God of Lost Stories

#11 Strained Bonds

After that shocking display, Alloy lets Classic return to his seat. That little display has most of the 'good' Sanses slouching down in their chairs, a few becoming ashamed. Others do not quite see it yet. Assumptions can hurt people. It's easy to take one look at Horror's shattered skull and the near insanity in his eyes and assume that he's a monster. The bitty happily dozing in his hood says otherwise. It's easy to look ay the knife handle sticking out from Killer's pocket and assume that he's worse than the fallen human that torments so many AUs. After Alloy brought up a vision of his old home, the usual haughty look in Killer's eyes shifted to something like grief and regret.

"Open your eyes" Alloy says without words, "Open your heart to the possibility of a different reality."

"So........" Killer starts awkwardly when Alloy is quite, standing still and gazing into the amphitheater. The sound snaps him out of it.

"Oh! Right, you two have a confession to hear, hang tight!" Alloy flies into action. He secures his needle on his back before fumbling with the brush. Another portal is opened up. Alloy waits. He waits for a minute, two, and then sighs in irritation before going in.

Cross had chickened out. After the brilliant pep-talk Alloy gave him, Cross chickened out. When the god returns, he's dragging a squirming and gagged skeleton behind him, wrapped in purple strings. Alloy snickers. He's worked too hard for a little stubbornness to get in his way. Cross will thank him one day. Eventually. Maybe.

Horror growls at the sight of Cross, and Killer balks before going for his weapon. Alloy snaps at them in turn. "Hey! If you even attempt to fight in here, I'll hog tie you both just like him!" Alloy shakes Cross by his bindings for emphasis before un-gagging him and dissolving the strings. "Now talk." Cross opens his mouth, then closes it. He tries again and stops just as quickly. What is he suppose to say? Cross can't look the two in the eye. He glances at Alloy for help, but all he does fold his arms across his chest.

"I-....... I'm sorry," Cross finally manages.

Horror huffs, his vocabulary being quite small ever since he stopped talking. His hulking frame towers over Cross as Horror leers down at the other. Cross hurt him. Badly. Horror can never bear to speak the words, but he cares deeply for the others and is extremely loyal to Nightmare for giving him a second chance. The idea of anyone betraying their second chance makes him livid. How could Cross ever throw away what Nightmare had given them?

"An apology doesn't change anything," Killer sums up Horror's and his own thoughts.

"I di-didn't mean to upset you! O-Or," Cross is stumbling over his words now, guilt pouring from his tongue, "Ink said he could bring back my world! And-"

"And you don't think I never want my world back? To how it used to be? None of us can go home, Cross. Why should you be the exception?" Killer spits. There it is. That is why this anger festers. Alloy blinks slowly, but doesn't try to intervene here. This is their path to find as long as nobody tries to kill one another. "I would never go crawling to Ink to beg him to create another copy."

"I-I just-,"

"Bullshit! You made your choice!"

The two are practically screaming at each other now, standing inches apart.

"I had to try! If there was even a chance, I had too!"

"You sided with our worst enemy! Don't you know what he's done to Error? To Nightmare?"

"I didn't mean to for it to go so far. Ink only asked me for little things at first, and then suddenly I was at a council meeting......."

"You betrayed us, Cross. Lied and spied on us!"