||To Change a Destiny||

{~Chapter 14: Please, Leave Me~}

Red Son shut his eyes, waiting for the blow.

It never came.

Confused, he opened his eyes to a truly shocking sight.

LBD's arms seemed to be stuck mid-swing, the staff  just inches away from slamming into Red Son's head. And, to his absolute shock, tears were streaming out of flickering blue eyes.

"Red— Red Son—! Can't—! You have—! Go—!" Every word he managed to choke out sounded like he was fighting with everything he had just to splutter.

Still stunned, Red Son could only scramble to his feet. He didn't run. He couldn't run. Not when MK was right here.

"...MK. MK! Come on! You can fight her!" The demon encouraged, voice desperate. "You can do it, Noodle Boy!"

MK fell to his knees, dropping his staff. His arms flew up to grab at his head. MK screamed as his eyes flickered from blue to their normal dark brown color. Red Son could only stare as the delivery boy's eyes met his, and mutter one last sentence.

"Please... leave me."

Suddenly, his body went still, and his arms dropped back to his sides. MK's eyes were totally glowing blue. He looked like he was staring off into space.

His body acting on its own accord, Red Son surged forward and grabbed the delivery boy by the shoulders.

"MK! Are you oka—?"

He was abruptly cut off when MK's hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat. Caught off guard, Red Son could only instinctively grab his arm in an attempt to pry the other's arm off.

"Fool," LBD hissed, grip tightening. "MK... is... gone. And soon, you will be too. Along with every single retched being who walks this tainted world, and beyond. The instant I get my hands on the Samadhi Fire, I will finally be able to start this world anew. A clean slate."

Red Son was only listening to half of what she was saying, as he was kind of preoccupied with trying to get her freezing hand off of his neck.

The demoness continued. "However, since you're here now... I may as well grant you mercy, and kill you right here. Goodbye—"

Before she could finish, the wall opposite of them broke, and the Spider Queen leapt out of the newly made hole. LBD dropped Red Son, who immediately gasped for air.

"I thought I heard voices! Just what are you doing here, Fire Boy?!" The spider demon snarled, glaring at the demon. Regaining his breath, Red Son ignored the question, and instead looked up to meet the cold eyes of the possessed boy. He struggled to his feet.

"Noodle Boy...!" He panted, rubbing his throat. "I know you're still in there, so listen: just hang in there. Your friends are looking for you. We're going to get that witch out of you. Do you hear me, Noodle Boy?! We're going to save you."

LBD scoffed. "Don't waste your breath on promises you can't keep."

Frustrated at being ignored, Spider Queen shouted and dove right for Red Son, who upon noticing the spider demon's attack, scrambled out of the way, only half-unintentionally leaving the queen at the mercy of the ancient demon.

The fire demon looked back one more time to look into the possessed boy's face, to find any hope of seeing MK battling against the possession.

All he could see was that stone cold expression.

And so, Red Son finally picked himself up, and ran. All while that witch's taunting filled his ears.

"That's right. Run along, little prince. Destiny will find you soon enough."

And then, his pleading voice.

"Don't come back, Red Son. Please. You'll all just get hurt. Leave me, please. Please, please leave me and don't come back for me."

He blocked her voice out. But he just couldn't block out MK's. He was pleading for Red Son to leave him behind. It hurt to hear his voice like that. It hurt to hear his begging. But Red Son already had a spark of determination. He couldn't just leave him behind.

So his only focus at that moment was to escape the sewers, find the others, and warn them.

And then, they would all rescue MK together.

<***>

Pain.

That's the only word MK could use to describe the feeling of him battling her control. It hurt. It hurt so much.

But he couldn't let her kill Red Son. He couldn't. Not when he had gone through so much trouble just to come down here and attempt to save him. And as much as MK wanted to be saved...

He knew that he couldn't be.

It was too dangerous, too risky. The demoness could immediately find another body to possess if she were to be thrown out of his. And it could be someone he deeply cared about.

He knew that it was too late to be saved. He realized that a while ago.

So he pushed Red Son away.

Better he faced this pain alone than rope his friends in.

And yet he still heard Red Son's voice, calling out to him. Reassuring him.

"Noodle Boy...! I know you're still in there, so listen: just hang in there. Your friends are looking for you. We're going to get that witch out of you. Do you hear me, Noodle Boy?! We're going to save you."

No. No, he couldn't allow that. He couldn't allow his friends to get hurt.

So, one last time, he frantically pleaded to Red Son in one last attempt.

"Don't come back, Red Son. Please. You'll all just get hurt. Leave me, please. Please, please leave me and don't come back for me."

And MK went back to hanging there by those chains, alone in the void, praying that the message had gotten through to the fire demon.

A tear slid down his cheek. And then another.

This was the way it had to be, he told himself.

Maybe he would never get to see his friends again, but at least this way they wouldn't get hurt.

MK smiled bitterly to himself through the tears.

This was the way it had to be.

<***>

When Red Son came back to the shop, they were already there. He couldn't even speak or stand properly. He just clung to the doorway, panting. Their voices came all at once.

"Red Son! Where you been?"

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Did you find something? What's wrong?!"

"Hey! Give the guy some air! Can't you see he's not looking too well?" Pigsy finally shouted, moving the others away so Red Son had room.

"Red Son? Are you alright?" The pig asked gently. Red Son was silent for a minute, before he regained his breathing and looked up to meet the others dead in the eyes.

"I found him."