You've Missed Mouthy

You Don't Need to be Human to Make Mistakes

(Masky's POV)

Being separated from Hoody for a few days, knowing that he was out on a solo mission while I sat doing nothing, was one of the worst feelings I've ever experienced. Comparable to having an itch that you can't scratch, while simultaneously suffering a headache and nausea along with whatever injuries you have at that time. Not remotely enjoyable. And the moment I heard Mouthy calling out for Kate, I felt empathy.

The dust in my mask is replaced with thick humid air, as room 110-2 is replaced with a large grass filled courtyard. The smell of blood and rain wipes away the image of the grey proxy's beaten body, replacing it with the memory Slender pushed into my mind. It happened here, at The Elementary. Hoody's hand grabs my shoulder, using me to balance as the teleportation lag effects his vision. I grab his arm in an attempt to help, my own head spinning slightly. Slender walks past us as we recompose ourselves, his footsteps silent on the wet grass.

"Mouthy and the others were gathered here." The tall man's voice rings in my head, and I look to see what sits at his feet. A pile of black ash, splashed by the rain and blown by the wind so that it covers a majority of the concrete it sits on. Hoody lets go of me, and we move to stand by our master. Something crunches under my foot, and I adjust to see what I crushed.

"Animal bones." I mumble to the other two men. That's right, in the memory the other four were eating from a small carcass. "H-how long do you think they've been g-gone?" Hoody questions, looking at Slender. "Almost three days, approximately seventy-two hours ago." He booms in reply. Hoody nods, looking down at his shoes in thought. Now it's my turn to ask a question. "Why haven't you gone to get them yourself?" I wait quietly as Slender processes the perfect way to reply. "I am unsure how much of my abilities you know of. But unless they step back into the Elementary's borders I cannot pull that information from their minds without physical contact. Reading your thoughts is possible while inside a domain, however once outside, it is not an option I can have." Slender walks forward towards an archway leading into the building. Hoody and I follow close behind.

"That's w-why you've diverisitized s-so many domains." Hoody confirms, and Slender nods.

"What happens once we're out of the area looking for the others?" I ask as my feet step on the concrete floor of the building.

"You will have to find them yourselves, but I will give you all the information that can and will help with the search." Slender stops to stand in front of a wall, his long boney fingers trace the edges of a stuffed bear punctured by a large wallmount. "They have yet to return here since they left, and I do not believe the girls had enough time to teach Toby or Vince how to scavenge for their own food. They may return for supplies. Though from Mouthy's memory, Vince was the one who caught the animal they were eating." Slender lifts a hand to hold his chin, his mind continuing to put together information. "Does... does Vince have any habit that wasn't broken when his memory was wiped?" I mutter the question, not realizing that it slips my lips until Hoody look at me. "Well, I like to light up a cigarette every now and again, but I don't remember when I started that habit, it must've been carried over from the life I had before."

"It was." Slender booms in confirmation. My eye's widen behind my mask. Did he... that's the only time he's ever spoken about our pasts with a direct answer. He turns to look at Hoody and myself. "If I recall correctly, Vince was quite... jumpy. His reflexes were so quick, they were unpredictable. It is not the same as your smoking habit, but it could be that I was careless and removed the part of his mind that arranged these reflexes without taking away the muscle-memory itself." Slender waits to see if we have any objections or questions, and Hoody cranes his neck towards our master.

"T-then his attack on Mouthy was... a-a muscle spasm?" "It could have been." Slender's airy voice fills the room around us. "Either way, no one is to be killed on this mission. I will be investigating the border of the forest to be sure that no one leaves nor enters. Whoever you find first, you must explain that everything is alright. Take them back to the Elementary and I will arrive shortly after. Leave to find whoever is left, and this should be resolved quickly. Any questions?" Slender looks at us, catching me exchanging a look with my partner. Hoody's composure lets me know that he has no objections with our orders, and neither do I. "Find Kate, Toby, and Vince; explain to them what really happened, and bring them back to the Elementary." I repeat back to our master. "No fatalities."

"Yes." Slender nods to me. "But be sure to find them before they find each other. Even if Toby wants to keep Vince alive, Kate won't resist a chance to break his bones and spill his blood."

"She doesn't know that Mouthy's alive, does she?" I reply back. The tall man looks away from me. "No, she does not. I too thought she was dead, until her deranged form fell two stories to land at my feet. It seems her mind is not stable either." Slender begins to pace lightly, holding his hands behind his back. "N-not surprising. T-the strike to the head, her blood loss, falling trauma, and the s-stimulant Jack gave her." Hoody mutters. "The separation anxiety isn't going to help either. We should've brought her with us, she'll snap if she's left there alone." I growl at the idea of simply leaving her lying useless in room 110-2 "Masky, Mouthy will not die. So long as she stays a secret from the other monsters, she will heal and be reunited with her partner once this is all over." Slender stops and I let out a breath. "So, the quicker we do this the better." I breathe. "Exactly."

Silence soon settles, and Hoody steps up next to me.

"I-is there anything in the forest h-here that we should be concerned about?" "Nothing that you have not encountered before. Curious travelers and a couple wolves." Slender replies. "Okay, w-when do you want t-to leave?" Hoody looks at me again, his gaze quiet. "Now?" I question to the other two men. Waiting for them to exchange nods. "Now." A ringing swipes through the air, and Slender's tall form disappears. I look to Hoody, giving a nod. He nods back, walking towards the large metal exits with me following close behind.



"Cursed to be ignored, angered at the mockery. caution the shadows, incase you've missed Mouthy."All images and characters belong to their respectable owners.
Thank you.