced towards her charges.

"Enough!" She yelled, attempting to pry the writhing duo apart. However, it was only after she received several punches herself, the unit second in command hauled the two misbehaving teens up by the collars, as a frown marred her usually calm face. "You two ought to be ashamed of yourselves. We are the Queen's elite unit and you are fighting like common drunks."

"He started it!" Arno and Eloi yelled simultaneously; each pointing a finger at the other while they traded heated glares.

Bento could only whimper as he remained flat on the floor with his paws over his eyes. The pup knew from experience that they'd probably end up getting a long lecture before they get reassigned to some mundane yet embarrassing chore - catching dust bunnies for instance. Or reshuffling the
Queen's spiders.

"It doesn't matter who started it," Aimee scowled. "The both of you are acting like absolute children. Even more so than usual!"

The last bit brought a fierce blush to Arno's cheeks and the trainee looked away, shamefaced and angry. He was better than this, he wasn't just some kid like Eloi... He was a soldier, skilled beyond his years! "It won't happen again, ma'am."

"It better not," came the curt response.

Eloi's embarrassed frown mimicked Arno's and after giving the boys one last glare, Aimee released them.

"Good, we have a job to do and both the queen and Rook expect us to do it well. Now resume the patrol, we've got orders to inspect and secure the perimeter." If looks could kill, Eloi and Arno would be goners, that was just how disappointed and irritated Aimee was, and it showed in the way the usually calm soldier spoke to the trainees. "No more fighting."

"Ma'am, yes , ma'am!"

"You have our word, ma'am."

And with that both the boys were off, Bento tagging behind them with his tail tucked between his legs. If Aimee felt slightly sorry for anyone, it was for the poor pup who was getting dragged into all this drama. She watched as they disappeared down the hall then resumed her own patrol as she headed out the kitchen and towards the castle's west wing.

As the soldiers' footsteps grew silent, the guides pressed up against the broom closet's door allowed a relieved sigh to leave their lips.
"I think that's the last of them." Songbird declared as a worried Brandy and Serenade peered at the door.

"Are you sure, Song?" Brandy asked.

The item hunter pushed open the door and slowly poked his head through the crack. The coast was clear, but they'd need to move fast if they wanted to prevent any run-ins with the queen's soldiers. "We should hurry." He didn't like this... not one bit. And after what had happened to Cello, Songbird couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach.

Mr. Cuddles, Froggie, Martini, Dissonance, and everyone else in the room said nothing more, and one by one the guides crept into the hall. They were going to save their friend then get the humans home...

Mr. Cuddles ushered Froggie forward with gentle paw taps, somehow worried that the excitable child might suddenly take off. His black bead eyes darted left, right and behind, as they began down the second corridor. The mouth watering aromas - freshly baked cakes and other yummies - made his furry tumtum rumble. A second softer rumble told him he wasn't the only one. "The kitchen looks like a nice place to start looking." He suggested in his usual cuddly boom. "A lot of people are inside and maybe Inadi is there. He has a talent when it comes to pastries."

Froggie bubbled up happily. "Song, Song, Song! Can we puh-lease check it out? Mr. Cuddles is right. Inadi and Ace could be inside baking tarts. What better place to hide the hoomans than the kitchen!"

Songbird shot Froggie a glare, and immediately, the younger guide quieted down.

"They're not going to be in the kitchen," Serenade tried to explain.

Froggie looked up at her with worried eyes. "What makes you so sure?"

Serenade didn't want to tell him, but she bit back another frown and did so anyway. It would save Songbird the trouble, and the item hunter looked like he'd explode at any moment. The stress was getting to them all, and she could feel it too. "Because... if she wanted them gone, she'd take them to the gallows."

