What Once was Broken

Chapter 31.... Cafeteria Madness

"Mon dieu! You were RIGHT Barney!" I gasped, entering through the hole that led to the kitchen area to be greeted by MOUNTAINS of dishes! I leapt to the floor, and dusted myself up as I continued to observe the area. "MUCH messier!" Barney confirmed, recounting my last statement about the decrepit study hall. "It's so filthy. Eugh! It smells!" I commented, holding my nose as Jenna and Barney landed beside me, careful not to crack themselves in the process. "Are you okay?" I asked, coming over to check them when a loud commotion came from behind the counter in front of us. "What the viande hachée!?" I exclaimed, whipping around to the counter, and breaking into a sprint. "Wait!" Jenna called, panting as she tried to keep up with me. "No strong enough!" Barney called, just as breathless. I could hear the shattering of what sounded like flower pots as I peered over the edge, and to my horror, there were a couple of Bullies, bashing in the heads of the other porcelain children surrounding them. "Oh no! We MUST stop them!" I cried, and I leapt from the counter to push my way through the crowd, Barney and Jenna staying a foot behind me. The boy Bully kept swinging, and busted the heads of a couple more before I grabbed his arm and yelled out, "STOP! PLEASE!" He shook me off of him, causing me to crash into the floor as the Bully stood over me with a heavy looking ladel in his hands. He held it up, and I turned on my back, fearfully looking up at him when he produced a small gasp of shock. "C-Claire? Is that really you?!" A familiar voice asked. "L-Leo?" I replied, equally awestruck as I was breathless. He ripped off the Bully head, producing his matted red hair, and his glowing green eyes that I never thought I'd see again. I was overwhelmed with joy that I began to cry, and in response, he did the same as he pulled me up from the ground, and pulled me in for a hug. "Six had told me you were dead." He sobbed, squeezing me tighter, "I knew she was wrong though, because I know how smart, and strong you are!" He kissed me on the temple of my head, and pulled away as a disgusted look plastered my face. "She told you WHAT?!" I asked, feeling my anger boil from the lie. "She had told me you slipped out of her hand, and that these "Bullies" were taking you away to tear you limb from limb. I told her you were strong though, and that you'd find your way eventually and thank GOD I was right!" He explained, wiping his face with his arm. I was speechless, and borderline furious with Six. I noticed that Leo had snagged a school uniform of his own, and chuckled as he asked, "Do you like it? It's MUCH better than tight pants and that scratchy sweat shirt I was wearing." I couldn't help but smile slightly as I replied, "You fill it quite nicely." That's when the girl Bully, who I assumed was Six, ran up beside him to take his arm as she cried, "C'mon Leo! They'll find us if we don't keep moving!" "Six! Just look who I found scuttling about while I was giving them dollies a wholop." Leo said, pointing over at me. I stood quietly as she looked me dead in the eyes for a few minutes. I tried to stand my ground as the tension in the room constricted me, and I could feel the hate and rage fuming from Six to discover that I had lived. "I told you she was a survivalist in an Angel's body! Aren't you happy to see her?" Leo asked breaking the silence, and cutting the tension in half. Six pulled off her doll head, and I can see tears rolling down her eyes as she strained in a dry, artificially excited tone, "You're here! You're okay!" She ran up to me to hug me, but before she could, I took a huge step back, and stuck out my hand to stop her in her tracks. "En effet! Indeed! Is THAT why you purposely let go of my hand!? The reason you BETRAYED me to the Bullies?!" I fumed, placing my hands on my hips, waiting for an excuse. Six's strained smile fell, and her "tears" stopped as she held a grim expression, as well as the same eyes that held the same dark intent. She laughed artificially, and replied in the same happy tone, "What do you mean silly? You slipped and we were so worried about you!" "Slipped, huh? So you told Leo I "Slipped" and that I "Died" so that you didn't have to deal with me anymore? So that you'd leave me behind?!" I replied, turning away from her. She replied in another pitifully attempted calm tone, "WHY would we want to? You're our friend!" "More like YOUR target!" I spat. That's when Leo stepped in front of me, and said, "Six wouldn't just abandon you, Claire. Let's just all be happy you're NOT dead, okay?" He pleaded, smiling akwardly at me. I knew I had to give up.... I hadn't any proof except for what she had said in my ear, and words can very easily be twisted! I needed actual evidence if I wanted him to be on my side, and so reluctantly, I lowered my defense, and approached Six slowly. I hugged her akwardly as I apologized painfully, "I'm sorry. I was just scared! I didn't know what I was thinking. I hope you can forgive me Six." Six wrapped her arms around me heasetantly, and squeezed as she replied in her sickeningly elated voice, "It's alright. We all think different things when we're scared! But let me tell you something," she buried her face into my thick curls, and I could feel the heat of her breath on my ear as she whispered these dark, horrid words, "it won't be my last. You think you