The Stage is Set

What a painful, playful start pt.3

Play Date - Melanie Martinez

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The others are silent at the omission, most didn't think of Reaper like that. He knows it well. Not many people take the time to get to know him, they make their assumptions and call it a day. It's also hard to bond when his job is almost always on call. Reaper is known for leaving functions early. His emotions have always been hard to figure out about this kind of treatment. So, he does what he always does, ignoring how it makes his soul feel. He can unpack it later with his therapist another day. He'll box it up for now, and unpack it later. They have to survive this first.

He continues forward, and the paint of the floor sloshes around. It covers his feet, and splashes around the others... Most of the others. Reaper notes that he can't hear Blue's feet splashing around. Not even a footstep. Why is he any different? Why is he walking on the liquid? Why is there no splashing, nothing painting anything other than the bottom of his shoes? He wonders if Blue knows. He wonders if that's something Ink is doing. Cross catches up to Reaper, having to bounce up front to get closer.

"Where are we going?" Cross glances at Reaper as he slides a hand into Reaper's for comfort.

Reaper's voice is soft. He doesn't think the others know what state Ink's soul is in. He doesn't want them to lose hope. "To find the parts of Ink."

Cross blinks. Fear and panic squeeze his thoughts before he knows it. "Parts? Is Ink..."

Reaper nods, squeezing Cross's hand back. "Yes." Cross swallows a cry, "We're looking for his soul fragments. I can feel where they are."

Cross nods before pointing up, "You mean all those small lights?"

Reaper stops. He turns to Cross, confusing the others. "What small lights?"

Cross looks at the others to see all but the apple twins confused. "The lights?" He points upward, "Those little things that look like stars?" The others look up to see what Cross is talking about.

Lust's sockets widen. "Well, I'll be..."

Blue looks at them with a start, "Is that..."

Error finishes the thought, "Ink."

Killer grips his hand tightly as he turns to Error. "What do you mean by that?" He turns to where the apple twins are, confused and hurt paints his expression. "That's not true, is it?"

Nightmare grimly nods. "It is."

"N-no, it can't be-"

"It's true." They all turn to Dream as he holds onto Blue's hand. He uses his other hand to wipe away his tears, "We saw it when we spoke to Ink. They're soul fragments." Lust covers his mouth in dread. Dream looks back up at the fragments, "They still speak..."

Nightmare also moves to grab Error's hand, "I believe that there are memories tied to each fragment... I'm not sure."

Blue tries to hold it together. He has so much to ask, to say. He speaks without thinking, "Why can't he tell us anything? We're wandering around in the dark."

Reaper chokes as the soul fragment in his chest pulls. It pushes against his soul in a way he's never felt before. He feels it leave the safety of his rib cage before flying up into the room. Cross points it out as it starts to move, it's the only one to move with such speed. Reaper feels his feathers fluff, his brother is leaving him again. Again? Again! He will not let his brother leave him behind again. Not now, not ever. He spreads his wings, not willing to lose him again. Reaper launches, trying to catch it, he can't lose his brother's voice now. Not now. Please, come back.

The fragment doesn't listen.