A heavy silence hung over them as understanding flashed across Froggie's face. He was naïve and kiddy, but he knew that most people who ended up sent to the gallows never ever returned. The guide stuffed his hands into his pockets and kept his eyes focused on the back of Songbird's hat.
The item hunter moved quickly through the halls, occasionally stopping to glance at hallways in the distance. When he and Brandy were sure no one was waiting to ambush them, they'd motion for the others to follow. The bird and rabbit were like two cogs working in sync with one another, but as they rounded a corner, they were horrified to see that the others, save for Martini and Froggie, had vanished.

MEANWHILE

"You there," an irritated soldier marched up to Mr. Cuddles. "The queen has requested more pastries, you're in charge of the tarts aren't you?"

Mr. Cuddles and Dissonance stiffened in place, but Serenade strode up to the soldier with a calm smile. "We are, and we've been informed she's requested some music to go along with the food as well. So we should probably hurry, it'd be a shame to keep the queen waiting, after all."

The soldier nodded dumbly as Serenade grabbed a tray of tarts off one of the counters and pushed it into Mr. Cuddles paws. She whispered something about keeping calm into his ear before they disappeared down the hall, Dissonance bouncing after them and waving goodbye at the soldier. If anyone could act disarming, it was the younger of the rabbit twins.

The trio disappeared down the hall before Serenade finally allowed a relieved sigh to leave her lips. "Not what we'd been planning, but we'll take what we can get. Song and the others should be heading towards the garden as well." Since no one disagreed, Serenade figured it was a yes, and soon, they were all standing behind a small door that led to the garden outside.

As soon as they walked past the door, they saw the long table in the distance, the queen sitting at the very edge, a cup of tea in hand and her feet propped on a bloodied and bruised Cello.

Serenade winced while Mr. Cuddles to ready to pass out, but she tapped him on the shoulder and told him to push onwards. What they couldn't see, was Songbird and the rest of their friends, crouched behind several bushes.

The item hunter was clenching his fists so hard, his knuckles turned white. A part of him wanted to curse the queen to her face, to jump out of their blasted hiding place and fight back, but Brandy reached for his arm while Martini placed a hand on his shoulder. If they wanted to save Cello, now wasn't the time for that.

Mr. Cuddles' paws trembled badly, as he tried not to look at the barely breathing cat-guide. The first two tarts he picked from the baking tray ended smashed in his paws and the queen scowled. Her soft doe brown eyes flashed red briefly and the bunny guards began chattering maniacally.
"Careful," Seranade advised, as her hands wrapped round Mr. Cuddle's paws to steady them. Seeing Cello in that state had made her fearful for their own safety should they incur the Queen's wrath. "Here let me arrange them."

Dissonance busied herself quickly with the rest of the treats - placing cupcakes on pretty china plates and arranging the assorted cake slices into a perfect cake wheel. She even took the bother to straighten the cake forks and refold several napkins. Anything to keep distracted from the aggressive looking bunny guards.

"Thank you for the lovely tea," Queen Delirum chimed in her back to normal voice. The simpering woman jumped off her seat, allowing her heels to dig further into Cello's back before they ended up on the ground. "I'm sure everyone will enjoy it. Would you love to join us?"

"We'd love to join you your majesty!" Dissonance was just as terrified as her sister and Mr. Cuddles, but cycle after cycle of performing all around Nowhere gave her a knack for acting. "But sis and I have a show at the square soon, and we've already sold out all our tickets." Please don't let the queen kill them. Please don't let the queen kill them. "Maybe next time? We'll make sure to play something special for you, I'll even force Songbird to come and play his lute!"

The promise seemed to do the trick and soon queen Delirium was waving them off and telling them about the importance of music and keeping their fans happy.

"Thank you very much for your support, your majesty..." A surprised Serenade stuttered as Dissonce popped up between her sister and Mr. Cuddles and hooked her arms with theirs.

"We're late, we're late for a very important date! No time to say hello, goodbye!" She tugged them along. "We're late!" And with that, the three of them began stumbling past the large bushes towards the castle door. When they were a little farther away, obscured by the large and oddly shaped bushes, Dissonance felt a part of arms tugging at the back of her kimono. She tumbled back into the bushes, before a hand clamped itself firmly over her mouth. The same thing happened to both Mr. Cuddles and Serenade.

