Lost Soul

Chapter Thirteen

Soul has no idea what he's doing when he turns and sprints away in Blue's body. If he could, Soul would have already created a portal to a different AU. The problem is that portals can't be made in the meeting hall. Soul has to get back outside first. The sudden jump into Blue's body has also made him a little disoriented. The new memories confuse Soul as he tries to shove them away. Why is he running from his best friends?

Ink and Dream shout something behind him. Most of the monsters in the hall are still confused about what's going on, but Soul looks guilty enough by running. Red's unconscious body doesn't look good, either. The others still hesitate before trying to grab Soul. Blue is a very well-liked and sweet monster. Soul could not have picked a better host if he tried. Energy buzzes around Soul's smaller body and lends him speed when monster do finally decide to move. Those few seconds of hesitation get him almost all the way back to the main doors. Soul ducks out of the way when someone makes a grab for him. He's not so lucky the second time. Another monster steps directly into Soul's path to the door. He tries to stop, but ends up tripping and body slamming into the other monster.

Soul can't quite register what just happened. He sits up blearily and rubs his skull at the beginning of headache. The weight in Soul's lap makes him pause. Blue is passed out and sprawled in Soul's lap after they collided. That's not right. Soul stares for another few agonizing seconds before he realizes that he jumped bodies again. This time was a complete accident. New memories and emotions flood in the fill the gap that Blue left. Soul recalls an expanse of stars filling the sky and the taste of dry ice cream. He's hopped into Outer. The stars remind Soul of the time he and Error visited OuterTale, and Soul feels horrible all over again. Everyone here probably hates him just like Error does.

"Did you get him?" someone asks Outer, referring to Blue. Before Soul can respond, Dream has caught up enough to speak.

"Watch out! They can jump bodies!" Dream shouts a warning. The monster next to him flinches when they realize that Outer might not be himself. Blue is light enough to easily shove off, and Soul waste no time after that to get back in his feet.

"I-I think we might have gotten off on the wrong foot here," Soul nervously chuckles, adapting Outer's nervous grin by instinct. Too weary now to touch him, someone fires off a bone attack. Soul calls up Outer's gravity magic as fast as he can and throws himself up into the air. The gravity doesn't affect Outer as much even outside his AU and slows his fall. Soul might have laughed at the floaty feeling if another bone attack hadn't flown past his face. It barely misses Soul's head, but pierces right through his jacket hood and sends him flying across the meeting hall only to be pinned to the wall. Soul is further from the door then ever.

The meeting hall is breaking out into chaos. Most are unsure of whatever is happening, and a few more battles have even broken out with random attacks bursting to life around the hall. It's complete anarchy. Soul twist around and tugs at his hood frantically. He braces his feet again the wall for more power. The monsters who do know what's happening are closing in on him. With one last vicious tug, the hood rips. Soul goes flying away from the wall and crashes into a trio of monsters who had yet to join the fight.

"Aw shit," Soul mumbles. "Again?" With his emotions flying as they are, Soul can't seem to get a grip over his own magic. He's accidentally jumped into yet another body. Soul winces as the new sensations worsen his headache. The taste of sea salt is a disgusting flavor on his tongue, and he can't see out of one eye due to the eyepatch. PirateTale?

Soul ducks as purple paint flies over his head. It seems Ink is keeping well enough track of him, but Soul's body swapping is confusing almost everyone else and buying him time. It might actually be useful to get out of this situation. The headache that's worsening into a migraine says otherwise. Three unconscious bodies have been left behind in Soul's wake, and he's not sure how many more times he can jump without resting.