can evade me, but deep down, I know your limits. You're going to break, even if it takes me forever, and when you do, you'll slip up! That will meet your demise." She pulled away, and took me by the shoulders, smiling so even though her eyes portrayed different thoughts. I tried not to shudder in her firm grip, and to keep my head up as to not give into her insane plans. "Friend Claire!" Barney exclaimed, rushing over with Jenna in his hand. "Leo! Your left!" Six cried, and Leo took up the ladel again, ready to strike. "NO!" I screamed, shaking Six off of me, and placing myself between the two boys before any of them got hurt. "What?!" Leo asked in confusion, "Are you insane? They'll ATTACK us!" "No they won't! They're the reason I'm here with you now, and HE'S the reason I haven't been ripped to shreds like sentient paper!" I exclaimed, and I turned to Barney and Jenna, saying softly, "It's okay. You're safe, really!" Barney and Jenna stood up on their legs from their spider position, and tilted their heads curiously at me. "You CANNOT be serious. Don't you know how hostile they are?! Just look what one did to my arm earlier! How can you POSSIBLY trust them?" Six ranted. I smirked, and replied cunningly, "No, I don't know how hostile they are because I wasn't hostile to THEM. I have faith in my friends, and that INCLUDES the inhuman kind!" Six seemed a little dumbfounded by my explanation, and moreso vexed as I took their hands in mine. "Leo? Six? This on my right is Barney," I introduced, and Barney gave a quick wave before bashfully huddling closer to me, "and on my left is Jenna." I continued, and Jenna walked up to Leo curiously, poking his rib lightly, and making him laugh as he exclaimed, "Hey! That tickles!" "Barney, and Jenna? How cute, giving them names." Six spewed harshly. "I didn't name them, they already HAD names!" I defended as Barney quietly crawled over to her. He reached out his hand to touch her raincoat, but yelped immediately with fright after looking up at her, causing him to flee back to the comfort of my presence. "Odd. Even Barney senses something off about her!" I thought to myself, patting Barney on the back. "Girl in yellow no good. Bad feeling from her!" Barney whimpered, hugging my legs. "It's okay, I won't let anything happen to you amie." I consoled, and I looked over to see how Jenna and Leo were getting along. Jenna was observing Leo's hair, and commented, "Pretty. Look like copper!" "That's because I'm a Ginger. My hair is naturally red!" Leo explained as Jenna kept messing with his matted hair. "Pillow." Jenna simply said, and she rested her cheek on his head, pretending to sleep. Leo laughed, and Barney drew closer to him, heasetently making for a strap over his shoulder. Leo popped open his satchel that he left the Maw with, and explained, "This is where we keep our clothes, and whatever else we find!" Barney searched around, and gasped as he pulled out a long, white material that was way to familiar for me. "M-My cloak! I didn't realize it was missing!" I said, feeling around me in panic. "Oh, two of those little buggers had it when we found them. I held onto it just in case!" Leo replied, gently taking it from Barney, and handing it to me. I took it gingerly in my hands, and hugged it, feeling comforted by it's soft texture. I wrapped it around me, and pulled my hood over my head, the lace shining in the dim light. After I tried the ribbon on the front, Barney came up to me, and said, "Look pretty in white cloth." "Like Angel." Jenna added, tracing the lace with her finger, and I blushed in response. "My mother gave it to me as a gift, made from her love. She said when I wear it, I will always have her by my side!" I said, wrapping it closer to me. I felt protected, and safe in that cloak, like it was an embrace in her loving arms..... Like she wasn't dead on the Maw....... I wiped a tear away from my eye as Leo asked, "Well? Shall we take our new friends and be off then?" I nodded, and began to walk ahead of the group with my found friend, my new friends, and my enemy following behind. We ducked under a low, cluttered table, and entered an absolute insane asylum! Plates, food, and trash piled up like mountains, porcelain dolls throwing, pouncing, and prancing about the room, havoc ensuing everywhere they went! "Lord, how savage!" Leo commented, the noise in the room completely overtaking him. "Gets worse. Keep close!" Barney replied, taking Jenna's hand, and beginning to walk through the crowd, careful to avoid any contact with the little meanaces. We pushed on, avoiding the sailing food and glassware that was flung into the air, and being jostled by a couple of Bullies along the way. We ducked under a long table in front of the exit, and, still taking the lead, stopped the gang as a pot was pushed from the table, and tipped on it's side. "Okay, all clear." I whispered, waving the others on. I crawled out from under the table, Leo helping me back up, and taking me in his arms. "More down hall. Must careful!" Jenna informed, and the three of us humans follow behind the fragile pair. "Where's an adult when you need em'?" Leo asked, looking back on the cafeteria. "What adults are even LEFT?" I counteracted, looking up into his warm, green eyes. He shrugged his shoulders, and replied, "Too right." "I have a feeling something bad is about to come." Six whimpered, and she couldn't have been more right...