"Quiet," the voice was Songbird's.

Upon hearing it, the guides calmed down and allowed a wave of relief to rush over them.

"Bring the hoomans!"

The call relay echoed down the length of stone walls surrounding the gardens down towards the opposite side where the prison was. The guides tensed up as they realized that they needed to do something soon. But what? Everyone remained still, as they wrestled with their own worries and doubts. The silence was barely disturbed by the occasional sigh or loud breaths. Eventually, Song and Brandy lowered their heads and traded hushed whispers. Words that even Martini couldn't hear. The mermaid merely shook her head whenever one of the other guides made eye contact.
The two sisters held hands tightly, while Mr. Cuddles rested his fluffy paws on Froggie's shoulders. It worried them greatly that their original plan was void. Their hooman friends were going to be executed now without trial, so any hopes they had of sneaking their friends out unnoticed from then prison on the other side of the garden was gone. And, deep down, they dreaded fighting their way out of here, especially when only Song, Brandy and Martini were armed.

"Shhhh, Di," Serenade hushed. "Stop breathing so loudly."

"That's not me." Dissonance protested, as she felt the same warm, damp air wash down the back of her neck.

"Eh?"

Both sisters turned around and they found themselves face to face with Bento. The pup sat there with his headtilted to the right. His big tail swishing back and forth in anticipation as he recognized these friendly faces.

"B-Bento...." Dissonance stammered.

"Shooo!" Serenade waved. "Go find Eloi. He has a bone for you."

"I'm right here." said a familiar voice.

Seven stunned faces with different degrees of defeat greeted Eloi's stern one. The trainee tutted while he stood there with his arms crossed. "Spying on the Queen is wrong."

"I don't think they are spying Eloi," Aimee added as she walked over to join her trainee. "I believe these traitors are here to free the hoomans." Naturally, as Rook's second in command, she had heard intel from the castle that several dissentors were planning to free the humans. And, seeing the Guides here, it seemed that the informant was right. A pity really since these were good people and she hated to see them punished. "In the Queen's name, I am arresting you for treason." She spoke calmly, whipping out a set of cuffs. Her lips pressed together and she took a deep breath.

"There are guards all along the corridor so I suggest you come quietly."

Songbird reached for the nearest stone, he wasn't going to go down without a fight. However, before he could execute said plan, Rook arrived alongside an red-faced Arno. The latter looked absolutely upset about the whole discovery while Rook simply looked annoyed and ready to call it a day.

"I can't believe this!" Arno went on as he reached for the set of cuffs he carried on his belt.

Rook wanted to shush him but simply mumbled something about being thoroughly disappointed. He would have given out the command to arrest the traitors, but Brandy raised a hand and spoke up before he could do so.

"You might think we're in the wrong, but take a look at Cello and tell me this right."

There was a long pause. Arno and Eloi turned their heads slightly, but Rook and Aimee stood motionless, their eyes affixed on the guides who had betrayed their queen.

"Tell me this is right, Rook." Brandy repeated as Songbird clutched the rock tightly in his hand, waiting for Rook to try anything on Brandy. If the guard so much as took a step towards his friend, Songbird wouldn't hesitate to give him a rock to the face.
Rook said nothing, but upon hearing a pained groan from Cello, winced.

He knew this wasn't right... the queen, she was never this cruel. But he'd pledged his allegiance to her and nothing made sense anymore. Like everyone else, he'd known Cello for forever, and while the cat could be a lazy and irresponsible guide, he had a good heart. Rook's resolve began to crumble.

"She's not the queen we all know and love," Serenade added in with a tight frown. "The queen, she always wanted to help people, not hurt them. You of all people should know that, Rook."

This time Martini spoke up. "The Queen is my friend, and this person now... ordering the executions of these humans..." The mermaid looked positively horrified. "S-She's not the queen, Rook!"

Arno complained about the guides trying to trick them, but Rook raised a hand to silence him.

It was unexpected, but the next words gave the guides a ray of hope.

"I'm going to help you save Cello."

 

[Fox of Spades]

Sometime before the hoomans get invited to the tea party, happens around the time the guides start sneaking around

Collab @Yakamoz and @Fox of Spades

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Gentle first light of dawn stretched over the nearly naked ground and peeked through the windows, making a warm patch on the smashed up wooden floor. Scattered around the first floor of the Hobbit Hole were four teens, three dragons and a woman with flaming red hair. The latter stood facing the window with her arms crossed and clearly lost in thought.

"Morning," the palest of the group greeted as she sat up crossed legged on her bedroll and stretched. Jasper smiled at each awake person in turn, but seeing the glum faces, her lips began drooping as well. "Anyone hungry?" She asked, hoping to dissipate the heavy atmosphere.

Again, her efforts were in vain. A panda eyed, semi dozing Toby shook his head, while Gara merely turned to look at Luxa. The female rider remained in a curled up position with her back vertical to the wall despite being fast asleep. Her puffy, red rimmed eyes showed that she had been crying all night again.

"I suggest you eat something," Gara spoke in very deadened voice - one that had been devoid of emotion and sarcasm after he had wept silently the first night after Garret and Xerxes died. "Commander Seighart said we're moving out today."

Jasper pressed her lips together while she tried to figure out what to do or say. Things had been rough for the last two days - literally she and Toby had to teach the riders and Victoria the concept of morning and night during this period without much success - and she wished to rescue her friends and boyfriend, but she couldn't help worrying. There were only 3 trained fighters, one veteran and two rookies, and they were facing the Queen's elite guards. And her possessed bunnies.

The odds were not in their favor.

"Victoria, are we really ready?" She asked timidly, as she watched the proud mercenary warily. Even with the passage of time being debatable in this strange realm, she remembered very vividly how Victoria had burst through the door of the Hobbit Hole not too long ago - a vengeful valkyrie wishing death on Queen Delirium. Back when none of the Lost Souls were sure they made the right decision to trust their former Guides. "I m-mean we ... we're fighting the Queen's guards." She clasped her hands together firmly. "Are we going to be okay?"

To be honest, Victoria didn't know if they were going to be alright, but she couldn't say it to Jasper's and Toby's faces. And if anything, the riders needed support, not negativity. Her eyebrows furrowed in worry as she tried to think of the right words to say. Avian had always been better with people and words than she was. Thinking about her late husband made her hate the Queen even more. "We'll pull through, we'll have the element of surprise on our side." That, and pure unbridled hatred. Revenge was a powerful motivator.

Jasper didn't know whether to believe in Victoria's words, but she held the soldier in high regard and she wanted to believe so, so much that they'd be able to save everyone and go home. "I'll do everything I can to help you and the riders! I-I know Toby and I aren't fighters, but we'll do our best." A fierce determination burned in the usually soft-spoken girl's eyes. When she first got on the train, Jasper had been timid and scared of far too many things for her liking, but now... now she had something to fight for, and knowing they were so close to home, made her feel just a little braver.

"I'll help too!" Toby looked like an absolute mess, but there was no questioning the boy's resolve. "Victoria! Luxa! Gara! Tell me what to do and I'll do it! We have to save our friends we just have to!"

A small smile tugged on the corners of Vicky's lips. The humans had heart, she'd give them that.

"Pack your bags then, we have people to save."

Avian and Garret would be the last. No one else had to die at the hands of Queen Delirium.

---

Scales gleamed with a pearlescent glow, as three young dragons soared the skies above. They darted from cloud to cloud, maintaining their formation much better than they were doing their drills. Colbalt, being the eldest of the batch, lead the way with Victoria and Toby riding him. Luxa and Jasper trailed close behind on Aurora, while Gara and Lull lagged behind the group, acting as the rear guard.

"Just a bit farther, Cobalt." Victoria gave the young dragon a pat on his scaly head before narrowing her eyes at the castle in the distance. It was bad enough her husband had died for those humans, but now, she'd lost a close friend as well. The thought sent a wave of anger and sadness throughout her, they would rescue the humans and the queen would pay.

"Commander Sieghart?" Luxa was worried about the woman, but she tried not to let it show.

"I'm fine," Victoria spoke calmly, but a burning anger filled her eyes. "We'll swoop down, hit them hard, and make them pay. They won't know what's coming till it hits them hard."

The slight reassurance was enough to make the trainee smile or she tried to. Aurora's pesky voice kept thrilling inside her head - a warning that danger was below. The trainee rider looked down but she couldn't see anything through the thick cloud blanket under them.

"Commander!" She yelled. "Enemies are below us and their heading towards the castle. A huge army."

Everyone froze. Huge army? Having seen the huge bunny executioner - the same one that killed Garret and Xerxes - they dreaded thinking that the Queen had more of those titans at her disposal. Victoria's hands shook and her eyes blazed even brighter.

"Sounds like the Queen is declaring war on Nowhere. Nobodies, humans - none of us are safe anymore."

Toby and Jasper felt their hearts skip a beat. But, soon they rebounded back, looking even more determined.

Toby fistpumped. "We got to stop her. For Nowhere! For Earth! For everyone!"

His rallying cries made the young dragons roar their approval. Even Jasper and Luxa cheered loudly. They were finally thinking and feeling as one unit. Soldiers willing to fight to the very end.

"For Nowhere!"

Gara was the only who kept silent. He was deep in thought debating whether he should break away and scout ahead. Garret would have wanted him to stick close to Commander Sieghart, but he was the unit's scout - their eyes and ears - so playing safe placed them in greater danger. Sorry Garret, he thought. I have to do what I feel is right. You told me to trust my instinct.

He whistled loudly. "Luxa, Commander, I'm breaking formation," he bellowed, as he competed with the deafening whistle of the wind. "Lux, make sure Aurora and Lull keep communicating. We might need more backup."

A look of hesitance flashed across the usually stoic trainee's face. Luxa was always a tad too hard on everyone, but when push came to shove, she trusted her friends a lot more than she cared to admit. "Gara," she called out.

Hearing his name the resident scout paused. "We don't have time to argue--"

"Stay safe."

Gara blinked slowly then nodded his head. Victoria had given him a firm nod, so without wasting anymore time, he and Lull dove downwards, zipping through clouds as they vanished out of sight.

Victoria gave the rider one last glance before they soared on in their current formation.

 

[Fox of Spades]

Collab @Yakamoz and @Capt. Blu

Stunned, Harper stared numbly at the bloodied dragon rider by his feet. His fingers clenched tightly around the living list and he took a step back, eyes as wide as saucers and mouth agape. First Cello and now Ise... how many more nobodies were going to get hurt because of them? This wasn't right, not in the slightest.

Red eyes flitted towards the retreating boy as a voice that resembled static boomed. "Child, you will give me the list. NOW."

The queen sounded nothing like her old self and Harper instinctively backed away, the list clutched tightly to his chest. He had to help Ise and Cello, and yet, he had to ensure the list never fell into the queen's hands. Ace, Inadi, Riley... everyone was too far away, he had to buy himself some time. "No! It's ours and you'll never have it!"

The queen smiled. Checkmate.

She stepped forward. Harper took another step back and found his back pressed against the table. "Scared little one," Delirium mocked. "Give me the list and things will go much smoother for you all." She gave him a disarming smile. "No one else has to die, yes?"

Harper whimpered and kept the list closer to him. There was nothing else he could do. Fear of this unknown creature turned his legs to lead. Queen Delirium tore her eyes from her cornered prey and looked at the rest of the humans. "Are you going to oppose me," she challenged. "How many more have to die for your silly cause?"

The queen's smile vanished. "I'll say it once more, give me the list, child." When Harper didn't respond, she grasped the knife with both hands and raised it above her.

Harper remained there with his face downcast. Doubt, hurt, confusion and anger were his closest companions. Everyone had looked up to him and he led them into this mess. They were nothing more than pawns in this strange chess game between Edith and her captor. A sick game where neither cared about them. This conclusion brought a fresh pang of guilt. And, unable to take the crippling burden anymore, Harper found himself shutting down.

He couldn't save anyone, not even himself.

"Eat this, you hag!" Inadi shouted, throwing a chocolate cupcake at the queen.

Splat!

Angry, guttral roars tore from the queen's lips, as she stumbled back. Inadi yelled again. "What are you waiting for? Run!"

Emboldened by Inadi's actions, the rest of the humans began chucking cupcakes, eclairs and scones at the queen. Harper, though, stood there petrified.

"Harper, quick!"

The last of the ammo was a blueberry pie thrown by Ace. Like every other pastry Ace hurled earlier, the pie hit the queen in the face. Delirium screeched, as she pulled the offending thing away and flung it in Harper's direction.

Harper didn't try moving away or shielding his face. He just stood there with his eyes fixed on the pie. Even long after it landed face up to his left, he continued staring at the gaping crust crater and the gooey purple contents oozing out from the sides.

"Harper, run!"

He tumbled onto the table at the very last minute and managed to escape unscathed. He knew he needed to get off quickly, but no matter how he kicked, wiggled or crawl, the slippery satin bested him. He barely travelled an inch when Queen D's gloved hand wrapped round his throat.

"Give me the list!" The possessed queen shrieked. She pressed closer to the boy until her nose met his. "I tried to be nice, but did you listen? Give it to me or you'll die!"

Harper's first impulse was to yell that he didn't have the list anymore. Which, ironically, was the truth, because he dropped it earlier when he fell onto the table. Yet he couldn't be so selfish no matter how scared he was. If he did that, the Queen might get the list and that meant that no one would get to go home. No, he'd do what's right. It was what his parents would have wanted, even if they won't remember him ....

"No," he yelled. "I won't ever give you the list!"

A sadistic smile crept up Delirium's lips. "Awwww, how sad," she cooed. "I shall enjoy prying it from your dead hands!"

"Harper!"

Realizing that they were down to mere seconds and that he was the closest to Harper, Ran climbed the table and threw himself at the queen. Ran felt victorious when she tumbled off the table, but his triumph was short lived. Delirium grabbed the table cloth on the way down and Ran felt the table tip to the side.

Ran landed on top of the Queen moments before the tablecloth blanketed the combatants. Everything felt so weird. Ran couldn't see anything nor could he hear what was happening beyond the veil. This caused him to hyperventilate and thresh about violently in an attempt to get out.

The result was less than pleasant because the cloth pressed tighter round his nose, cutting off his air. Stars danced in his vision and he was on the brink of passing out when Queen D shoved him off her. Ran yelled loudly, as he burst out of his cloth prison and he laid on the ground gasping loudly.

A shadow fell over him. Ran tried rolling away but the deranged monarch pounced on him. Her arms wrapped tightly round his head and neck. Ran clawed her arms, leaving angry red streaks. Still she refused to let go. Instead, she began forcing his head so far back that Ran worried that his neck might snap. Desperately, he groped around for a makeshift weapon. That was when he saw her knife lying a few feet away.

Harper noticed the knife too and tried to reach for it. Unfortunately, the table crushing down on his leg made it harder. He writhed and kicked about in anger only to turn several shades paler. Something red began darkening his pant leg as cold sweat poured down his brow. "G-guys," he called weakly. "Help, Ran."

"Nuh-uh, knives aren't for the likes of you." Queen Delirium's grip on Ran's neck tightened but as soon as it happened a pained groan left her lips and she tumbled back as if someone had slapped her hard across the face.

Ran was dazed and shocked by the sudden retreat, but he wasn't going to question it. The queen continued to take several steps back, her face contorting into a mask of confusion and pain. Her eyes would flicker red only for the bright hue to disappear a second later.

"You won't hurt them," the queen pleaded in two voices instead of one.

"You listen to me, Edith."

"You've already done enough damage!"

"I've only just begun."

As soon as the static-like voice left her lips, the queen doubled over like a broken marionette. Her pale hand darted to her face as nails raked into soft skin and dug into human flesh. Black wisps began seeping out of her wounds as the queen's eyes turned red completely. Skin gave away to white fur and the once friendly voice was replaced with static.

"I have arrived and playtime, my dear children, is over."

Tables and chairs were knocked back by an invisible force just as dark shadows fell over them from above.

Riley stared up at the dragons for a moment before quickly attempting to drag Ran to his feet. "Ran, get up! Get up now!" Backup had arrived, but so had the crazy bunny from the Clock's vision. "Can you stand?"

Riley watched in terror as the mad bunny who was once Delirium took another step towards them. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest, but there was no way she was going to leave Ran either. The girl stood her ground, but before she could do anything stupid, a battle cry errupted from behind them and in a split second guards and guides alike began pouring into the execution ground.

Maybe they'd get to go home after all.

Angry bunny guards began to scatter to detain all who disobeyed the queen. Even Delirium was shocked for a moment, seeing her own guards. "What do you think you're doing!?"

"I don't even know," Rook sighed. Whatever this was, it was madness, but he wasn't going to sit around and watch as the queen executed a bunch of harmless humans. And after what she'd done to Cello... Rook didn't really know what to believe anymore.

People came crashing in, but Ace couldn't sigh in relief just yet. Riley had rushed to over to Ran when the distraction gave her enough cover, but Harper was still way too close to danger. She sprinted from her spot near the fallen table and chairs and quite literally pulled Harper out of Delirum's line of sight. "Next time someone says move, you move!"

Harper's eyes were still wide with fear and he was still momentarily stunned. Still, he managed to find his voice again. "S-Sorry, I-"

Ace sighed and nodded. "Just...stay alive okay?" There wasn't much time for talk because the bunny guards were multiplying, and soon enough the two were being surrounded. Ace fought them off as much as she could, only for Bento to stampede through them. Before she could get distracted by the fire dog, she noticed that Harper wasn't carrying the list anymore. "Where's the list?"

Harper was finally coming back to his senses, regaining the ability to move and not be paralyzed with fear. "The table fell on top of it. I dropped it when I fell."

"Someone get the list," Inadi barked over the chaos. Turning back to his furry opponents, he stared them down before charging in with a mop raised. "We need to run before reinforcements arrive." The bunny guards were forced to break formation as he whacked them away. "A little help? I can't keep this up forever."

C had been cornered by a hoard of the angry rabbits up until Layla crashed down, swinging her halberd and knocking them away. "This isn't the smartest idea... But if Rook says to, then guess we're doing this." Those guides were right about one thing though, the crazed demonic person in front of them was not the queen at all. "You okay?" Layla glanced over her shoulder at C. The human nodded quickly and picked up one of the knives that had been flung off the table. Numair was at their side moments later, helping C and giving Layla the chance to clear out that area and create an escape route for them.

"This way! This way!" The bunny twins yelled over the commotion of fighting. They were near the empty exit, gesturing for the humans, guides, and guards alike to run as fast as they could out of there.

"Serenade! Disson-" Martini's warning cry was cut short when the sisters were grabbed and yanked to the floor, detained by the queen's rabbit guard. Neither of the sisters had seen such monstrous guards before. Usually, it was the cute bunnies that carried their carrot guns. These guards were much more terrifying.

Eloi noticed the queen's narrowing eyes turn to the detained sisters, and now mermaid. The angry look could only mean bad news for them, so he lunged with his blade drawn at the ready. This isn't natural. This isn't right at all. We're supposed to be the queen's guards right?!? His brief hesitation was enough for Derilium to notice. Her arm reached out and stopped Eloi as his blade hovered mere inches from her side. She held the young guard by his throat.

"You dare try and strike me." The grin she had made Eloi grow cold, still trying to grasp for air. "Fool. If you're allegiance isn't to me, you'll die like the rest of them-"

"Enough!" The booming voice was accompanied by twin spears that stopped right at Derilium's neck. "Let. Him. Go." The fighting ceased and eyes fell on the two. Ace and Riley had gotten hold of two bunny guards' spears "We don't know what you are," Riley spat, "but you're not our queen."

"Such naughty children." The bunny man possessing the Queen made her lips tug into a smile. "Sorry, dear children, but playtime is over!" He shoved Eloi towards the girls and all three landed in a heap at his feet. "All of you need to be taught a lesson."

The ground shook under their feet and Rook squared his shoulders slightly. He ducked down to avoid the swinging axe then tackled the executioner bunny to the ground. Swiftly, its head was parted from its shoulders and Rook straightened. This was it, their last stand. He suspected that the Queen had more of those abominations that killed Garret under the gallows. He prayed for the Celery to have mercy on their souls. "Regroup," he ordered. "One wrong move and we will be blown to bits."

Tremors grew worse. Fissures appeared along the walls and savage growls filled the air. The soldiers gathered in groups, forming a protective barrier between the Lost Souls and the enemy. Rook and Amiee went straight for the queen after motioning for Ace, Rils and Eloi to retreat. The red eyed woman stood there serenely not seeming to care about defending herself. Instead she seemed much more fascinated to watch the three running towards the rest of the Lost Souls.

"You think you're so clever," she mocked. "But I said PLAY TIME IS OVER." Rook was now closing in. He swung his sword up, readying to behead the she demon, but Delirium's smirk deepened.

Startled shouts filled the air, as ground split and people began losing their balance. Without warning, the ground shot up from under Rook and Aimee. The latter screamed as she fell of the earthen platform, but before she met her demise, Rook grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up.

The two commanding officers stared in wide-eyed horror as several giant one-eyed bunny titans clawed their way out of the earth and towered menacingly above them. Thankfully, the hoomans survived. They were smacked in the center of the courtyard and far from the monsters.

"Now, now, be good and STAND STILL," Delirium ordered. She smoothed her skirt and sat on the throne amidst the shattered plates and ruined pastry. "The less you squirm the less it'll hurt." The nearest titan picked up the throne gently and placed it in its open paw. "Rook, bow to me and I may forgive you."

Rook eyed the creatures, he barely reached their knees. So this was how it was going to end? Never in his life had he thought of a death like this. He considered commanding a retreat but held his sword steady. They didn't have to win, they just had to buy the humans more time and execute a successful evacuation. "You're not my Queen. The Queen Delirium we love won't stand there and watch her subjcts die."

"So be it," Delirum hissed. "Crush them."

Before Rook could issue a single command Cobalt burst through the clouds with a stream of bright red flames. Tasha came soaring after him with a fireball of her own before the rest of the gang came swooping down and circling around the bunny titans.

The sudden attack caused one of the titans to fall back and the ground shook when the mighty rabbit soldier came into contact with the ground below.

"GUYS!" The voice belonged to a familiar cheerful blonde, Toby. "We're here to help! Get to the gates!"

This time the voice was Victoria's. "We don't have much time."

The lost souls didn't have to be told twice, but Inadi paused in place when he noticed Jasper sitting on one of the dragons. He gave her a firm nod then began rushing to gather the remaining humans. "Grab those who need help!" Inadi yelled as people scrambled towards Cello, Ise, Dune, and Harper. The latter was doing considerably better than the other three but he hobbled as Ace swung his arm around her shoulder.

Everything was a chaotic mess, but with the guides and the less injured humans up front they managed to fight their way through the bunny guard army and towards the gate as fire and smoke continued to rain down on the titans.